Understanding Optical Coherence Tomography: A Patient's Guide to Advanced Medical Imaging

Imaging technologies like Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) are transforming the way healthcare professionals visualize and understand various eye conditions. As a patient, understanding what an OCT is and its significance can empower you to make informed decisions about your eye health.

What is an OCT?

An OCT is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses light waves to capture high-resolution, cross-sectional images of the retina, optic nerve, and other eye structures. Much like an ultrasound uses sound waves, an OCT employs light to capture detailed images of the eye’s internal structures. These images provide doctors with precise information about the structure and health of eye tissues, aiding in the diagnosis and management of various eye conditions.

Why is Optical Coherence Tomography Important for Patients?

Early Detection and Diagnosis

One of the most significant advantages of OCT is its ability to identify potential issues before they become serious. By providing detailed images of the layers of the retina and optic nerve, the OCT can help detect eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration before they lead to significant vision loss. Early detection allows for doctors to implement timely treatment, which can help preserve your vision and prevent complications that may impact your daily life.

Personalized Treatment Plans

In addition to helping in diagnosis, an OCT plays a crucial role in developing personalized treatment plans. By examining detailed images of tissues, doctors can monitor disease progression and evaluate how well the treatments are working. This tailored approach enhances outcomes and patient satisfaction by ensuring that treatments address individual needs effectively.

Minimally Invasive and Comfortable

Unlike some imaging methods that may require invasive procedures or uncomfortable preparations, OCT is painless, non-invasive, and simple for patients. You just need to position your eye in front of a camera, which captures images with a brief flash of light. Testing only takes a few minutes, and results are generated shortly after for your doctor to review.

Who needs an OCT scan?

It is recommended for all adults to establish a baseline scan at their first visit, then repeat every two to three years to monitor any subtle retinal changes over time. However, yearly scans are highly advised for individuals with a personal or family history of eye disease and underlying health conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes, or high blood pressure. These conditions can often develop without noticeable symptoms, so an OCT scan can identify and address any potential issues to preserve vision and overall eye health.

Conclusion

Optical Coherence Tomography represents a significant advancement in medical imaging, providing patients precise diagnostics, personalized treatment plans, and a comfortable imaging experience. By understanding the importance of an OCT, patients can become more informed and engaged in their eye care, fostering effective collaboration with healthcare providers and leading to better health outcomes.

Harnessing the Power of Light: Exploring Syntonics Light Therapy

In our quest for holistic well-being, we often seek innovative approaches that blend modern science with ancient wisdom. One such intriguing method gaining popularity is Syntonics Light Therapy. Rooted in the understanding of how light influences our bodies and minds, Syntonics offers a unique pathway to health and healing.

Understanding Syntonics Light Therapy

Syntonics, also known as optometric phototherapy, involves the therapeutic use of selected visible light frequencies to stimulate the eyes and brain. The principle behind this therapy lies in the profound impact light has on our circadian rhythms, mood regulation, and overall physiological processes.

How It Works

Central to Syntonics is the concept of using coloured filters or specific wavelengths of light directed into the eyes. These lights are administered in a controlled environment under the guidance of a trained neuro-optometrist and/or vision therapist. The eyes, being extensions of the brain, respond to light stimuli by transmitting signals that influence various bodily functions.

Applications and Benefits

Vision and Optometry

Initially developed within the field of optometry, Syntonics has shown promise in treating a variety of visual disorders. Conditions such as amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (eye turn), and certain forms of visual processing issues have been addressed with this therapy. By stimulating specific parts of the retina and optic nerve, Syntonics aims to enhance visual function and coordination. It is also used to treat vision related symptoms from post-trauma vision syndrome (PTVS) after a concussion, stroke, or brain injury.

Neurological and Emotional Well-being

Beyond its optical applications, Syntonics has been explored for its potential benefits in neurological and emotional health. Light exposure affects the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and melatonin, which regulate mood and sleep cycles. As a result, Syntonics is being investigated for its role in managing conditions like seasonal affective disorder (SAD), Visual Snow/Visual Snow Syndrome, and certain types of headaches.

