Some Benefits Derived From Using Indirect Ophthalmoscope

By Teri Farley


Ophthalmoscopy is examination of the inner part of the eye with the help of an instrument known as an ophthalmoscope. The procedure falls into two categories, direct as well as indirect ophthalmoscopy. In direct ophthalmoscopy, the eye's image is produced as an upright image that is up to fifteen times the original size. The latter inverts the image not beyond five times the sizes and the instrument used is an indirect ophthalmoscope.

There are different characteristics of the instrument that differentiates between the two types of the procedure. For this reason, each of the procedure has its special type of instrument. The direct instrument is small, about the size of a flashlight with powerful lenses for magnification.

This instrument is commonly used during run-of-the-mill examinations. The indirect funduscope has a headband that projects a light that works in conjunction with a small hand-held lens. The latter supports a broader view of the inner eye structure.

The other advantage is that it provides better clarity for the opacities of the retina. This is due to the enhanced lighting that promotes visualization through the thick cloudy media. This type of ophthalmoscope has the ability to improve vision by separating paths of incident and reflected lights.

There is also better clarity of the organ opacities, improved by better lighting that permits visualization through the dense cloudy media. The improved vision forms when paths of the incident and the reflected lights being separate, which is not the case with direct ophthalmoscopy. Still, illumination is beneficial by increasing the pigmented lens size. Furthermore, this type can either be monocular or binocular and is used during peripheral viewing of the retina.

The stereoscopic images that result from this equipment are of high quality and illuminated well. The equipment itself is very portable and the doctor or examiner only needs to hold the lens at proximity of length of arm close to the eye of the patient. The advantage this gives is that the patient will not be intimidated at all however apprehensive they may be.

The indirect type of instrument allows a wider working distance for the patient and doctor. This means that even lower powered lenses can provide larger views. It does not demand strict cooperation as is the case with its counterpart. It allows for viewing retina in far ends.

Some disadvantages of going for the indirect funduscope include the complications of inverted vertical and horizontal images, along with lowered levels of magnification. It must be remembered that acquiring a perfect perspective can take a lot of time and patience. No technique is ever perfect, but some offer advantages over other comparative ones. Currently, the binocular indirect ophthalmoscope is preferred in the optometry market because of its many advantages.




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