What is an OCT Eye Scan? Why We Include Advanced Retinal Imaging in Every Madison Eye Exam

A comprehensive eye exam does more than determine whether your glasses or contact lens prescription has changed. At Brandon Eyes in Madison, WI, we also want to understand what is happening inside your eyes. That is why Annual Wellness Imaging is a standard part of our comprehensive eye exams.

Using advanced OCT technology, we can capture detailed images of the retina and optic nerve, giving our doctors information that cannot always be seen through traditional examination methods alone.

What Is an OCT Eye Scan?

OCT stands for optical coherence tomography. An OCT eye scan is a non-invasive imaging test that uses light to create detailed cross-sectional images of the structures at the back of the eye.

At our Madison eye care practice, we use the Topcon Maestro 2R system as part of our Annual Wellness Imaging protocol. This technology captures a 3D OCT Widefield scan along with OCT Angiography, or OCT-A. These scans allow us to examine the layers of the retina, macula, optic nerve, and retinal blood vessels in greater detail.

The process is quick and comfortable, with no injections or physical contact with the eye required.

What Can Advanced Retinal Imaging Detect?

Many eye diseases can begin developing before noticeable vision changes occur. Retinal imaging gives our Madison optometrists another way to look for subtle changes and establish baseline images that can be compared from year to year.

Advanced OCT imaging can help us identify or monitor signs associated with conditions such as:

• Glaucoma
• Macular degeneration
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Retinal thinning or structural changes
• Fluid within or beneath the retina
• Changes involving retinal blood vessels

Finding changes early gives us valuable information when determining whether additional testing, closer monitoring, treatment, or referral is appropriate.

What Is OCT Angiography?

OCT Angiography provides a detailed look at the blood vessels within the retina without using injectable dye. The technology detects the movement of blood cells to create a map of retinal circulation.

This can be especially useful when evaluating conditions involving abnormal or reduced blood flow, including diabetic retinopathy and certain forms of macular degeneration. Adding OCT-A to a Madison eye exam helps us evaluate both the physical structure of the retina and its vascular health.

Why Do We Include Retinal Imaging in Comprehensive Eye Exams?

Vision can feel perfectly normal even when changes are beginning inside the eye. By taking detailed retinal images regularly, we can compare current scans with previous results and look for subtle changes over time.

At Brandon Eyes, we believe advanced imaging provides a more complete picture of eye health. Annual Wellness Imaging is fast, non-invasive, and provides information that complements the other testing performed during your comprehensive eye exam.

For many patients, these scans can also provide a detailed alternative to dilation, although dilation or additional testing may still be recommended when medically necessary.

Whether you are experiencing vision changes or simply keeping up with preventive eye care, regular comprehensive eye exams and retinal imaging can help us monitor your eye health more closely.

Schedule your comprehensive eye exam and advanced retinal imaging with Brandon Eyes in Madison, WI by calling (608) 833-0301.