DILATED FUNDUS EXAM (DFE)

Gets us a better view of your eye’s innermost structures

Why do I need to have my eyes dilated?

Our optometrist may request to have eye drops placed in your eye to dilate your pupils. Here’s why.

The fundus of the eye is the inside, back surface of the eye made up of the choroid and retina and emcompasses the optic nerve and macula. It’s very hard to see the inner back portion of the eye through your tiny pupils even with a bright light. A Dilated Fundus Exam (DFE) is a diagnostic procedure that uses special eye drops called mydriatic drops that will dilate the pupil, giving our optometrist a clear, unobstructed view of your retina and optic nerve.

Compare the undilated pupil vs. the dilated pupil:

A DFE is a very effective method for evaluating the internal ocular health compared to a non-dilated eye exam. This test is very useful to assess the overall situation of your eye from front to back and, in fact, is a mandatory and necessary test performed on all diabetic patients in order for the optometrist to better assess for any diabetic damage to the retina.

Why is a Dilated Fundus Examination important?

A widened pupil allows more light to enter so that our optometrist is able to get an unlimited view of the back portion of the eyes.

It can better help us diagnose eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, macular degeneration and other ocular diseases.

Our optometrist will be able to find out what eye conditions you are at risk of and give you the proper advice.

It can even give us clues of diseases that are not eye-related so that a referral and appropriate measures can be given.

Who may benefit from a Dilated Fundus Examination?

Diabetic patients

Patients with high levels of myopia

Patients at risk of ocular conditions

Everyone who hasn’t had one done in the last 3-5 years

After the dilated exam, your eyes may be sensitive to light for a while. Please refrain from driving immediately after your exam or arrange to have someone drive your home.

Our optometrist may request to conduct an additional Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) exam to your DFE which makes your eye test more thorough and meticulous. The highly sensitive OCT uses light waves to detect hidden defects lying underneath the surface of your eye. We use specialised equipment to conduct these additional tests.

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Other diagnostic equipment and tests we do to ensure that our

EYE TESTS ARE THOROUGH AND COMPREHENSIVE:

DIGITAL RETINAL IMAGING (DRI)

DRI allows us to take a digital photograph of the inside of the eye including the retina, optic nerve, macula and blood vessels. The image can be used to screen for eye diseases, track changes to your eye health and vision and compare with images taken in future examinations.

OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY (OCT)

The OCT is a noninvasive imaging test which uses light waves to take cross-section photos of the retina. This is for eye conditions that require us to check the eyes in a cross-sectional manner, layer by layer.

VISUAL FIELDS TEST (VF)

A VF test lets us measure all areas of your vision, including the central and peripheral vision. It can determine if you have blind spots in your vision and where they are. This test shows changes that are not noticed by the patient until the damage is severe.

OPTOS

The Optomap retinal exam uses the revolutionary Optos machine. This is an ultra-widefield retinal examination which allows us to capture a 200-degree high-resolution image of the retina in a single shot without the use of dilation.

PACHYMETRY

Pachymetry measures the thickness or thinness of the cornea (front part of the eye). This is very important in assessing glaucoma, keratoconus and other conditions where corneal thickness is a significant factor.

HAVE YOU HAD YOUR EYES CHECKED?

Book an appointment with one of our optometrists at your most convenient location.

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