Ophthalmoscopy
Indirect viewing systems, including the binocular indirect ophthalmoscope and slit lamp biomicroscopy through an indirect lens, have become the standard of care for management of retinal detachments. Comparison with direct ophthalmoscopy illustrates the capabilities of indirect systems. The technique of indirect ophthalmoscopy with scleral depression is presente The characteristics of direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy are compared in Table 3–1. Figure 3–1A shows the optical principles of direct ophthalmoscopy, and Figure 3–1B illustrates the optics of the indirect method. Substantial clinical differences between the two methods are due to the differences in optical characteristics. The direct ophthalmoscope offers 14X magnification compared with 3X with the indirect using the usual +20 diopter lens. However, this does not mean the direct device has an equal advantage in resolution. Resolution is a function of how close together two points can be and remain distinguished as separate when viewed through an optical system. The visualization of detail that an optical system permits is a function of its resolving power and not its magnifi cation. Resolution is a function of the light available at the points to be resolved and of the quality of the optical components of the system. Magnification plays a role only if the resolution of the optical system exceeds the resolution of the observing human eye at a given level of magnification. Too much magnification of a poorly resolved image results in a loss of detail, such as if one were to examine a halftone newspaper photograph under a microscope. With the direct method, the greater the degree of myopia, the higher the magnification of the fundus image and the smaller the field of view. In very high myopes, the field of view with the direct instrument becomes very limited. High cylindric errors strongly and adversely affect the image of direct ophthalmoscopy because the high magnification of the system also magnifies the effects of refractive errors on the image. With the indirect method, the lower magnification minimizes this effect. Furthermore, the condensing lens can be tilted slightly to overcome astigmatic aberrations. Examination of the retinal periphery entails the travel of light obliquely through the cornea and lens, introducing cylindrical aberrations that are likewise problematic with the direct ophthalmoscope and easily overcome with the indirect.