Ordering Imaging in Eye Care

The ability to image patients is a valuable tool in optometry. Imaging can be ordered to help make or confirm a diagnosis as well as check on the progress of current therapies. Imaging is very often crucial for diagnosis in ocular related neurological problems (papilledema, multiple sclerosis), eye-related vascular anomalies (ophthalmic nerve palsies or stroke-related eye movement disorders), and checking for orbital fractures in facial and head trauma cases. Most ocular imaging techniques are typically performed in a doctor’s office or hospital setting. Contrast dye can sometimes be injected in the patient to better enhance imaging results, but most imaging is painless and free of discomfort. Reasons for imaging include papilledema, visual field defects, sudden or unexplained vision loss, sudden pupillary abnormalities, diplopia, sudden onset ptosis, proptosis, and ophthalmoplegia (Demetri, Types of brain imaging techniques, https://psychcentral.com/lib/types-of-brain-imaging-techniques/ , 2018).