| Digital imaging is a fairly recent technological | | | | Another advantage to imaging in ophthalmology is |
| advancement that has come into the field of | | | | that it lets doctors manipulate the image for |
| ophthalmology. In many ways, it has improved | | | | better viewing and study. They can magnify the |
| the efficiency and quality of patient eye care. This | | | | image and zoom in on areas that appear to be |
| imaging has allowed ophthalmologists to view | | | | potentially problematic. They can also add or |
| high-definition, digital images of their patient's retina | | | | subtract color and adjust the image's brightness |
| using a single image capture. The process is not | | | | to achieve clearer contrast. This technique is |
| only faster, but also better at revealing the | | | | especially effective at diagnosing and managing |
| pathology of the patient, detecting problems that | | | | retinal diseases that happen as a result of |
| might not have been found as easily with | | | | diabetes, such as diabetic retinopathy and retinal |
| conventional scans. Early, precise detection and | | | | vein occlusions. |
| treatment is key to successful eye care. | | | | In general ophthalmology, digital imaging techniques |
| Digital imaging has been especially useful in | | | | allow for quicker and more accurate screenings |
| pre-operative and post-operative care for | | | | for patients who appear healthy and would like to |
| cataract and refractive surgery patients. With | | | | get regular scans. Digital retinal imaging lets |
| digital imaging, ophthalmologists can view a wider | | | | doctors see what they would by conducting a full |
| area of the patient's retina using a single image | | | | dilated scan. However, unlike the scan which |
| capture. Digital imaging also makes it easier to | | | | involves waiting 30 minutes to dilate a patient, five |
| track and assess the progression of eye disease | | | | minutes to examine him and four hours for the |
| and to monitor the effects of therapy | | | | patient to recover, taking a digital image requires |
| treatments. Certain systematic diseases like | | | | two minutes and it takes two additional minutes |
| hypertension, diabetes and some types of cancer | | | | to review it. Also, it would take several direct |
| can also be detected with the help of digital | | | | ophthalmoscope viewings to cover the area you |
| imaging. | | | | could using a single digital image. |