Glaucoma Imaging Clinic

The Glaucoma Imaging Clinic is for patients diagnosed with:

• ocular hypertension;

• suspect glaucoma; and

• stable glaucoma.

These conditions need regular monitoring, and this is the purpose of the Glaucoma Imaging Clinic.

What will happen at my clinic appointment?

When you arrive at the clinic, a member of staff will ask you some questions about your condition and your eyes. You will then have a series of tests.

• Visual acuity check

  We will measure your vision (visual acuity using a letter chart).

  If you have glasses for distance vision (for example you wear glasses for driving or watching television), you will need to bring these to your appointment. We check your visual acuity, so that we have a baseline of your current long-distance vision. Using this baseline, we can track any future changes to your vision.

• Intraocular (eye) pressure readings

  We will also measure the pressure of the fluid inside your eye. We will do this using a device called a tonometer.

• OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) scan

  An OCT is a non-invasive scan. We use it to measure the thickness of the retinal nerve fibre surrounding each optic nerve and at the macula. It is like an ultrasound scan but uses light waves rather than sound waves.

We will ask for your consent before any investigation or treatment begins. Please ask any questions you may have. Remember, you can withdraw your consent for treatment at any time.

How long will this appointment last?

Your appointment should last no more than 30 minutes.

Can I drive before or after my appointment?

No. You may have eye drops that will blur your vision, so please do not drive to or from your appointment.

What happens next?

A glaucoma specialist (doctor or optometrist) will review your results. They will make a clinical decision about your eyes, and decide if you need another clinic appointment. You and your GP will receive this information in a letter from the hospital.

What happens if there are changes to my eye condition?

If there are any changes in your eye condition, we will offer you an appointment with a glaucoma consultant or specialist.

This leaflet has been produced with grateful acknowledgement to East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.