Rise of the machines

‘This has all changed since my day.’ It’s not uncommon to hear something along these lines in a primary care practice environment. Advancing technology is helping to make an eye exam more beneficial for both patient and practitioner. The pace of this change has picked up in recent years with the introduction of digital retinal photography and optical coherence tomography as standard in many practices across the high street. These changes have been largely welcomed across the optical industry. Investment in advanced technologies such as these will allow for an increase in patient care and reduce strain on hospitals – as pathology can be better identified and managed in the practice without the need for referral. Recently, a much talked about new piece of equipment has started to appear in high street practice; the Visionix Eye Refract.