A-scan biometry: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

A-scan biometry is an ultrasound test that measures key distances inside the eye. It is most commonly used to plan cataract surgery by helping calculate intraocular lens (IOL) power. It can also be used when the eye’s optical media are cloudy and optical measurements are difficult. The result is a set of precise eye length measurements that clinicians interpret in context.

B-scan ultrasound: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

B-scan ultrasound is an imaging test that uses sound waves to create a cross-sectional picture of the eye and orbit. It is commonly used when the doctor cannot see the back of the eye clearly with light-based exams. It helps evaluate structures like the vitreous (eye gel), retina, and tissues around the eyeball. It is used in eye clinics, emergency settings, and surgical planning when needed.

indocyanine green angiography (ICGA): Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) is an eye imaging test that shows blood flow in deeper layers of the eye. It uses a medical dye and a special camera to capture images of circulation behind the retina. It is most commonly used in retina clinics to evaluate conditions affecting the choroid and retinal vessels. It often complements other tests such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fluorescein angiography.

fluorescein angiography (FA): Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

fluorescein angiography (FA) is an eye imaging test that uses a fluorescent dye to photograph blood flow inside the eye. It helps clinicians see how the retina and related tissues are being supplied by blood vessels. It is commonly used in ophthalmology clinics and retina practices to evaluate retinal disease. It can also support optometry and ophthalmology decision-making when retinal vascular problems are suspected.

widefield imaging: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

widefield imaging is an eye imaging approach that captures a broad view of the retina in a single session. It is used to document the back of the eye, including areas farther from the center of vision. Clinics use it to screen, diagnose, and monitor many retinal and vascular eye conditions. It is commonly performed in optometry and ophthalmology offices as part of a retinal evaluation.

fundus photography: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

fundus photography is a way to take pictures of the back of the eye (the “fundus”). It creates a visual record of the retina, optic nerve head, and retinal blood vessels. It is commonly used in eye clinics, optometry offices, and screening programs. The images help clinicians document eye findings and monitor change over time.

OCT angiography (OCTA): Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

OCT angiography (OCTA) is a non-invasive eye imaging test that maps blood flow in the retina and choroid. It uses an OCT scanner to create “angiography-like” images without injecting dye. Clinicians commonly use it in retina clinics to evaluate macular and optic nerve conditions. It is also used in optometry and ophthalmology settings to monitor vascular changes over time.

OCT ganglion cell analysis: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

OCT ganglion cell analysis is an imaging-based measurement of retinal ganglion cell–related layers in the back of the eye. It is performed using optical coherence tomography (OCT), a common scan used in eye clinics. It helps clinicians assess structural changes that can occur in glaucoma and some optic nerve conditions. It is often reviewed alongside eye pressure checks, optic nerve exams, and visual field testing.

OCT RNFL: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

OCT RNFL is an eye imaging measurement that looks at the retinal nerve fiber layer using optical coherence tomography (OCT). It helps clinicians assess the health of nerve fibers that carry visual information from the eye to the brain. It is commonly used in glaucoma care and in evaluating optic nerve–related conditions. It is a quick, non-contact test performed in many optometry and ophthalmology clinics.

OCT macula: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

OCT macula is an imaging test that creates cross-sectional “slice” views of the macula, the central part of the retina. It helps clinicians see retinal layers and measure subtle swelling or thinning that may not be visible on routine exam. OCT macula is commonly used in eye clinics, optometry offices, and retina practices for diagnosis and follow-up. It is a noninvasive scan that uses light, not X-rays.

optical coherence tomography: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

optical coherence tomography is a noninvasive imaging test that creates cross-sectional “slice” views of eye tissues. It is often used to examine the retina, macula, and optic nerve in fine detail. Clinicians use it in ophthalmology and optometry to help detect, document, and monitor many eye conditions. The images can help explain symptoms and track changes over time.

Goldmann perimetry: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

Goldmann perimetry is a vision test that maps how much you can see to the sides while looking straight ahead. It is a form of *manual visual field testing* performed with a bowl-shaped instrument called a Goldmann perimeter. Clinicians use it to evaluate peripheral vision and patterns of vision loss. It is commonly used in eye clinics and neuro-ophthalmology settings, especially when automated tests are not ideal.

Humphrey visual field: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

Humphrey visual field is a standardized test that measures how well you see in different parts of your visual field. It is most commonly performed on an automated perimeter (often called a Humphrey Field Analyzer). Clinics use it to map areas of reduced sensitivity that may not be noticeable in everyday vision. It is widely used in ophthalmology and optometry, especially for glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmology evaluations.

automated perimetry: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

automated perimetry is a computerized test that measures how well you can see in different parts of your visual field (side vision and central vision). It uses small light stimuli presented in a controlled pattern while you look at a central target. It is commonly used in eye clinics to detect and monitor diseases that affect the optic nerve, retina, or visual pathways in the brain. It is most often associated with glaucoma care, but it has broader neurologic and retinal applications.

perimetry: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

perimetry is a set of tests that measure your visual field, meaning what you can see to the side while looking straight ahead. It is commonly used in eye clinics to detect and monitor vision loss that may not be noticed in day-to-day life. perimetry is especially associated with glaucoma care, but it is also used for retinal and neurologic conditions. The result is a map that helps clinicians understand where vision is normal and where it is reduced.

confrontation visual fields: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

confrontation visual fields is a quick, bedside way to screen a person’s visual field (the area they can see while looking straight ahead). It is commonly used during routine eye exams and in urgent settings like emergency rooms or neurology evaluations. The clinician compares what the patient can see to what the clinician can see under similar conditions. It helps flag possible peripheral or central vision loss that may need more detailed testing.

Amsler grid: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

Amsler grid is a simple vision test that uses a square grid pattern with a central fixation point. It is designed to check central vision and look for distortion, missing areas, or warping of lines. It is commonly used in eye clinics and sometimes for at-home monitoring when a clinician recommends it. It is most closely associated with conditions that affect the macula, the central part of the retina.

color vision testing: Definition, Uses, and Clinical Overview

color vision testing checks how well a person can see and distinguish colors. It looks for patterns of color confusion, not just whether someone “sees color.” It is commonly used in eye exams, school or workplace screening, and eye disease evaluation. It can help separate inherited color vision deficiency from changes caused by eye or nerve conditions.