The Family Eye Group uses state of the art testing equipment for detecting and treating many eye problems. Information on some of these tests are listed below.
Fundus Autofluorescence
Pictures of the retina and nerve taken with special filters to see things that may not be visible with the human eye.
A-Scan and IOL Master
These tests measure a patient’s eye prior to cataract surgery to calculate the power and type of the implant chosen by the surgeon.
B-scan Ultrasonography (B-scan)
This test uses an ultrasound machine to take two-dimensional, cross-sectional images of the eye. This can be useful when there is eye disease that makes it difficult for the eye doctor to evaluate the eye with a regular exam or when there is a limited view and a concern of a retinal detachment or an orbital disorder.
Corneal Topography (Topo)
A topo maps out the surface of a patients cornea. It can help evaluate corneal disease, fit contact lenses, or be used before and after cataract and refractive surgery.
Endothelial Cell Count (ECC)
This test measures the number of cells that are on the back surface of the cornea used in patients with corneal disease.
Fluorescein Angiography (FA)
Used to evaluate a patient’s retinal blood flow. Patients are given an injection of a vegetable dye into their vein. A series of photos of the back of a patient’s eye are taken through the dilated pupil to look for leakage of the dye. This helps identify problems of the retina and determine if treatment is necessary.
Fundus Photography ( FP)
Photos are taken of the back of the eyes. These photos can be used to evaluate the retinas, optic nerves or other conditions such as monitoring macular degeneration, diabetes, a retinal nevus (freckle on the retina) or bleeding, among others.
Heidelberg Retinal Tomography (HRT)
These photos are taken by using a special laser to take precise 3-dimensional photographs of a patients optic nerves. This is especially useful in patients who are at risk for, or who are being treated for glaucoma.
Multifocal Electroretinography (mfERG)
During this test, a patient has an electrode placed near their eye and they are asked to view a monitor with flashing lights through dilated pupils. Similar to an EKG, it monitors the electrical activity of tiny spots in the macula, the center of vision in back of the eye, to monitor its health and help diagnose different diseases. To our knowledge, Family Eye Group is the only practice in the county currently offering this technology.
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
This is a test that uses light waves to take a cross-section picture of a patient’s macula and optic nerve. This test can help diagnose and monitor macular disease and optic nerve disease and glaucoma.
Pachymetry (Pachy)
This is a painless test, which measures the thickness of a patient’s cornea. This can be useful in patients with glaucoma and corneal disease.
Photoscreening
A photoscreener is a device that takes a photo of a patients eyes. The photo helps determine if the eyes are straight and are focusing well. This test is especially helpful when examining young children looking for strabismus or amblyopia (lazy eye).
Visual Evoked Potential/Response (VEP or VER)
This test evaluates the visual pathway, from your eye through your optic nerve back to your brain. Electrodes are placed on the head and the patient simply looks at a flashing screen. The test is painless. It can help diagnose optic nerve disease.
Visual Field Testing (VF)
A Visual Field Test maps out a patient central and peripheral vision in each eye individually. The patient simply looks straight ahead at a target while pressing a button when a light flashes in random locations. This test is especially useful in detecting and treating glaucoma.