What technique is better during an eye exam? Old or New?!
Question:
What technique is better during an eye exam? Old or New?
....the old-fashioned dilating of retina (or whatever) or the new technique of taking a picture with some equipment?
Are these both equally effective?
What are the advantages and disadvantages?
Answers:
Technically, getting a fundus photo with a fundus camera is NOT part of the an ophthalmologic examination. It's a diagnostic/ancillary test.
IDEALLY, physicians are NOT supposed to order diagnostic tests to LOOK for a diagnosis. Tests should be done to CONFIRM a diagnosis which is made with a basic examination. Otherwise, doctors will be ordering tests left and right without thinking...
Secondly, Fundus photos will also usually require mydriatic (dilating) drops to widen the pupillary openning (just like a "traditional" retinal examination) to allow the fundus camera to take good photos.
In the end, it is still the diagnostic skill and training of the physician which matters. It is still the eye physician which eventually corellates the information obtained from a dilated pupillary exam and a fundus photo.
A good physician should be able to perform a DIRECTED examination based on a good history, make an initial diagnosis with the available information and CONFIRM the diagnosis with diagnostic tests ...at least, this was how I was trained.