A retinal scan or an optical diagnostic examination is a diagnostic medical method that utilizes unique visual patterns on the retina of the person. However, it is not to be mistaken with other ophthalmic-based technology: iris detection, also known as an “Iris scan” or trabeculoplasty, and laser-assisted drainage or laser eye surgery that utilizes lasers. What makes this method so useful in diagnosing glaucoma is that it is based on eye movements and patterns observed during normal vision.

There are two types of retinal scans available: reflexive and excretory. Reflexive is when visual patterns are observed through the cornea and/or eyelids, while excretory entails the detection of high tech signals arising from eye nerves. Both require unique patterns in the patient’s eye. A reflexive retinal scan finds these signals by means of eye movements and produces a digital image of the retina. An excretory retinal scan uses high tech probes that stick into the cornea, lens and retina. These scans provide higher resolution than reflexive ones because they are much more expensive.

In addition, a retinal scan also detects vessels that are not visible in other visual ways. Some common vessels found on a retinal scan include the superior vena cava, the retinal vein and the arteries. As marketing , a retinal scanner can detect vessel abnormalities that cannot be detected by other means. For instance, a visual examination of the eye revealed that a vessel was missing, but it was too small to show on the ultrasound.

While marketing require retinal scans for immediate conclusions, other instances allow doctors to perform more tests. For instance, the doctor may want to know more about possible causes of the patient’s eye problems. In some cases, the eye doctor will order a series of retinal scans to try to determine what is causing the eye problems. In other cases, the physician will order one or two retinal scans in order to pinpoint specific visual distortions, such as myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism.

There are other diagnostic technologies that can be used for retinal scans, including iris scans. Iris scans utilize an infrared light source to produce images of the iris, which is the colored part of the eye covering the pupil. This type of technology has been available for decades, but a recent development uses a totally different form of light to create the images.

Fingerprint Identification: During a retinal scan, the patient is required to place their fingers into a special device that reads the information. If fingerprints match those read from the device, then the patient is eligible for a fingerprint identification scan. The accuracy of this method has increased over time because it is based only on the shape of the finger. Because of this improvement, the error rate for fingerprint identification is close to zero.

Blood Vessel Scanning: During a retinal scan, the doctor will either use a tiny camera or a computer-generated video-camera to generate a high-resolution image of the retina. If a blood vessel appears distorted in the image, then the blood vessel is inflamed or filled with a substance. This problem can be corrected during the retinal scan. In this process, the physician will take a sample of your eye’s blood and examine it under the microscope to see if the blood vessel appears distorted. If so, the retina will be examined for signs of deterioration using a special optical instrument called a venous magnetic-imaging instrument (V MRI).

Finally, the patient undergoes a retinal scan when the doctor detects eye problems that don’t show up on standard screening. For example, if a woman has been smoking for many years, the average age of her eyes will be greater than 35, making her a high-risk candidate for age-related vision loss. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is also more likely to strike someone who has been smoking for many years. In this case, the physician might perform a refractive examination (a test that uses a specialized tool like a Venous Magnetic Imager to determine where the eye blood flow is flowing) along with an ultrasound to detect the area of elevated blood flow. If these test results indicate a possible ARMD/DRED treatment plan, the physician will contact the patient for follow-up. In some cases, a routine retinal scan will alert the patient to any potential serious health problems that might be associated with aging, including the signs of ARMD and AMD.