eye disorders
The Eye Examination
Slit Lamp Examination
A slit lamp is an instrument that enables a doctor to examine the entire eye under high magnification and that allows measurement of depth. The slit lamp focuses a bright light into the eye. The slit lamp is a table-mounted binocular microscope that shines a light into the eye to allow the doctor to examine the entire eye under high magnification. The slit lamp has better optics than the direct ophthalmoscope, providing magnification and a three-dimensional view, which allows measurement of depth. A slit lamp is the best instrument for examining the following structures: Eyelids Tissues and skin around the eyes Iris Surface of the eye (including the cornea and conjunctivae) Aqueous humor (the fluid in the front part of the eye between the cornea and the iris) Often, eye drops are used to dilate the pupils so that the doctor can view even more of the eye, including the lens, vitreous humor, retina, and optic nerve. Sometimes, in people who have or might have , an additional lens is placed on or held in front of the eye to allow examination of the angle between the iris and the front part of the eye (inside surface of the cornea). This examination is called gonioscopy. 