Our Technology & Equipment

Retinal Photography

Back in 2006 we were one of the first optometrists in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley area to introduce the then-new technology of a retinal imaging camera, for diagnosis and monitoring of eye health and eye diseases. Over the years since then, the industry has caught up and now retinal photography is a fairly routine part of a quality comprehensive eye examination. They say a picture speaks a thousand words, and there is nothing better for your clinical records than to have a retinal image as a baseline for your eye health. 

High Definition Images

Then in 2019 we moved forward with the latest technology, with the purchase of the amazing Zeiss Clarus high definition (HD) wide field retinal camera. Again we were the first optometrist in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley area to purchase and use this advanced technology. We can now image your retina, macula and optic nerve with unprecedented high resolution, in wide field clarity, and in true colour.

At Custom EyeCare Newcastle, we include Zeiss Clarus retinal imaging as part of your consultation for everyone, from young to old. We use it every day to diagnose new eye diseases and monitor existing conditions for changes over time.

Retinal Photography Image Gallery

Zeiss OCT 

Custom Eyecare provides a comprehensive eye care service using state-of-the-art equipment for testing including optical coherence tomography.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging test that uses light waves to take cross-sectional scans of your retina. 

OCT is effectively an ‘optical ultrasound’ as it relies on light waves and their reflections from within tissue to provide cross-sectional scans. The images are high resolution because they use light. Traditional ultrasounds which use sound waves.

With OCT, your optometrist can see each of the retina’s distinctive layers. This allows us to map and measure their thickness which aids the diagnosis and management for glaucoma and diseases of the retina. These retinal diseases include age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic eye disease.

OCT is useful in diagnosing many eye conditions, including:

• macular hole
• macular pucker
• macular edema
• age-related macular degeneration
• glaucoma
• central serous retinopathy
• diabetic retinopathy
• vitreous traction

IOL Master

A Zeiss IOL Master assists eye surgeons to accurately measure the eye, a vital measurement for calculating the lens power of an implant used in cataract surgery. 

In 2020 we invested in technology that traditionally was only used by an ophthalmologist prior to cataract surgery. We are the only optometrist in Newcastle with a Zeiss IOL Master. We now use this technology routinely in practice, as it’s especially valuable for assessing myopia in children.

We now measure axial length (eyeball size,) on all children who visit us as it provides a valuable baseline to prevent future blindness, and to carefully monitor progression of shortsightedness. 

Measuring axial length is a vital component of myopia control. Axial length of 26mm is considered a defining number in the literature, whereby risk of visual impairment is considerably increased.

Corneal Topographer

Corneal topography is a non-invasive imaging technique for mapping the surface curvature and shape of the cornea. The cornea is the front surface of the eye, a clear dome layer that acts like a windscreen for our eyes.

At Custom Eyecare in Newcastle NSW, we use the Medmont E300 corneal topographer to create a very detailed “contour map” of the cornea. Corneal topography is used to diagnose keratoconus and monitor for progression. It is also necessary for accurate customised keratoconus RGP contact lens fitting. 

The Medmont topographer uses a series of reflected rings to determine the precise contour of each area of the cornea. Basically, the more widely spaced the ring reflection, the flatter that portion of the cornea. The closer together the ring pattern reflection, the steeper the cornea.

Topography allows us to select the most appropriate type of lens for your eyes, meaning the best possible vision and wearing comfort. This also applies to RGP contact lens fittings for other reasons besides keratoconus, for example astigmatism, pellucid marginal degeneration (PMD), dry eye, corneal grafts and corneal scarring.