At Icon we begin each consultation in the pretest room there a number of different tests are performed to determine the health of the patients eye these include;
1) Auto Refractor: This instrument provides us with a baseline refractive error, that is the glasses prescription for your vision in the distance.
2) Non-Contact Tonometer: This instrument allows us without any contact with the patient to measure the pressure inside the patients eye (intraocular pressure) (one in a series of tests for glaucoma)
3) Retinal Photography: This important instrument is a digital camera which photographs the back of the eye (the fundus) instantly and in most cases this can be done without the use of dilating drops in the eyes. These images are recorded and stored on the patients file for future reference and comparison.
4) Corneal Topographer: this instrument measures the shape of the cornea. We can demonstrate astigmatism, keratomas and other eye abnormalities. It is also valuble when we cannot achieve a satisfactory result with glasses and it may be a result of a corneal problem, hence this instrument is integral in dealing with eye health.
5) Matrix FDT Visual Field Test: this instrument analyses the peripheral vision of a patient. One eye is measured at a time. The field of vision is important in determining glaucomatous changes and problems with the optical pathways in the brain. Fields assessment is also a requirement in licenses for driving.
6) Optical Coherence Tomography: this instrument is one of the latest in the world in examining the eye's health. It views a live cross-section of the retina and optic nerve head. It can predict changes before the human eye can see them.
7) Slit
Lamp: this instrument assess the front of the eye, it looks at
the cornea, and any changes to cataracts.