How long is a typical exam at Wagner Kapoor Institute?
After checking in at the reception you will have your vision checked, your eye pressure measured, and your pupils dilated before you are seen by either of our doctors. Typically you will have to wait at least 30 minutes for your pupils to be adequately dilated for examination. First visits can often take two hours, more if treatment can be provided at the time of diagnosis.
Can I drive home?
Usually, yes. We provide disposable sunglasses for your convenience, or you may opt to bring our own. If you have had trouble with your vision due to pupil dilation in the past and if treatment such as laser is required, we will require that you have someone to drive you home.
Why do I need to see a retina sub-specialist?
Your eye doctor has either determined that there is a condition affecting the retina that needs more extensive diagnostic testing or has determined that there is a condition that requires specialized treatment and/or monitoring.
Will I be changing eye doctors permanently?
No. We are being asked to do an evaluation of (and possibly, a treatment for) a condition specific to your retina. Your eye doctor will be sent all test results and treatment plans. You will continue to see him or her for all of your ongoing eye care needs. Once your condition has been treated to completion, your doctor will follow up with you for ongoing care and monitoring.
What if I need surgery?
Many non-surgical treatments are available for retinal disorders and can be performed in the Wagner Kapoor Institute office. Some problems do require true surgical attention. Recent technical advances allow for procedures to be done without overnight hospital stays; local anesthesia with gentle IV sedation is the current standard, and over 95% of surgical procedures are completed in less than 60 minutes using a “no incision/no stitch” method, which minimizes postoperative discomfort and shortens recovery.
Dr. Wagner is on the medical staff at several area hospitals, making it more likely that you can schedule your surgery at a convenient location covered by your insurance. He performs surgery at Sentara Norfolk General, Sentara Virginia Beach General, Sentara Careplex in Hampton, Depaul Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughters, Riverside Regional Medical Center, Portsmouth Naval, BonSecours ASC Surgical Center and The Surgery Center of Chesapeake ASC. You may elect to have your surgery performed in the outpatient surgical unit of any of these hospitals.
How will Dr Wagner look at my eyes?
During your visit, your eyes will be examined thoroughly. Before your pupils are dilated, your vision in both eyes will be measured, your pupils tested for reaction to light, eye movement evaluated, peripheral vision checked, and eye pressure measured to screen for glaucoma. After allowing time for your pupils to dilate, Dr. Wagner will use specially designed medical instruments to examine your eyes, including the macula, retina and vitreous. Depending on initial findings, other tests may be required, including:
- FUNDUS PHOTOGRAPHS: These involve the use of a sophisticated camera to study the retina.
- FLUORESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY: This photographic technique allows the physician to obtain more detailed images of the retina. After an intravenous injection of fluorescein, a vegetable-based dye, digital cameras record precise information from the retina, blood vessels and optic nerve.
- OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY (OCT): This instrument scans the retina and produces cross sectional images and measures the thickness of the retina. It is valuable in treating a variety of macular disorders.
- VISUAL FIELD: Blind spots and peripheral vision loss are measured with this instrument.
- ULTRASOUND: Ultrasound uses sound waves reflected from eye tissue to produce an image that enable the doctor to take specific measurements of the eye’s anatomy.
