Service . 03 of 06

A photograph of your retina.

A 90-second high-resolution scan of the back of your eye. It catches changes years before symptoms appear. We recommend it at every adult appointment. Painless, drop-free, immediate.

90-sec scan No drops needed Add-on any visit

What it is

90sec

Less than two minutes. Captures information no manual examination can.

Looking inside the eye.

Retinal imaging is a high-resolution photograph of the back of your eye. The retina, the optic nerve, the blood vessels. The bits we cannot easily see during a standard examination unless we use dilating drops.

The image lets us screen for things long before they cause symptoms. Diabetic retinopathy, where high blood sugar damages eye blood vessels. Macular degeneration, the most common cause of central vision loss in the UK. Hypertensive retinopathy, where high blood pressure shows up in your eyes. Optic-nerve changes that can flag glaucoma early.

We compare your image year-on-year. Tiny changes that would never be noticed in a single visit become obvious when you can look at last year's photo and this year's photo side by side. Time is the most powerful diagnostic tool we have, and retinal imaging is how we use it.

01 . High-resolution

High-resolution capture

A digital photograph of your retina, both eyes, taken in seconds.

02 . On-screen

On-screen review

We show you the image during your appointment. You see what we see.

03 . Year-on-year

Year-on-year comparison

We store your images so future appointments can compare changes over time.

04 . Plain-English

Plain-English findings

What is normal, what is worth watching, what needs attention. Explained clearly.

05 . Onward

Onward referral if needed

If we spot something requiring further investigation, we write the referral on the spot.

06 . