Sight occurs along a pathway beginning with the eyeball, running through the optic nerve, and ending in the brain. Problems can occur anywhere along this pathway.
Ophthalmologists at California Pacific Medical Center use specialized diagnostic testing to determine exact underlying diseases and disorders that may be contributing or causing your poor vision. There are 11 different subspecialties in ophthalmology, and each requires a unique set of diagnostic criteria.
CPMC’s Ophthalmic Diagnostic Services provides the full spectrum of diagnostic services to the ophthalmic community of the greater Bay Area. Our department is unique because our expert, licensed staff combines comprehensive diagnostic testing with state-of-the-art instrumentation.
If you have troubling symptoms, ophthalmologists can sleuth out the cause with up-to-date imaging and diagnostic tests.
Imaging
CPMC offers an array of tests to image the front and back of the eye, including optical coherence tomography, fluorescein angiography, digital slit lamp biomicrography and fundus autofluorescence.
- Optical Coherence Tomography — Uses light waves to help your doctor see the different layers of your cornea and retina and measure their thickness. Some examples include: ultra-wide angle posterior segment OCT, anterior segment OCT, simultaneous FA and OCT, and optical coherence tomography angiography.
- Fluorescein Angiography — Uses a special dye that your doctor tracks to assess blood flow in the eye vessels. At CPMC, we offer tests such as digital ultra-wide angle sodium fluorescein angiography (FA), digital indocyanine green angiography (ICG), and simultaneous FA and ICG.
Other Diagnostic Tests
CPMC's Ophthalmic Diagnostic Services also provides the following advanced diagnostic tests:
- Eye and Orbital Ultrasound — Uses a small probe to diagnose retinal detachment or tumors, or to determine intraocular lens implant needs before cataract surgery. These tests may include diagnostic B scans, standardized A scans or ultrasonic biomicrography.
- Advanced Keratometry and Corneal Topography — Maps the surface curvature of the cornea and helps ophthalmologists diagnose and plan treatments for a number of conditions, including cataract surgery, LASIK surgery and intraocular lens implantation. At CPMC, we offer handheld keratometry, Zeiss Atlas Placido corneal topography and Pentacam HR Scheimpflug anterior segment analysis.
- Perimetry — Tests such as Zeiss automated visual Fields and Goldmann manual perimetry measure your vision’s characteristics, such as color, texture, edges and contrast, to diagnose diseases of the eye, optic nerve and central nervous system.
If you develop cataracts, ophthalmologists use advanced instruments and mathematical formulas, called biometrics and intraocular lens calculations, to determine the exact strength of implants you’ll need to replace your damaged lenses.
CPMC has the only electroretinography lab in the entire Sutter network. When tests indicate a retinal disorder such as macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa or a retinal detachment, your ophthalmologist may perform an electroretinography exam, such as pattern electroretinography (ERG), electro oculography, visual evoked potentials (VEP), and multifocal ERG and VEP. During the test, your diagnostic technician will place an electrode on each eye to look at your optic nerve and measure the electrical activity of your retina in response to light.
After your testing, we provide your doctor with your results via electronic health record or remote access systems using a secure authentication for your protection.
