What’s the Latest in Eye Treatment Technology?

The biggest change in eye care is how clearly doctors can now see inside your eye. Detailed photos and scans show the retina, optic nerve and cornea, often before you notice any problem. At Bolt Eye Group, every patient gets retinal photos and corneal topography, and we show you your own images. We don't perform surgery. When you need LASIK or cataract surgery, we refer you to a trusted surgeon and care for you before and after.

Here is the technology we use, what each test shows, and how it helps you. You can also see our full list of eye care services.

Retinal photos: a picture of the back of your eye

Retinal (fundus) photography takes a wide, detailed picture of your retina, optic nerve and blood vessels. It's quick and painless. You look at a light for a few seconds, and nothing touches your eye.

The photos let your doctor confirm that your retina and optic nerve are healthy. Your doctor also shows them to you, so you can see what we see. We keep them on file, so next year even a small change stands out.

Retinal photos can show signs of glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes and high blood pressure. Learn more on our retinal imaging page.

Corneal topography: a map of the front of your eye

Topography makes a detailed color map of your cornea, the clear front window of the eye. We use it to screen every patient for keratoconus. In keratoconus, the cornea thins and bulges, and vision gets blurry and distorted. Keratoconus now has an FDA-approved treatment, so finding it early matters. Read more on our keratoconus page.

Topography also guides the fit of specialty lenses like scleral lenses and DreamSculpt™ Ortho-K.

What does the $39 imaging fee cover?

Every patient pays $39 for retinal photos and corneal topography. With an in-office telehealth visit, the same $39 also covers two OCT glaucoma scans, one of the optic nerve and one of the macula. In-office telehealth is available at every office.

OCT: a cross-section of the retina and optic nerve

OCT stands for optical coherence tomography. It uses light to scan the layers of the retina and optic nerve. It's fast and painless, and it uses no radiation.

OCT can show thinning of the nerve fibers from glaucoma. It can also show swelling or fluid in the macula, the center of your vision. These changes can show up before you notice anything.

In-office telehealth: your scans on the big screen

With an in-office telehealth visit, you come to our office for your tests. A doctor then reviews your scans with you live on a large screen. You see your own retina and optic nerve, and you hear what the images mean.

You also take all your images home free on the I-Scan Platinum Lifetime Baseline, a credit-card-size USB drive. Keep it in your wallet and show it to any eye doctor or specialist you see. Read how it works on our in-office telehealth page.

Visual field testing: checking your side vision

A visual field test maps your side (peripheral) vision. You look at a center light and click a button when you see a small flash off to the side. It takes a few minutes per eye.

Glaucoma often takes side vision first, so slowly that people don't notice. A visual field test catches those gaps early. Learn more on our glaucoma page.

Lenses that slow myopia in kids

Nearsightedness (myopia) often gets worse as children grow. Newer lens designs can help slow it down:

• DreamSculpt Ortho-K. Custom lenses worn overnight gently reshape the cornea, so your child sees clearly during the day without glasses or contacts. It is available at every office except Riverdale.
• MiSight soft lenses. Soft contact lenses worn during the day, designed to slow myopia.
• Myopia-control glasses. Each lens has a clear center surrounded by a ring of small focusing zones.

Low-dose atropine drops are a backup our doctors add only when lenses alone are not enough. Read more in Slowing Myopia: Glasses, Atropine and Where They Fit, or on our myopia management page.

Better treatment for dry eye

Dry eye care has improved, too. After we examine your tears, lids and eye surface, we may recommend prescription drops that calm inflammation. Punctal plugs can keep your own tears on the eye longer. Scleral lenses can help with severe dry eye. Learn more on our dry eye page.

What about LASIK and cataract surgery?

Eye surgery keeps improving. Lasers reshape the cornea in LASIK with great precision. Modern lens implants used in cataract surgery can also correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

We don't perform surgery in our offices. If you're interested in LASIK or need cataract surgery, we check your eyes, refer you to a trusted surgeon and share your records. After surgery, we see you for your follow-up visits and check healing. This is called co-management. It means you see the Bolt Eye Group team you know for most of your visits.

Read what happens at a LASIK evaluation, or learn about our cataract care.

When should you see an eye doctor?

Book an exam if it has been more than a year since your last one, if your vision has changed, or if your glasses no longer feel right.

Call us right away or go to the emergency room for sudden vision loss, a curtain or shadow over your vision, new flashes and floaters, or a painful red eye with blurry vision.

How we do it at Bolt Eye Group

Our doctors take time to show you your images and explain what they mean, so you can make the best choices for your eyes. We see patients at Canton, East Cobb, Lawrenceville and Riverdale, GA, and Johnson City, TN.

We accept VSP, EyeMed, Davis Vision, Spectera, Medicare and major medical plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna and Humana.

Frequently asked questions

Does Bolt Eye Group perform LASIK or cataract surgery?

No. We refer you to a trusted surgeon and care for you before and after surgery.

Do the scans hurt?

No. Retinal photos, topography and OCT are quick and painless. Nothing touches your eye.

Is OCT the same as an X-ray?

No. OCT uses light, not radiation.

Do I still need to be dilated?

Sometimes. Retinal photos give a great view for many patients, but your doctor may still recommend dilation, for example if you have diabetes or new symptoms.

Book an exam at your nearest Bolt Eye Group office

Want to see your own eye scans? Book an exam at Bolt Eye Group in Canton, East Cobb, Lawrenceville or Riverdale, GA, or Johnson City, TN. Find your office and book online.