Rehabilitation and Performance Enhancement

Athletes and individuals recovering from neurological injuries have also turned to Syntonics to aid in rehabilitation. By stimulating neuronal activity and promoting neuroplasticity, this therapy may support faster recovery times and improved cognitive performance.

The Experience

Sessions typically involve relaxing in a darkened room while specific frequencies of light are administered through a specialized device called a syntonizer, or while wearing syntonics goggles. Patients often report a sense of calm and rejuvenation following treatments, attributing this to the therapy's ability to harmonize bodily rhythms.

Considerations and Future Directions

While Syntonics shows promise, it is essential to approach it as a complementary therapy, not a replacement for conventional medical treatments. Research into its mechanisms and broader applications continues, aiming to validate its efficacy across various health domains.

Conclusion

Syntonics Light Therapy represents a fascinating intersection of ancient healing practices and modern scientific inquiry. By leveraging the power of light to stimulate our bodies' innate healing mechanisms, it offers a non-invasive approach to enhancing vision, mood, and overall well-being. As our understanding of light's impact on human health deepens, Syntonics stands poised to play an increasingly significant role in integrative medicine.

Whether you seek to optimize your visual acuity, manage seasonal mood changes, or support neurological recovery, Syntonics Light Therapy presents a compelling option worth exploring. As with any therapeutic approach, consulting with qualified practitioners and staying informed about ongoing research will ensure you make informed decisions about your health journey.

Contact our office today to see if Syntonics is the right treatment option for you!

Primitive Reflexes and Vision

What are Primitive Reflexes?

Primitive reflexes are involuntary motor movements that aid in the development of certain skills in infants, such as head control, motor skills, and sensory integration. As a baby grows and develops, these reflexes begin to integrate or ‘disappear’ as the child’s movements become more controlled.

“Movement is crucial for the infant’s brain to integrate the primitive reflexes. Vision and movement go hand-in-hand in the integration of primitive reflexes allowing the infant to move through their world as they develop through the early childhood stages of life. From gross motor to fine motor to oculomotor movements, each stage of development is affected by the integration of primitive reflexes.”

www.theeyedoc.ca

What causes Retained Primitive Reflexes?

There are a number of reasons reflexes may be retained/not fully integrated:

• Restricted body movement as an infant - spending extended time in carriers or jumpers

• Stress on mother and/or baby during pregnancy or delivery

• Lack of movement in utero

• Trauma, injury, illness

• Lack of tummy time

• Delayed or skipped creeping and crawling

• Other developmental delays

How can I integrate mine or my child’s Primitive Reflexes?

We test for six different reflexes at our office which include: Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex; Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex; Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex; Spinal Galant; Palmar; and Moro. Each of these reflexes can have an effect on our visual system and motor skills if not fully integrated, which may cause difficulties with daily tasks such as reading and writing.

Retained Primitive Reflexes can be integrated through a variety of movement activities in our Vision Therapy program. For more information or to schedule an assessment, please contact Polaris Eye Care via phone or email.

Changes to OHIP covered eye examinations as of September 1, 2023

Dear patients of Polaris Eye Care,

As you may or may not know, there are some changes being made to OHIP eligibility for eye exams. Please find the information for your age group below.

Ages 19 and under:

OHIP coverage for eye examinations remains the same for this age group after September 1, 2023.

A patient aged 19 years and younger continues to be eligible for an OHIP-insured comprehensive eye examination once per year from an optometrist.

A patient aged 19 years and younger is also eligible for OHIP-insured “partial examinations” in between regular check-ups for a specific eye or vision problem.

OHIP does not cover second opinions. An examination by a different optometrist to confirm a diagnosis is not covered by OHIP.

Ages 20-64:

A patient aged 20 to 64 with one or more of the potentially sight-threatening conditions is eligible for an OHIP-insured comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist (maximum once every 12 months).

A referral made by a physician to an optometrist is only insured by OHIP if one of the 9 conditions exists.

