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Retina Technology

What Advanced Technology Do Retina Specialists Use to See Inside Your Eyes?

Your retina is one of the most complex and delicate structures in your body. Modern retina specialists use advanced diagnostic equipment that can see details invisible to standard eye exams, detecting problems before they affect your vision.

When you experience vision changes or your eye doctor refers you to a retina specialist, you might wonder exactly how these experts can see what’s happening inside your eye. The answer lies in sophisticated retina technology that has revolutionized how eye doctors diagnose and understand retinal conditions. 

Retina technology includes a range of specialized imaging and measurement devices designed specifically to evaluate the delicate tissues at the back of your eye. Unlike standard eye exams that primarily assess your vision and eye surface, retina technology peers deep into your eye to examine blood vessels, tissue layers, and fluid movement that are invisible to routine examination.

These technological advances have transformed retinal care from educated guesswork to precise, evidence-based diagnosis. At the Retina Institute of Illinois, our specialized team uses advanced diagnostic equipment to thoroughly evaluate the health of your retina.

Our Technology

During this procedure, your retina specialist injects a safe, fluorescent dye called fluorescein into a vein in your arm. As this dye travels through your bloodstream and reaches the blood vessels in your retina, specialized cameras capture detailed photographs of how the dye moves through these tiny vessels.

This technology shows crucial information about your retinal blood circulation that no other diagnostic method can provide. The Retina Institute of Illinois uses state-of-the-art fluorescein angiography equipment to identify areas where blood vessels may be leaking, blocked, or growing abnormally.

These are all critical factors in diagnosing conditions like diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and retinal vascular occlusions.

Indocyanine green (ICG) angiography uses a different type of dye that allows retina specialists to examine deeper blood vessel layers beneath the retina. While fluorescein angiography is great at showing surface retinal vessels, ICG angiography penetrates through retinal pigment to reveal the choroidal circulation, the layer of blood vessels that nourishes your outer retina.

The advanced ICG angiography systems at Retina Institute of Illinois are essential for diagnosing conditions affecting the choroidal layer, including certain types of macular degeneration and inflammatory conditions. Retina specialists typically recommend ICG angiography when they suspect choroidal involvement in your condition or when fluorescein angiography alone doesn’t provide complete diagnostic information.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) uses light waves to create detailed cross-sectional images of your retina. This is similar to how ultrasound uses sound waves to image internal body structures. 

However, OCT provides much higher resolution images, allowing retina specialists to see individual retinal layers with microscopic precision. This technology has revolutionized retinal diagnosis by allowing specialists to detect subtle changes in retinal thickness, fluid accumulation, and structural abnormalities.

OCT excels at detecting macular edema, epiretinal membranes, macular holes, and monitoring changes in retinal thickness over time. The technology provides measurements that help specialists track disease progression and evaluate treatment effectiveness.

OCT Angiography (OCTA) represents the latest advancement in retinal imaging technology, combining the structural detail of OCT with blood flow information traditionally obtained through dye-based angiography. This innovative technology detects moving blood cells within retinal vessels without requiring any injections.

The specialized OCTA equipment at Retina Institute of Illinois creates detailed maps of your retinal circulation by analyzing tiny movements within blood vessels. OCTA allows retina specialists to examine your retinal circulation repeatedly during the same visit without injection-related risks or delays. 

This technology is particularly valuable for monitoring treatment response and detecting early vascular changes in conditions like diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.

B-scan ultrasound becomes essential when other imaging technologies cannot penetrate cloudiness in your eye, such as dense cataracts, blood in the vitreous, or severe inflammation. This technology uses sound waves to create images of internal eye structures, allowing retina specialists to evaluate your retina even when direct visualization is impossible.

The sophisticated ultrasound equipment at Retina Institute of Illinois provides detailed images of retinal detachments, vitreous hemorrhages, and intraocular masses that might otherwise remain undetected. This technology ensures that cloudy media never prevents accurate retinal evaluation.

Advanced visual acuity measurement systems used at Retina Institute of Illinois go far beyond traditional eye charts. These computerized systems provide precise, standardized measurements of your central vision under controlled lighting conditions, ensuring consistent and accurate results.

Modern visual acuity technology can detect subtle changes in your vision that might indicate early retinal problems or monitor improvement following treatment. Accurate visual acuity measurements serve as a baseline for evaluating treatment effectiveness and disease progression. .

Advanced measurement technologies assess various dimensions within your eye, including retinal thickness maps, optic nerve parameters, and anterior chamber depths. These measurements help retina specialists understand your eye’s unique anatomy and identify subtle changes that might indicate developing problems. This information ensures that your treatment plan considers all relevant anatomical variables.

The Future of Retinal Diagnosis Is Here

The sophisticated retina technology available at Retina Institute of Illinois represents decades of innovation in retinal medicine. These advanced diagnostic tools enable our specialists to provide precise, comprehensive evaluations.

By combining multiple imaging technologies and measurement systems, we can detect retinal problems earlier, monitor conditions more accurately, and plan treatments more effectively than ever before. 

Call Us Today to Schedule an Appointment

When you choose specialized retinal care, you're accessing the most advanced diagnostic capabilities available in modern medicine, backed by the expertise to interpret these sophisticated results accurately and develop the most appropriate care plan for your individual needs. Schedule an appointment at Retina Institute of Illinois today!

Call 847-297-8900

Testimonials

What Our Patients Say

"Dr. Rao is excellent. She is very kind and compassionate. She is a role model for how all doctors should practice. She was very thorough in explaining my issue to me and the procedure she would be doing for treatment. I appreciate her seeing me for an unscheduled emergency procedure on a Saturday. I am very confident in her knowledge and ability to treat my torn retina to prevent further damage to my sight. She called me the next day to check on me. I 100% recommend Dr. Rao.""

- Kelly N.

"Had my first visit today and the staff and technician were friendly and professional. Dr. Rao is amazing too. She listened to my concerns and showed care throughout the whole process. I would recommend this practice to anyone.""

- Kate L.

"It's too much to put in this little space.. 10 stars Dr. Vierling for saving my eyes,and the eye technician/nurses are so dynamite! Yes the wait can be a little long but for wonderful eye care, I'll watch the television to stay occupied. Such a sweet lady with gorgeous hair at the front desk..she can handle 5 things at once and keep a smile on her face . Love my Lombard office,but will go to oak Park if I have to as long as I see my doctor and at least a few of my nurses that I've dealt with over my time . Keep up the great work!!""

- Vonne G.

"From the front desk staff to everyone I came into contact with, employees were informative and pleasant. Doctor Vierling has a calming voice and guides you through procedures excellently!""

- Tonya M.

"Dr. Hong-Gam Le is a great retina specialist! She is attentive and professional. She saved my mom‘s Vision!""

- Lesya P.

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