An Altrincham optometrist has highlighted how new technology can detect life-threatening health conditions during specialist eye examinations, in the lead up to World Health Day.
The theme of this year’s World Health Day on Tuesday, April 7 is ‘Together for health. Stand with science’, with a year‑long campaign celebrating the power of scientific collaboration to protect health.
The team at Maskell + Josephson Optometrists in Regent Street, Altrincham, say the scientific and technological advancements made in recent years mean that now more than ever, eye examinations are hugely important in both protecting vision and identifying wider health issues including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
The independent practice provides advanced eye health screening after investing in state-of-the-art Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) technology, which allows its expert team to look at the eye in extraordinary detail.
Unlike standard eye tests, OCT provides a 3D scan below the surface of the retina, allowing optometrists to detect the early signs of eye diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, often long before symptoms appear.
The OCT scan is quick, non-invasive, and can be added to a routine eye examination, leaving patients with the reassurance that their eye health has been thoroughly assessed with the latest technology available.
Another valuable technology, Optomap, is a revolutionary scanning laser imaging system that allows opticians to capture detailed images of the eye, including the extreme peripheral areas of the retina.
This comprehensive scan provides a deeper and broader view of the eye’s internal structures, allowing for the early detection of serious conditions like macular degeneration, diabetes, and retinal issues such as tears, breaks, and detachments.
Optometrist Anthony Josephson said: “World Health Day serves as a timely reminder of how important it is to take proactive steps to protect your vision. Early detection of eye conditions is crucial in preventing avoidable sight loss, so we urge people to attend regular eye examinations to catch issues as early as possible.
“What is less well known is the role eye exams play in flagging up serious health concerns, particularly when a patient is not experiencing any other symptoms, so the benefit is twofold.
“The theme of this year’s World Health Day encompasses how science-led solutions can help to deliver a healthier future. In our field, this can be seen in the development of advanced eye health screening like OCT and Optomap technology, both of which offer comprehensive health checks of the eye and are cutting-edge when it comes to protecting eye health.”
World Health Day, which marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization in 1948, will focus this year on the importance of engaging with evidence, facts, and science-based guidance to protect health.
To book an eye exam at your local independent optometrist, visit https://www.bookaneyetest.co.uk/