ZEISS CLARUS 500 CAPTURES ULTRA-WIDE VIEW OF EYE’S POSTERIOR

This “Focus” column presents the perspectives of several optometrists regarding their experiences with one new device.

PATIENT EDUCATION and confidence in diagnosis and disease management are two benefits of retinal photography, and, specifically, ZEISS’s CLARUS 500, say those interviewed for this column.

“Retinal photography has really allowed optometrists and ophthalmologists to educate patients on their retinal health,” says Jay M. Haynie, O.D., F.A.A.O., of Tacoma, Wash. “You can show the patient a normal image, ‘And this is your eye.’ It is a lot easier to educate patients on their retinal condition, especially if they are not experiencing any [related] visual symptoms.”

OVERVIEW

The ZEISS CLARUS 500 is an ultra-widefield, true color, high-resolution fundus camera. The 200° ultra-widefield capture allows doctors to image indications of disease in the periphery of the retina where disease can manifest, according to the company.

The true-color images in an ultra-widefield view closely resemble real-life color in the fundus, according to the company. The images also can be separated into red, green and blue channels, providing more detail of the choroid and contrast of retinal vasculature and anterior retinal layers. High resolution, down to 7µ, aids in the detection of early signs of disease.

PROCEDURE

The device is useful on patients who require high-resolution, true-color ultra-widefield imaging of the posterior pole and peripheral retina, such as those with diabetes, says Dr. A. Paul Chous, M.A., O.D., F.A.A.O., C.D.E., of Tacoma, Wash. It is also helpful for those who dilate poorly (long-term diabetics) or who are averse to dilation, as it can take an image through a 2.5mm pupil. Other eye conditions he has found the device to be useful in managing: optic nerve diseases, such as glaucoma, retinal venous occlusive disease, peripheral retinal disorders and dry AMD. Dr. Chous has also used the device on pediatric patients who have Type 1 diabetes with ease.

Dr. Haynie works in a retina specialty practice that captures retinal photos at the end of the consultation via technician assistance. He says he found the instrument very beneficial in the diabetic population or in patients with retinal vascular disease. Specifically, he says the machine has allowed him to identify small hemorrhages that may be difficult to see at the slit lamp. Dr. Haynie has also utilized the autofluorescence function to track the progression of dry AMD and hydroxychloroquine sulfate toxicity.

PRACTICE BENEFITS

The true-color functionality allowed Dr. Chous to directly compare what he saw in the image to findings from his physical exam, he says — a requirement for billing fundus photography.

Eye lash and lid artifacts are one problem he expected of a widefield imaging device, but they did not manifest. Proprietary software and the Live IR Preview, which helps to align the camera to the correct location and identify and remove artifacts before hitting “capture,” may have helped with this. For Dr. Haynie, the Live IR Preview certainly did. He adds this feature saves time, ensuring a quality photo.

Finally, Dr. Chous found the device’s external photo features useful in patients with lid and conjunctival legions, iris nevi and corneal abnormalities. OM