Eye care services (Ophthalmology): eye imaging

Ophthalmic (or eye) photography is a specialized branch of medical photography that uses specific imaging equipment to photograph, scan or otherwise image the eye.

Why photograph the eye?

• Documentation: To create a permanent record of ocular conditions that can be referred to over time.

• Diagnostics: To provide diagnostic information that will lead to accurate diagnoses of eye conditions and guide treatment decisions.

• Research: Eye photographs are used extensively in basic scientific research and clinical trials that investigate new treatments for debilitating eye diseases.

Conditions Commonly Photographed

• Retina: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), glaucoma, vein and artery occlusions, central serous retinopathy (CSR), aftereffects of traumatic injuries, choroidal nevi (freckles) and tumors

• Anterior segment: Aftereffects of traumatic injuries, iris and conjunctival nevi (freckles) and tumors, corneal abnormalities such as deposits, ulcers and injuries

Retinal photograph of a normal right eye.

Optic nerve head with "cupping" due to glaucoma.

Diabetic retinopathy

Fluorescein angiogram of the same eye, showing micro-aneurysms (white dots) and hemorrhage (black dots)