Has your eye doctor ever taken images of the back of your eye, called the retina? If so, you had a retinal screen. But what are they looking for in a retinal screen? Why is it important, and how does your eye doctor use this information? Let’s discuss. 

What Is Retinal Screening? 

At the back of your eye sits an area called the retina, which senses light and communicates with the brain to help you see.

During your eye exam, your eye doctor may perform a retinal screening to check the health of your retina. This consists of using specialized lenses or equipment to view the retina in detail and evaluate its health.  

Some offices may use digital retinal imaging to check your retina’s health. Digital retinal imaging uses high-resolution imaging systems to take pictures of the inside of your eye. This helps VSP^® network eye doctors assess the health of your retina and detect and manage eye and health conditions.  

Many eye problems and systemic diseases can affect the retina, so it’s important for your eye doctor to be able to look closely at the retina and check for any signs of disease.  

Ways to Evaluate Retinal Health 

Techniques for viewing the back of the eye have advanced significantly over the last century, and current techniques offer a noninvasive view of the back of the eye.  

During a retinal screening, your eye doctor can look at the back of your eye in a few ways. Depending on the situation, your eye doctor may use one or more of these techniques:

• Indirect ophthalmoscopy: an eye doctor shines a light into the eye and uses a handheld magnifying lens to examine your eye. 
• Fundus photography: after dilating your eyes, a special camera takes high-resolution photos of the back of the eye.  
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT): a machine uses light waves to capture 3-D images of the back of the eye. 
• OCT-angiography (OCT-A): a machine captures 3-D images of the blood vessels and blood flow at the back of the eye.  
• Fluorescein angiography: dye is injected into the bloodstream, and then a camera looks at the blood flow at the back of the eye.  
• Ophthalmic ultrasound: an ultrasound probe placed over the eyelid uses sound waves to see the back of the eye. 

Why Is Evaluating the Retina Important? 

Your eye doctor may evaluate your retina for a variety of purposes, including diagnosing, treating, and tracking eye diseases over time.  

Disease Identification 

Viewing your retina can help your eye doctor see changes in your retina that indicate disease. Finding retinal disorders as early as possible through proper assessment can mean more effective treatments and slower disease progression.   

Did you know that your eye doctor can detect signs of more than 270 diseases during a comprehensive eye exam? By looking at your retina, an eye doctor can detect signs of many eye diseases and health conditions, including: 

• Diabetic retinopathy: diabetes can cause changes in the blood vessels of the retina, like swelling and leakage or the creation of new blood vessels. Blindness can result without early detection.   
• Hypertensive retinopathy: signs of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease often appear first in the eye, affecting the structures and blood vessels at the back of the eye.  
• Age-related macular degeneration: macular degeneration can cause protein deposits, leaking of fluid, or bleeding in the back of the eye. This causes central vision loss.   
• Retinal detachments: retinas can lift or pull away from the wall of the eye. If not properly treated, this can cause permanent vision loss.  
• Glaucoma: damage to the optic nerve over time causes visual field loss and blindness. This disease leads to permanent and irreversible vision loss.  
• Cancer: eye melanomas are a serious type of cancer. Early diagnosis before the melanoma has spread can mean a better prognosis.  
• Multiple sclerosis: this autoimmune disease causes inflammation of the nerves and visual pathways. MS can permanently affect eyesight.  

What Are Causes and Signs of Retinal Tears & Detachments?

Disease Management 

Retinal imaging can give your eye doctor more information about your eye and help them detect any changes and signs of disease. Having a full picture of your retina health can help your eye doctor determine the best treatment plan for any detected eye diseases and conditions and assess the effectiveness of treatments over time. 

Monitoring Over Time 

In addition to helping detect diseases early, retinal images provide a permanent and historical record of changes in your eyes. Images can be compared side by side, year after year, to discover even subtle changes and help monitor your eye health.  

Ease of Education  

Retinal images also make it easier for your doctor to educate you about your health and wellness. The two of you can review your images together, and your doctor can point out the various structures of the retina and explain treatment options. 

Does Vision Insurance Cover Retinal Screening? 

Depending on your vision insurance plan, retinal screening may be covered.  

Most VSP vision plans provide members with low or no-cost retinal screening through their VSP network doctor. In addition, VSP members with diabetes may also be eligible for a covered-in-full retinal screening.  

Log in to your VSP account (or create one if you haven’t already) and check your benefits to see if retinal screening is covered under your plan.  

See Your Eye Doctor 

During your annual eye exam, your eye doctor may need to get a clearer view of the back of your eye. Talk to your VSP network doctor about whether a retinal screening is recommended for you. 

 

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Article provided by VSP. Information received through VSP Vision Care channels is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, medical recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your eye doctor, physician, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.