Patient Information
What are the Retina and Vitreous?
What is a Vitreoretinal or Retinal Specialist?
Retinal Examination and Evaluation
Special Testing and Services
- Fluorescein Angiography
- Indocyanine Green Angiography
- Ocular Coherence Tomography
- Ultrasonography
- Visual Field Testing
- Macular Function Testing
Fees and Insurance
What are the Retina and Vitreous?
The retina,
a thin layer of nerve fibers that line the inner wall of the eye, functions like the film in
a camera. The retina receives light rays and converts them to an electrical signal. This signal
is then transferred to the brain, forming an image.
The macula, a sensitive area in the center of the retina, is responsible for fine, detail vision.
The vitreous, a clear gel filling the inner eye, adheres to the surface of the retina. Light rays pass through the vitreous to reach the retina. Retinal conditions are often related to problems with the vitreous.
What is a Vitreoretinal or Retinal Specialist?
A
retinal, or vitreoretinal, specialist is ophthalmologist who restricts his or her work to diseases
and surgery of the retina and vitreous.
An ophthalmologist is a physician who elected after internship to specialize in ophthalmology, or diseases and surgery of the eye. The vitreoretinal specialist has completed further training specifically in diseases and surgery of the retina and vitreous.
The physicians at VRC usually work in conjunction with a referring doctor. In some cases, the referring doctor may request complete management of a vitreoretinal problem. In other cases, he or she may refer a patient to VRC for a second opinion.
Retinal Examination and Evaluation
We
perform a thorough, specialized examination of the retina, vitreous, and macula. Because we
use dilating eye drops in order to examine these structures, many patients have someone else
drive them to and from their appointments. Many of our patients also find it helpful to have
a family member or friend with them in the examining room to help with questions and instructions.
Diseases of the retina can be quite serious and complex. We will take whatever time is necessary to answer your questions, explain your condition, and outline your treatment plan.
We will always attempt to schedule you with the physician you prefer. However, if your physician is unavailable due to surgery or an emergency, you will have the option of seeing one of our other physicians. Because our physicians share similar goals, skills, and backgrounds, we hope you will feel comfortable with any one of them, particularly if your problem calls for prompt attention. Our group practice arrangement ensures that one of our specialists will be available 24 hours a day, year round.
In addition to a complete retinal examination, we provide a number of services and procedures for patients with retinal diseases. Most of these procedures can be done in each of our satellite offices; some are quite specialized and are performed only at our main office in the Texas Medical Center.
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Fluorescein
Angiography: A photographic study of the retina using a specialized camera and
dye injected into a vein of the arm. This yellow dye passes through the blood vessels
in your retina and is used to diagnose many different disorders affecting the retina. -
Indocyanine Green Angiography: ICG is another colored dye that is injected into a peripheral vein, and then travels into the circulation of the eye. Special infrared photographs are taken, allowing visualization of deeper retinal structures or visualization of diseases through blood or fluid. In some cases, both fluorescein and indocyanine green angiograms are utilized.
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Ocular
Coherence Tomography (OCT): is an imaging technique that utilizes light wave
interferometry to produce high resolution cross sectional images, similar to a computed
tomography (CT) scan, of the retina. The images measure the thickness of the retina and
are useful in the diagnosis and follow-up of many diseases affecting the macula -
Ultrasonography: An examination of the eye using sound waves to produce images of the inner eye. This is especially important when the eye doctor cannot see into the eye with conventional examination techniques.
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Visual Field Testing: A measurement of the amount of peripheral or side vision.
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Macular Function Testing: A measurement of the retina's potential for vision. Useful in patients with cataracts and other diseases to help predict postoperative vision. Also includes color vision testing.
We are committed to helping everyone in need of our services, and providing the best possible care at the most reasonable cost. Our insurance staff can assist you with any questions regarding Medicare; private insurance or managed care plans; or other account information.
We are participating providers for Medicare, Medicaid, and most managed care plans. Many insurance companies and HMO's require that you get written authorization from your Primary Care Physician before any office visit or surgery. Please check with your insurance provider or contact our office for assistance with these issues before your appointment date.
Although the treatment of retinal diseases may involve high technology and complicated services, we attempt to minimize the cost in several ways:
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We perform our surgery on an outpatient basis, thus reducing the length of the hospital stay.
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By doing special testing, laser, and minor surgical procedures in our office, we are able to eliminate "facility fees".
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We have our own quality-assessment program which monitors the effectiveness and results of our surgical and laser procedures. We are constantly updating and reviewing our techniques to ensure the best possible, most cost-effective surgical and medical outcomes.