The Anterior Segment of the Eye
In ophthalmology, the eye is divided into two segments: the anterior and the posterior segment. The conjunctiva, cornea, iris, and lens belong to the anterior segment, also known as the optics of the eye. This sensitive area can be disturbed by inflammation, infection, mechanical injury, and disease.
Slit Lamp Examination
During the examination of the anterior segment of the eye, the ophthalmologist uses a special microscope, called a slit lamp, to examine the structures in the front part of the eye. This examination is painless, straightforward, and takes only a few minutes.
The slit lamp is the most important tool for an ophthalmologist. With its help, they can see detailed structures in the anterior segment of the eye.
During the examination, the specialist and the patient sit facing each other. The patient rests their forehead and chin on a support to prevent head movement during the examination. The swiveling microscope produces a slit-shaped beam of light (hence the name slit lamp) that illuminates the eye and makes changes visible.
To enlarge the pupil, eye drops may be used if necessary. These can cause significant glare in normal daylight, so you should not drive immediately after the examination.
Pentacam Examination
Anterior segment tomography (Pentacam) allows for a non-contact examination of the front part of the eye. The examination takes only a few seconds and is completely harmless to the eye.
Anterior segment tomography enables a precise visualization of the anterior segment of the eye. Far more than 25,000 measurements are taken within a few seconds and automatically analyzed using special software. With the help of this measurement data, very precise information about the cornea, the anterior chamber, the lens characteristics, and the spatial relationship between the cornea and iris can be obtained.
The Pentacam examination is not yet covered by statutory health insurance. The fees for this examination are based on the German Medical Fee Schedule (GOÄ) and will be billed to you as a private service.