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Ocular Ultrasonography

Ultrasound of the eye and orbital tissues is a valuable tool in examining the inside of the eye when they cannot be seen with a biomicroscope or ophthalmoscope. For instance ultrasound is used in animals with cataracts to examine the back of the eye to ensure that retinal detachment is not present. Ultrasound is also used to identify masses in the eye or orbit.

Ocular ultrasonography is non-invasove and can easily be performed in conscious animals using local anesthetic drops applied to the eye. A thick lubricating and sound transmitting gel is applied between the eye and the ultrasound probe. The entire procedure takes less than 10 minutes in most cases.

Under general anesthesia we can also used ultrasound as a guide when taking biopsies and drawing fluid samples from inside the eye or orbit (again looking for tumors or infection in these structures).