At Kate Hattersley Opticians we have recently invested in a camera capable of taking photographs of the back of the eye. Photographs enable us to detect any subtle changes that may occur over time, particularly in conditions such as glaucoma.

In addition to the colour retinal photographs, the Zeiss Visucam 200 camera is also capable of measuring the levels of macula pigment in the eye. The macula is the special part of the retina which gives you detailed vision to make tasks such as reading and driving possible. Macula degeneration is a condition in which a person loses this vital central vision. Risk factors for this include family history, poor diet, UV light and low levels of macula pigment.

By measuring the levels of macula pigment we can then advise whether it is beneficial to take specific dietary supplements to help increase the levels of pigment, thereby giving an increased protective effect against the development of macula degeneration.