In addition, a patient with any of the 9 conditions is eligible for a maximum of two OHIP-insured follow-up “partial examinations” annually for that condition.

Strabismus and Amblyopia will no longer be considered eligible conditions for OHIP-insured eye examinations.

Ages 65 and up:

A patient aged 65 and over with one or more of the potentially sight-threatening conditions is eligible for an OHIP-insured comprehensive eye examination once every 12 months from an optometrist.

A patient aged 65 and over without one of the 9 potentially sight-threatening conditions is eligible for an OHIP-insured comprehensive eye examination once every 18 months from an optometrist.

All patients aged 65 and over are eligible for a maximum of two OHIP-insured “partial examinations” in between regular check-ups if needed.

*Eligible conditions are as follows. Please visit www.OHIPupdates.ca for more information.

• Diabetes

• Glaucoma

• Cataracts

• Retinal disease

• Corneal disease

• Optic nerve pathway disease

• Uveitis

• Patients taking any of the following medications: Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine, Ethambutol, Tamoxifen.

• Sudden onset of strabismus (eye turn/crossed-eyes) due to injury or disease

Please do not hesitate to contact our office should you have any questions or concerns regarding these changes.

Warm regards,

Polaris Eye Care

Update on Save Eye Care Discussions with the Ford Government

Dear valued patients,

We would like to provide you with an update on our discussions with the Ontario government. Unfortunately, since September 1, millions of Ontarians have lost access to primary eye care services because the Ontario government continues to neglect optometry services. Here is a brief update on what has been happening:

• The Ministry of Health did not communicate with optometrists from December 5, 2020 until August 5, 2021.

• An independent third party accounting firm (BDO) determined that the average operating cost (rent, staff, and equipment) to provide an eye exam in Ontario (without doctor compensation) was $75.51.

• The government has offered optometrists an increase of 8.48%. Such an increase would move the average payment for an eye exam from $44.65 to $48.43 requiring the average Ontario optometrist today to still pay more than $27 out of pocket to examine an OHIP-insured patient.

• Such an offer would ensure that the eye exams Ontarians receive will continue to be the worst funded in Canada. To reach the funding levels of the next lowest-funded province (Manitoba) in the country, a 65% increase in funding is needed. Our equipment, staffing, and rent costs are not lower than those in Manitoba.

•  The government also offered a one-time $39 million payment to help with underfunding of the last decade. This averages to just over $1 per exam for every optometry service performed over the last decade. It is focused on the past and does nothing to address Ontario’s broken and unsustainable eye care system. It is a complete waste of taxpayers’ dollars.

• While the government states that this offer is fair, the math is simple. Ontarians understand how this government is continuing to follow previous governments by neglecting eye care and exploiting the valuable services optometrists provide. It simply is not a sustainable solution.

• To this day, the government refuses to enter into negotiations where they will agree to either cover the complete overhead costs required to provide an exam or ensure Ontario optometrists will not remain the lowest funded in all of Canada. Ontario optometrists are waiting at the table for them to agree to either of those very basic and fair principles.

• Eye surgeons (ophthalmologists) across our province work together with optometrists to provide eye care for Ontarians. Like you, many have written letters to the Ontario government in support of fixing eye care. One Ontario ophthalmologist states:

“I believe that many in government do not fully understand the impact of the Optometric role and may minimize it’s standing in the delivery of health care to all Ontarians. The net effect of this misunderstanding, in my opinion, is exactly why Ontario Optometrists are underpaid and undervalued.”

Eye health has a direct impact on an individual’s quality of life, and we will continue to advocate for our patients whose lives are negatively impacted by the Ontario government’s lack of interest in this aspect of essential healthcare. 

Please call your local MPP’s office and let them know that you need the government to fix eye care. Tell them you support your local optometrist and you value the services that they provide. You can find their contact information here: https://www.ola.org/en/members/current

Over 300,000 Ontarians have sent letters and signed petitions to the Health Minister voicing their concerns. If you haven’t already, you can also visit SaveEyeCare.ca to sign our petition. Thank you again for your continued support!

 Kind regards,

Dr. Diana Yew, OD