What to expect at your first retina appointment?


If you are seeing a
retinal specialist for the first time, you may not know what to expect. The best way to get the most out of your retinal consultation is to come prepared. A retina specialist specialises in the treatment of conditions and diseases affecting the retina. Some of the common diseases treated by a retina specialist are:

  • Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Retinal detachment
  • Macular hole/pucker

As a leading eye hospital in West Bengal, we share with you useful insights on what you can expect at your first retina appointment:

1. A retina exam is more extensive than a routine eye exam: 

A retinal eye exam is more comprehensive than a routine eye exam.  Your initial appointment with a retina specialist may take anywhere from 2-4 hours, depending on the diagnostic tests recommended.

2. Questions you will be asked 

Just like any other eye exam, you will be asked about:

  •  Medical history 
  •  Symptoms you are experiencing
  • Any medications that you are taking3. Tests that are done before the appointment: 

Some of the common tests that will be done include: 

  • Pupil dilation test: This test is performed to make the pupils large so that the retinal specialist can examine the optic nerve and retina. 

While your eyes are dilated, the retinal specialist may order specialised tests such as: 

  • Optical Coherence Tomography or OCT
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Fundus Photography
  • Fundus Autofluorescence Imaging 

    4. What to bring to your appointment with a retina specialist:

When you visit a retina specialist for an appointment, it is important to bring along  important documents. 

  • If you have had any major surgery, bring the discharge summary and other hospital documents.
  • It is also helpful to bring documents that has information about your family’s medical history.
  • In addition, be sure to bring along the name and contact information of the referring doctor, as well as the reason for referral.
  • Bring a complete list of all medications you are currently taking. 

    5. How to prepare for a retinal eye exam? 

Here are a few things you can do to prepare for a retinal exam: 

  • It’s important to bring your glasses or contact lenses with you to your eye doctor appointment. This will help the retina specialist get an accurate measure of your prescription.
  • After pupil dilation, you will not be able to drive back home as your vision will be blurry.  Have someone to drive you home.
  • Bring along a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from glare when you are heading back home. 

    6. What will happen during the exam? 

By shining a light into your eye, the retina specialist can get a clear view of the back of the eye. This allows your retina specialist to look for any signs of damage or disease. The retina specialist uses one or more of these techniques for viewing your eye condition:

  • Direct examination: The direct examination is performed with an ophthalmoscope, which allows the doctor to shine a beam of light through the pupil to get a clear view of the back of the eye.
  • Indirect examination: The indirect examination, also known as indirect ophthalmoscopy, uses a condensing lens and a bright light to provide a more detailed look at the retina and other structures inside the eye.
  • Slit-lamp exam: A slit-lamp exam is often performed to get an even closer look at the back of the eye. This exam uses a special lens and a beam of light to provide a clear, three-dimensional view of the eye. 

Note: Usually, the retinal exam takes about 10 minutes, but you will be in the eye hospital for hours. It is because pupil dilation needs some time.

Looking for a retina specialist? 

If you live in West Bengal and are looking for a “retina specialist near me” online, visit Disha Eye Hospitals. We have some of the best retina specialists who can help you choose the right treatment option. Call us to book an appointment at the nearest branch.

What to expect at your first retina appointment?

eye specialist in Kolkata
If you are seeing a
retinal specialist for the first time, you may not know what to expect. The best way to get the most out of your retinal consultation is to come prepared. A retina specialist specialises in the treatment of conditions and diseases affecting the retina. Some of the common diseases treated by a retina specialist are:

  • Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Retinal detachment
  • Macular hole/pucker

As a leading eye hospital in West Bengal, we share with you useful insights on what you can expect at your first retina appointment:

A retina exam is more extensive than a routine eye exam: 

A retinal eye exam is more comprehensive than a routine eye exam.  Your initial appointment with a retina specialist may take anywhere from 2-4 hours, depending on the diagnostic tests recommended. 
Questions you will be asked 

Just like any other eye exam, you will be asked about:

  •  Medical history 
  •  Symptoms you are experiencing
  • Any medications that you are taking  

Tests that are done before the appointment: 

Some of the common tests that will be done include: 

  • Pupil dilation test: This test is performed to make the pupils large so that the retinal specialist can examine the optic nerve and retina. 

While your eyes are dilated, the retinal specialist may order specialised tests such as: 

  • Optical Coherence Tomography or OCT
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Fundus Photography
  • Fundus Autofluorescence Imaging

What to bring to your appointment with a retina specialist:

When you visit a retina specialist for an appointment, it is important to bring along  important documents. 

