OCT 3D eye scanner
 

See beneath the surface!

We are proud to have been the first practice in the region to be able to provide 3D retinal scanning with an optical coherence tomographer (OCT) machine, when we acquired our first machine in Aberystwyth in 2010. Since then we have been keen to keep on the cutting edge of technology, and in 2016 we worked with world-leading ophthalmic instruments company, Topcon, to bring the state of the art ‘swept source’ OCT Triton to our Aberystwyth branch. In 2021 we installed a Topcon Maestro OCT in our Aberaeron branch. These incredibly sensitive pieces of equipment help us detect conditions such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy in their early stages. We believe this should form part of a routine eye examination, however it is not currently covered by the basic NHS sight test, therefore we recommend everyone has our enhanced eye examination which involves scanning with the OCT machine and analysis by our expert optometrists.

The scan works a bit like an ultrasound, is totally painless, and from your point of view is like having a photograph taken. It only takes a few seconds, but provides us with a highly detailed cross-section of different parts of the back (and sometimes front) of your eyes, almost as if we were looking at the structures under a microscope. It also provides us with a clear photograph of your retina. Not only is it useful for picking up conditions early, but it is very useful to compare with old scans.

"This machine gives us an incredibly in-depth view of the health of your eyes. If you imagine the back of your eye like a cake, traditional methods of checking its health show us the icing and decoration on the top of the cake, whereas this technology allows us to see the individual layers of jam and cream in the middle!" - Ceri Probert, Specialist Optometrist & Director

We take time to analyse the results and are happy to explain your scan in as much detail as you'd like, in a jargon-free manner! This machine allows us to confidently diagnose and manage most conditions, and for the majority of people, OCT provides reassurance that their eyes are healthy and gives a good baseline record of your eyes.

Higher qualifications and experience

Ceri and Lisa hold Professional Certificates in Medical Retina, post-graduate qualifications for which training included learning about in-depth analysis of OCT scan results and the management of patients with medical retina conditions.

Ceri previously worked in a medical retina clinic, analysing scans and deciding on treatment requirements for patients, and across our professional team we have more than three decades of combined experience in analysing OCT scans to call on.