How Does an OCT Help in Diagnosing Diabetic Retinopathy?

When treating and managing diabetic patient’s it is important to conduct a dilated fundus examination first. The optometrist will dilate the patient’s eyes and examine the back of the eye and the eye as a whole to make sure diabetes hasn't caused any changes. Additionally, there are various imaging devices that are extremely valuable to help the optometrist better manage their patients. OCT stands for optical coherence tomography. This machine is used to see on a microscopic level all the different layers of the retina and determine if diabetes has caused any changes or swelling to the retina.

How Can OCT Diagnose Macular Edema?

People with diabetes may be more susceptible to developing macular edema. The macula is the back part of the eye, which is responsible for your sharpest, clearest and central vision. Macular edema develops when you have diabetes and swelling occurs underneath your macula. This can severely affect your vision. OCT allows us to clearly see the swelling that is happening beneath the macula, and we can quantify it and see it. This really is a great tool for optometrists to collect all the data and see what's happening with their patients and then determine the most effective treatment for them. If they have swelling or new blood vessel growth, they are referred out right away to try to reduce the swelling and prevent the new blood vessels from forming.

How Can You Monitor Different Eye Conditions Using an OCT?

Additionally, the OCT is valuable because it allows the eye doctor to monitor and see how well their patients are responding to treatment since they have baseline photos and then they can compare them to other photos taken during the treatment. In addition to OCT, there are various other imaging devices that enable your eye doctor to better manage the patients eye health and determine the best course of treatment for them and when they need to be followed up, whether it is in four to six months, two to three months or within a year.

Schedule a Diabetic Eye Exam with the Latest Technology

If you are seeking a diabetic eye exam, it is important to ensure that your eye doctor’s office has an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan as part of the examination. This non-invasive medical imaging technique can detect eye problems in their early stages, when they are most treatable, and it can be used to monitor the progression and effectiveness of treatment for diabetic patients. An OCT scan is more accurate than traditional diagnostic tests, such as a dilated eye exam, in detecting subtle changes in the retina. Additionally, it is quick, painless, and does not require the use of dilating drops, which can cause temporary blurring of vision.