We've been working away behind the scenes to create a truly amazing eyecare experience here at Village Optician to go hand in hand with our #ExceptionalEyewear, welcome to our brand new imaging suite! Here is what we've been up to.
We have added 2 new scans to our Durham practice. Both are scans but they do very different things.
First up is the Optomap. You'll have read about this before, but here is a recap; This is Ultra-widefield imaging, capturing 80% of the retina in one scan. Now this doesn't sound that impressive until you find out that in a normal eye exam (even with a retinal camera) we can only see around 20% of your retina. It is very different to a camera taking a photo which is limited by the pupil, even if the pupil has been dilated. This means we can see parts of the retina that we have never been able to see before. We recommend it for everyone - so far the youngest we've scanned with it is 3 years old and the oldest is 90! To find out more about it have a look here.
Next is the Heidelberg OCT. This is a structural scan through the back of the eye. If the Optomap image shows us the icing on the cake then the OCT scan shows us the layers of the cake. It scans through the retina, and shows us all the different layers of cells and nerves. This can give us so much information about the health if the back of the eye. This technology can help to find possible glaucoma around 4 years before other examination methods so is highly recommended for anyone with a family history of glaucoma. To find out more about OCT then have a look here.
Here are our updated fees for examinations -
- The "full works"; Our most detailed eye examination, which includes a Heidelberg OCT retinal scan as well as Optomap Ultra-widefield retinal imaging. This examination costs £95 (£65 with an NHS entitlement) or is included for members of our Care Plan who pay £6.95 per month by Direct Debit. We allow 1 hour for this appointment.
- Our comprehensive eye examination includes an Optomap Ultra-widefield retinal scan, which we recommend for all patients. This examination costs £59 (£30 with an NHS entitlement)
Here is a little more information about why the scans both work together so well!
