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Ophthalmoscopy
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Ophthalmoscopy is the way to look inside the eye, at the back of it, which is called the fundus. That is where the retina sits, along with the optic disc, the point where the optic nerve enters the eye, the choroid, the layer of vessels underneath the retina, and the blood vessels.
The simplest form is direct ophthalmoscopy. It is done with an ophthalmoscope, an instrument about the size of a flashlight that has a light and several small lenses. The light goes in through the pupil and, with those lenses, the examiner sees the fundus of the eyeball.
There are two other forms, and both are usually done after putting in drops that dilate the pupil, to open a wider window. The indirect exam is used mainly to look for a retinal detachment. The slit lamp exam shows something similar, but with more magnification and a narrower field.
In brief
Ophthalmoscopy examines the fundus of the eye, which includes the retina, the optic disc, the choroid and the blood vessels.
In direct ophthalmoscopy, the ophthalmoscope, about the size of a flashlight, shines a beam of light through the pupil, and its small lenses let the examiner see the back of the eyeball.
Indirect and slit lamp ophthalmoscopy are usually done after dilating the pupil with drops: the first looks for retinal detachment, the second gives more magnification over a narrower field.
Sources (1)
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of MedicineOphthalmoscopy, MedlinePlus Medical EncyclopediaPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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