  • If you have had any major surgery, bring the discharge summary and other hospital documents. 
  • It is also helpful to bring documents that has information about your family’s medical history. 
  • In addition, be sure to bring along the name and contact information of the referring doctor, as well as the reason for referral. 
  • Bring a complete list of all medications you are currently taking. 

How to prepare for a retinal eye exam? 

Here are a few things you can do to prepare for a retinal exam: 

  • It’s important to bring your glasses or contact lenses with you to your eye doctor appointment. This will help the retina specialist get an accurate measure of your prescription. 
  • After pupil dilation, you will not be able to drive back home as your vision will be blurry.  Have someone to drive you home. 
  • Bring along a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from glare when you are heading back home.

What will happen during the exam? 

By shining a light into your eye, the retina specialist can get a clear view of the back of the eye. This allows your retina specialist to look for any signs of damage or disease. The retina specialist uses one or more of these techniques for viewing your eye condition:

  • Direct examination: The direct examination is performed with an ophthalmoscope, which allows the doctor to shine a beam of light through the pupil to get a clear view of the back of the eye.
  • Indirect examination: The indirect examination, also known as indirect ophthalmoscopy, uses a condensing lens and a bright light to provide a more detailed look at the retina and other structures inside the eye.
  • Slit-lamp exam: A slit-lamp exam is often performed to get an even closer look at the back of the eye. This exam uses a special lens and a beam of light to provide a clear, three-dimensional view of the eye. 

Note: Usually, the retinal exam takes about 10 minutes, but you will be in the eye hospital for hours. It is because pupil dilation needs some time.

Looking for a retina specialist? 

If you live in West Bengal and are looking for a “retina specialist near me” online, visit Disha Eye Hospitals. We have some of the best retina specialists who can help you choose the right treatment option. Call us to book an appointment at the nearest branch.

13 Eye Health Related FAQs

13 Eye Health Related FAQs

Have doubts about eye health? Check out the FAQs below:

1) How do cataracts develop and what are the treatment options?

There are two risk factors for the development of cataracts; age and exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Age-related cataracts occur when proteins in the eyes form clumps and restrict the amount of light that enters the retina. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays is another cause of cataracts. Other causes of cataracts include eye diseases and eye injuries.

Cataracts can be treated with an eye surgery in which the surgeon replaces the cloudy lens with a clear, artificial lens. But the surgery should be done from the best eye hospital in West Bengal.

2) How is cataract diagnosed?

Cataract can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye exam, including dilated eye exam and visual acuity test.

In a dilated eye exam, the doctor dilates the pupils using eye drops. By doing this, the doctor can determine cataracts’ opacity and impact on vision. The doctor is able to determine the extent of vision impairment through the visual acuity test.

3) Can I get a cataract surgery done during summers?

Yes. You can undergo a cataract surgery during summers. In fact, you can undergo a cataract surgery during any time of the year. Cataract surgery not being feasible during summers is just a myth.

4) What is diabetic retinopathy and what are its symptoms?

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes; the eye condition is one of the leading causes of blindness. It occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina.

The early symptoms of diabetic retinopathy go almost undetected, but can gradually worsen over time, leading to vision loss. Some of the common symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include eye pain, double vision, eye floaters and spots, and blurred vision.

5) Who are at the risk of diabetic retinopathy?

People suffering from diabetes, both Type 1 and Type 2, stand at the risk of diabetic retinopathy. Pregnant women with diabetes are at the equal risk. Disha Eye Care Hospital is the best among the top ten hospitals for retina treatment in Kolkata.

6) Can diabetic retinopathy be prevented? If yes, how?

There are several steps to lowering the risk of diabetic retinopathy. Managing diabetes is the first step to minimising the risk of onset of the eye condition. Other steps involve regularly checking blood sugar levels, testing urine for ketone levels, and undergoing an annual comprehensive eye exam.

7) Can eye injuries affect vision?

Yes, but it totally depends upon the severity of the eye injuries. Minor injuries can cause eye pain and temporary blurred vision while major injuries can have serious implications such as eye infection and vision impairment.

8) How to protect the eyes from diseases?

There are several ways how you can lower the risk of development of eye diseases. First off, maintain a healthy diet by choosing fresh vegetables, fruits, eggs, meat, and fish over unhealthy food items such as deep-fried snacks and frozen meat items.

Exercise regularly, drink plenty of water, and get your eyes checked every year. These steps help you maintain an overall good health and keep the risks of eye diseases at bay.

9) What is glaucoma and what are its symptoms?

