What is that machine at the opthamologist's clinic?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the identification and function of various machines used during eye examinations at an ophthalmologist's clinic. Participants share their experiences and seek clarification on specific procedures and equipment, including an auto-refractor and a slit lamp.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes their experience with a machine that produces images and adjusts focus, asking for its name and function.
  • Another participant identifies the machine as an auto-refractor, explaining its purpose in assessing refractive errors and aiding in the eye examination process.
  • A different participant recounts a follow-up visit where a lens holder and torch were used, questioning whether the doctor was attempting to dilate their pupils.
  • Some participants discuss the use of a slit lamp, with one asking for clarification on its function after describing their own experience with a torch and lens holder held at a distance.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the identification of the auto-refractor, but there is uncertainty regarding the specific procedures involving the lens holder and torch, as well as the function of the slit lamp. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the exact nature of the latter procedures.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express confusion about the equipment and procedures, indicating a lack of familiarity with the terminology and functions of the machines used in eye examinations.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in ophthalmology, patients preparing for eye examinations, or those curious about the technology used in eye care may find this discussion relevant.

rohanprabhu
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i went to an opthamologist today for an eye checkup.. and his assistant told me to put my chin on some machine and that machine sort of showed me an image of some scenery sort of thing. Now, the machine started to do something.. and i could see the image getting blurred again and becoming sharp again. It finally stopped at some point where the image became sharp. Then it did the same thing for the other eye. The assistant then noted down some numbers from that machine.

what exactly does that machine do, what's it's name.. and how does it know when my eyes see a perfectly sharp image?
 
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That's an auto-refractor. It gets a quick and dirty reading of the eyes, and generally they spit out a little print-out with your refractive errors (if any) that is attached to your chart, so that when you get shown to an exam room, the ophthalmologist's assistant will have a very close starting point to set the phoropter (that machine that you look through with lots of lenses set in internal wheels... "is this better, or this?"). This saves time in the exam room, so the doctor can examine more people in the course of the day.
 
thx a lot man.. now that i have the name of the machine.. i'll go wikip it :D
 
I went to the doctor again for a checkup... and he took a lens holder of some sort and pointed a torch through it into my eye. I could see two circular arcs of light going up and down along the rim of the lens.

what exactly was he doing? Was he trying to dilate my pupils or something??
 
rohanprabhu said:
I went to the doctor again for a checkup... and he took a lens holder of some sort and pointed a torch through it into my eye. I could see two circular arcs of light going up and down along the rim of the lens.

what exactly was he doing? Was he trying to dilate my pupils or something??
Was your chin in a chin rest, and was he pivoting that bright light from side-to-side while looking into your pupil with another instrument? If so, that bright light was from a slit lamp.

http://images.google.com/images?q=slit++lamp&hl=en&safe=off&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=images&ct=title
 
rohanprabhu said:
nothing.. i was sitting in a chair and he held the torch+lens holder at some distance..

what is a slit lamp?

http://www.eyetec.net/group2/M6S1.htm" .
 
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