Patient examinations

At the Ophthalmological Polyclinic, Dr. Balog, ophthalmological examination includes: determination of visual acuity (with spectacle correction and without spectacle correction), measurement of intraocular pressure, examination of the anterior segment of the eye on a biomicroscope (eyelids, conjunctiva, cornea, anterior chamber, pupil and lens), and dilation of the pupils with examination of the posterior segment of the eye – fundus (vitreous, optic nerve, retina / retina and the caliber and flow of blood vessels).

If the eyes are healthy and receive a certain diopter, the patient may be prescribed glasses for distance, near or progressive glasses.

However, if during the examination an eye disease is found (inflammation, cataract, dry eye, eyelid problem, eye disease – yellow spots, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma…) then the patient is prescribed therapy and / or recommended to do additional subspecialist tests that allow more detailed insight into the pathology of the problem.
If necessary and with the patient’s approval, he also consults with well-known specialists and subspecialists from certain branches of medicine, who are external associates of the Ophthalmological Polyclinic Dr. Balog.

An ophthalmic examination lasts on average about an hour, if no additional tests are needed.

Due to the need to dilate the pupils during this type of examination, visual acuity at a distance, but also at close range, may be slightly blurred up to several hours after the examination, so driving is not recommended.

See more on the Pediatric Ophthalmology.

Dr. Balog Polyclinic is the only one in Croatia to use the SPECTRALIS OCT device from Heidelberg, which enables the following:

• Long-term monitoring and assessment of the condition of glaucoma patients with the possibility of evaluating the effect of previous antiglaucoma therapy thanks to the unique Tru Track technology. Namely, the first test examines 40,000 points that are treated like a fingerprint. In repeated imaging, thanks to the above technology, the same points are detected regardless of the time lag and the position of the patient’s head. This ensures an objective assessment of the condition of the optic nerve head and the layer of nerve fibers and detects any change compared to previous findings.
• The module for the anterior segment of the eye provides a clear, detailed and in-depth analysis of the anterior chamber of the eye, the size of the eye corner without the use of local anesthesia. The search is especially useful in planning surgical procedures on the anterior segment of the eye and in monitoring pathological changes of the cornea, iris, ventricular angle structure and lens. With the help of the device, it is possible to measure the thickness of the cornea and tear film even immediately after the operation. Also, it is possible to evaluate the position of the intraocular lens after implantation.
• The module for the posterior segment of the eye enables a three-dimensional view of the macula and the head of the optic nerve, as well as topographic views showing oscillations in the thickness of the retina and its layers. It also allows you to separate individual layers separately. We use this test for diseases affecting the macula, which include macular degeneration, diabetic damage, monitoring for macular edema in inflammatory conditions or retinal dystrophies, and macular hole diseases (so-called cellophane maculopathy, macular hole), as well as for diseases and pathological conditions of the head of the optic nerve – papilla nerves optics.

Fluorescein angiography is a medical procedure in which a fluorescent dye is injected into the bloodstream.

The dye highlights the blood vessels in the back of the eye so they can be photographed.
This test is often used to manage eye disorders. The ophthalmologist may order it to confirm a diagnosis, determine an appropriate treatment, or monitor the condition of the vessels in the back of your eye.

The examination is performed by inserting standard dilation eye drops into your eyes. These make your pupils dilate. We’ll start by taking OCT pictures, and then we’ll give you a small injection into a vein in your arm. This injection contains a dye called fluorescein, and then we’ll continue to take pictures as the fluorescein moves through the blood vessels into your retina. By applying contrast to the vein, images of the blood vessels of the ocular background and their patency are shown. The whole examination takes about an hour, depending on the speed of your pupils dilating.

Corneal topography is a non-invasive medical imaging technique for mapping the surface curvature of the cornea, the outer structure of the eye. Since the cornea is normally responsible for some 70% of the eye’s refractive power, its topography is of critical importance in determining the quality of vision and corneal health.

The three-dimensional map is, therefore, a valuable aid to the examining ophthalmologist or optometrist and can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of a number of conditions; in planning cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation; in planning refractive surgery, LASIK, and evaluating its results; or in assessing the fit of contact lenses. The procedure is carried out in seconds and is painless.

Your visual field is the full extent of what you can see to the sides without moving your eyes or your head. The visual field test determines whether you have difficulty seeing in any areas of your overall field of vision.
In young people, it is approximately 175 degrees while in old age this value drops to approximately 139 degrees. The visual field is a reflection of the functional vitality of the retina.
The occurrence of disturbances will result in outbursts and narrowing of visual will. Therefore, based on the examination of the visual field, conclusions can be made about the functionality of the retina, optic nerve, contrast sensitivity, and viewing path, and a diagnosis can be made.

The procedure can last up to half an hour per eye (depending on the program that is requested), it is painless, but it requires your full concentration.

An eye ultrasound is a simple and non-invasive method that uses high-frequency sound waves from a hand-held, wandlike apparatus called a transducer to produce images of your eye.
It allows us to see changes in the background of the eye that are not visible by a classical eye examination. Ultrasound is the only method of diagnosing pathological changes in cases of clouding of the anterior optical media (corneal leukemia, cataract) and/or posterior optical media (hematovitreus, synchis, tumors).

The transducer is placed on your closed eyelid or on the front surface of your eye.

The procedure is carried out in seconds and is painless.

Iridotomy is a procedure by which an opening along the root (edge) of the iris establishes a direct connection (communication) between the posterior and anterior eye chambers and facilitates the flow of eye water, resulting in the establishment of normal values ​​of intraocular pressure. This procedure can avoid more serious complications of an acute glaucoma attack.

Capsulotomy is a procedure that removes the so-called. “secondary” cataract. After cataract surgery, proteins begin to accumulate on the posterior lens capsule over time, which blurs the patient’s vision, this procedure laser-polishes the lens capsule, and the patient regains clear visual acuity. The procedure is permanent.

Retinal photocoagulation treats initial and advanced retinal changes caused by diabetes, senile macular degeneration, vascular changes and other pathologies. Treatments are carried out with the aim of preventing, stopping the progression of changes and establishing a stable condition and maintaining quality visual acuity.

MicroPulse® laser therapy is a technology that uses a sparing treatment method for retinal diseases and glaucoma. MicroPulse, a continuous-wave laser beam is shredded into a series of short, repetitive, low-energy pulses separated by a short rest period that allows the tissue to cool between laser pulses. MicroPulse laser therapy is a key advantage of comprehensive retinological / glaucoma practice.

A complete preoperative examination includes an examination of visual acuity, measurement of intraocular pressure, an examination of the ocular background with dilation of the pupils, and examination on a series of devices to determine the diopter power of the lens required for installation.

Choosing the optimal lens for patients depends on the health status of the eye and the visual needs of each patient.

Measurement of intraocular pressure is only one of the risk factors for the development of glaucoma, and in order to diagnose the disease, additional tests need to be done.

Therefore, we have created a complete package of services for the diagnosis of glaucoma, and it includes:

– examination of visual acuity, measurement of intraocular pressure, and examination of the ocular background
– determining the width and sensitivity of the visual field
– measurement of corneal thickness (pachymetry)
– examination of the corner of the eye (gonioscopy)
– examination and verification of optic nerve damage using optical coherence tomography (OCT)