Diagnostics & Testing

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Retinal Diagnostics & Testing Services

Patients who visit Retina Associates can expect some of the finest eye care services in the Kansas City area. Our team uses advanced diagnostic techniques to identify and treat retinal conditions.

Many patients are familiar with traditional eye exams, though in-depth examinations often involve other instruments and tests.

In-Depth Eye Exams

Regular eye exams that measure your prescription are helpful, but they do not fully assess the health of your eyes. Comprehensive eye exams, by contrast, will note the structure and wellness of various parts of your eyes in order to identify major health issues.

Dilated Eye Exam

In a dilated eye exam, special drops are applied to the eyes to keep the pupil from contracting. This allows your doctor to shine a light into your eyes and keep the pupil large, thereby making it easier for them to see into your eye.

Dark Adaptometry

Dark Adaptometry is a test that measures the function of the retina’s photoreceptor cells, specifically rods. The test is performed in a dark room with a flashing point of light. The patient must push a button when they see the light. The helps to measure the rod’s ability to function in darkness after being exposed to bright light.

Ophthalmoscopy

An ophthalmoscope is a common instrument used by eye doctors to look inside of a patient's eyes and assess the health and wellness of its various structures. This is part of routine eye exams as well as more in-depth eye tests.

Amsler Grid Test

An Amsler grid refers to a sheet of graph paper with perfect right angles. If a patient looks at the Amsler grid and notices curves in the grid or other irregularities in the lines, this is often the sign of a more serious vision or eye health problem.

Visual Field Test

The visual field test refers to various ways that an eye doctor can identify blind spots in a patient's vision. This checks for issues with peripheral vision. The loss of peripheral vision is a common sign of many kinds of eye problems.

Ultrasonography

Ultrasonography uses ultrasonic waves in order to create a visual representation of the insides of a person's eye. This allows eye care specialists to get a more detailed look at the structures within a patient's eye and helps in the diagnosis of serious vision health problems.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Exam

OCT creates a cross-sectional view of a patient's retinas, the thin tissue located at the back of the eyes. OCT exams help eye doctors assess the thickness of the retinas and determine if any thinning has occurred or if other issues are present.

Fundus Autofluorescence

Fundus Autofluorescence is an imaging technique that is characterized by the identification of fluorophores in the retina. Fluorophores are a type of molecule that absorbs light and re-emits the light. This type of imaging test is helpful for investigating issues with the retinal pigment epithelium, which is the outermost layer of the retina.

Fluorescein Angiography

Fluorescein angiography involves the use of special dyes that are injected into the patient's arm that circulate into the eye area. When taking a picture of the inside of the eye, the dye will help doctors identify leaks or other problems with the blood vessels within the eyes.

Indocyanine Green Angiography

Indocyanine green angiography is a non-invasive imaging technique that helps doctors to observe the health and anatomy of the choroid, which is the layer of the eye that contains the ocular blood vessels. It involves a special dye that highlights the circulation within the ocular vasculature.

Slit-Lamp Examination (Biomicroscope)

Using a slit lamp allows an eye care specialist to get a magnified look inside of the eye. He or she is better able to assess the eye's interior structures and note any signs of current or potential vision problems or eye conditions.

Electroretinogram

The electroretinogram test measures the ability of the retina’s photoreceptors to detect and respond to light stimuli. It involves placing electrodes on the cornea and recording how the retinal cells respond to light.