OCT stands for optical coherence tomography. It is a 3D scan of the retina at the back of your eye and is used to give us a complete picture of your eye health.

What is OCT?

When you have an OCT scan, for you as a patient it is a very quick, easy and non-invasive experience. It only takes a few minutes, but the results can tell our optometrist a huge amount about your eye health.

The scan works in a similar way to ultrasound but instead of sound waves, it uses light to scan your eye. The results from the scan can be seen instantly and the optometrist will be able to show you what the inside of your eye looks like. OCT results in a series of images showing the layers of the retina, including the optic nerve head at the back of the eye.

What can OCT show?

OCT scans are invaluable in showing minute changes to your retina or optic nerve that would not otherwise be detectable. These changes can indicate the beginnings of eye disease. Conditions such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy can all be detected with an OCT scan. By having regular scans, the optometrist can compare features such as the thickness of the layers of your retina to see if there are any changes.

Retinal imaging

We include retinal imaging when booking an OCT scan. Retinal photography gives us a different image of your retina than the OCT scan and is another way to detect potential problems. There are a number of serious eye conditions that can affect the retina and put your sight at risk. Retinal tear or detachment, hypertensive retinopathy, plus conditions that affect the optic nerve such as papilledema and optic atrophy can all be detected using retinal imaging.

Why have an OCT scan?

In many cases, eye diseases don’t have any noticeable symptoms in the early stages and your vision can be permanently damaged by the time symptoms do start to show. The OCT can spot potential problems in the earliest stages when they are most treatable. By adding OCT to your regular eye exam, you are gaining peace of mind and protecting your vision for the future. OCT and retinal imaging are both helpful if you need to be referred to an ophthalmologist for further investigation or treatment.

You can book an OCT scan with retinal imaging alongside your eye examination.

Contact us to schedule an appointment

Request an Appointment Online or Call Us (01689 831726) to schedule an appointment or to learn more about how we help our patients.