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can cause vision loss by damaging the eyes’ optic nerve. The eye disease is linked to the build-up of pressure (intraocular pressure) inside the eyes

Some of the common symptoms of glaucoma include eye pain, narrowed vision, nausea, vomiting, eye redness, vision loss, and seeing halos around the light.

10) What are the treatment options for glaucoma?

Your doctor may plan the treatment depending upon the severity of the condition. Eye drops for Glaucoma can either increase fluid flow or reduce its formation in the eyes.

Laser surgery is another treatment option for glaucoma. This procedure can help increase fluid flow in the eye. A surgery known as Trabeculoplasty involves opening a new channel to drain the fluid and lower eye pressure.

11) Why is it not safe to wear contact lenses past expiry/recommended date?

Contact lenses (as the name suggest) get into direct contact with the eyes when worn. Therefore, it’s crucial that you follow safety precautions to avoid serious implications. Wearing contact lenses past their expiry date can increase the risk of eye infections, which, in turn, can worsen and cause vision impairment.

The same applies to the cleaning solution. Make sure that you replace it after reaching the expiry date.

12) Will reading in dim light damage my eyes?

Reading is a precision activity, and when you do it under dim lighting, you increase strain to your eyes. As a result, you can suffer from symptoms such as eye redness, itchiness, pain, and dryness. The best practice is to read under bright lighting.

13) How to avoid eye injuries?

Eye injuries cannot be completely avoided. However, you can take steps to drastically lower the risks. For example, wear a protective eyewear when working at the workshop or travelling outdoors.

Choose quality eye treatment at Disha Eye Hospital – one of the best eye hospitals in Kolkata.

Our specialised team of eye experts at Disha Eye Hospital can help you maintain a good eye health through comprehensive eye check-up and quality treatment. For more information, visit us.

How to Improve the Health of the Retina

Taking care of the eyes is something most of us tend to neglect. However, maintaining a good eye health is important to keep the risk of developing eye disorders at bay. Retina is one of the crucial parts of the eye, and it’s important to take proper care if it.

Do you take care of your eyes? Here, we have listed some of the essential tips to take care of your retina:

1. Healthy and balanced diet
Poor diet containing insufficient nutrients can cause the health of the retina to degrade. Therefore, it’s important to have a healthy and a balanced that contains all the essential nutrients.

Make sure that you include fresh and green vegetables and fruits into your diet. It’s equally important to add fresh eggs and lean fish and meat into your diet.

2. Avoiding unhealthy foods and drinks
Unhealthy foods and drinks indirectly affect retina health. Regular consumption of fast foods such as fried chicken, pizza, deep-fried snacks and packaged meat can lead to high blood sugar and obesity/overweight, https://nygoodhealth.com/product/phentermine/.
Carbonated, sugary drinks spike up blood glucose which, in turn, can deteriorate retina health.

3. Drinking plenty of water
Drinking plenty of water is important for ensuring a good retina health. When the body is properly hydrated, the tear glands are able to produce sufficient tears and properly moisturise the eyes. Also, drinking plenty of water helps in purifying blood and promoting blood flow.

4. Regular exercise
Regular exercise plays a key role in lowering the risk of eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy. How? Well, lack of exercise causes one to be overweight/obese which, in turn, can lead to diabetes. The high blood glucose of an individual can have damaging effects on the eyes and lead to diabetic retinopathy.

Regular exercise helps in maintaining a healthy weight and promoting blood circulation to all body parts, including the eyes.

5. Wearing sunglass when out in the sun
The harmful UV (ultraviolet) rays in the sunlight can have damaging effects on the eyes. Therefore, it is recommended to always wear a sunglass when spending time outdoors, in the sun.

Invest in a good-quality sunglass that provides UV protection. Make sure that you carry your sunglass wherever you go.

6. Quitting smoking
Regular smoking can impair blood flow to the eyes and retina which can lead to the onset of severe eye disorders such as macular degeneration. Although quitting smoking can be a tough habit to break, getting rid of it will certainly pay off.

7. Wearing eye protection
Injuries to the eye can go beyond physical pain as they can lead to infections which, in turn, can interfere with vision. Make sure that you use eye protection when spending time outdoors, in workshops, and when swimming.

8. Regular eye check-up
Regular eye check-up is the key to maintaining a healthy retina and overall eye health. Also, regular eye check-up can help your doctor diagnose the early symptoms of eye disorders.

Choose quality eye care from Eye Hospitals in India

Are you concerned about your eye health? Get your eye health diagnosed from eye care professionals at Disha Eye Hospital.
Disha Eye Hospital is setting new benchmarks in providing quality and affordable eye care. Learn more about Disha Eye Hospital at http://www.dishaeye.org.