Ophthalmoscopy: What To Think About

Content provided by Healthwise

What To Think About

• Other eye tests may be done routinely along with ophthalmoscopy, including vision testing and tonometry testing for glaucoma. For more information, see the medical tests Vision Tests and Tonometry.
• Direct ophthalmoscopy is done more frequently than indirect ophthalmoscopy. Indirect ophthalmoscopy is a more difficult procedure and requires greater skill and more specialized equipment than direct ophthalmology, so it is generally done by ophthalmologists and optometrists.
• Indirect ophthalmoscopy has several advantages over direct ophthalmoscopy:
  • It allows better visualization of the inside of the eye when a cataract is present.
  • It provides a three-dimensional (3-D) view of the back of the eye, allowing a more detailed view of certain eye conditions (such as growths, optic nerve swelling, or retinal detachment).
  • It allows a wider view of the back of the eye than direct ophthalmoscopy.
• If your health professional suspects a problem with the blood vessels in your eye, a test called eye angiography may be done. This test uses fluorescein dye and a camera to photograph blood vessels in the eye. For more information, see the medical test Eye Angiogram.

Last updated:	July 06, 2007
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Carol L. Karp, MD - Ophthalmology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer