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SiG MT 86 TO YOUR HEALTH TEXT BY DR MINDY STERNER LEACH Technology in eye care is ever-changing. At Central Montana Eyecare, we strive to provide our patients with the best care possible, which means periodically updating our equipment to provide state-of-the-art care. Our latest purchase is a new retinal camera—the Zeiss Clarus Ultra-Widefield—that will allow us to base our diagnoses on superior image quality. By capturing a photograph of the inside of the eyes for use in screening, we're beer able to show our patients what's healthy or unhealthy about their eyes. If disease in the eye is detected we can magnify the images and follow up with a dilated retinal exam, which provides an even more accurate method for evaluating eye health. Our retinas—the lining of the inside of the eye—are frequently the site of eye illness. With the Zeiss Clarus Ultra-Widefield camera our doctors are beer able to diagnose and manage many problems. Retinal tears, detachments, "freckles," strokes in the eye and tumors can be visualized using this advanced technology. Diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, macular degeneration and glaucoma leave tell-tale signs which make analysis and follow-up clearer to the doctor. For example, if macular degeneration can be detected earlier, then we can recommend dietary supplements sooner, which can help the macula remain stable. It's also useful for patients to "see what the doctor sees," both for understanding their disease and why proper treatment and follow-up care is so important. In addition, this tool lets our staff collaborate with other providers in our office to review the photos together and get a second opinion. Early retinal cameras provided a 20-degree image. Later, when a 30-degree image could be obtained, the protocol for diabetic patients involved taking a series of 7 photos that could be merged to see most of the retina. is was oen a major challenge for patients and technicians! A study of diabetic patients showed that more than half had retinal changes due to diabetes in the peripheral retina, or outside of the more common 30 – 50 degree area that most cameras capture. Our new camera can provide us a 133-degree view with a single capture and a 200-degree ultra-widefield view with just 2 pictures—covering about 80% of the retinal surface area. Compared to older technology the Zeiss Clarus has much beer resolution, producing photos that are sharp and distortion-free. is technology gives us a clear look at the retina, while offering true color, shorter processing time, faster image acquisition and more accurate images from patients with cataracts. Detecting eye disease early is beer for both patients and doctors. As advancements continue in this field, our understanding of eye disease also improves. Together with other imaging technologies, the Zeiss Clarus has become an integral part of our practice. is, in turn, assists eyecare professionals improve patient care and help our patients beer maintain the health of their eyes and vision. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Central Montana Eyecare: 406-453-1900 Dr. Mindy Sterner Leach, Founding partner of Central Montana Eyecare. Specializes in comprehensive family vision care, eye surgery co-management, medical eye care, contact lens fiing and children's vision. American Board of Optometry certified. ADVANCED EYE EXAM TECHNOLOGY Retinal Imaging Provides Comprehensive Understanding of Eye Health & Vision S MT