A slit lamp exam is an eye exam that uses a low power microscope with a bright light source to examine the front and back of the eye. It can detect various eye disorders and is often used as part of a routine eye exam.
A slit lamp exam is a type of eye exam. It primarily looks at the front of the eye, although it can also be used to look closely at the back section. A slit lamp is a low power microscope. It has a bright light source that shines a layer of light on the eye. At the same time a biomicroscope is used to conduct the examination.
The slit light examination can provide the optician with a three-dimensional look at various sections of the eye. The cornea or clear outer covering of the eye will be visible during the exam, as will the iris, lens, and vitreous gel, which is the fluid that takes up a fair amount of space in the central section of the eye. In some cases, the eye doctor may decide to place a special lens between the cornea and the lamp, or place it directly over the cornea. The purpose of this is to allow deeper insight into the eye to look at the retina, optic nerve, and drainage angle.
To perform the test, the patient will be seated in a chair and the slit lamp will be directly in front of them. He will rest his forehead and chin on the support in front of him on the instrument. Orange eye drops, with a dye known as fluorescein, may be given so that problems such as injuries or infections are easier to detect.
Once the slit lamp examination has been performed for the anterior section of the eye, the drops are then carefully placed in both eyes to allow the pupil to dilate. Once the eyes have dilated, the slit lamp examination is repeated. This time it’s done on the back section of the eyes.
A slit lamp exam is often done as part of a routine eye exam along with other tests, including vision tests and tonometry. It is also used to detect any disorders that exist in the anterior section of the eye, such as cataracts, iritis, conjunctivitis, an injury to the cornea or the start of any infection. A slit eye examination is very helpful in terms of finding out about macular degeneration and glaucoma. It can also help closely monitor these health conditions in those who have already been diagnosed.
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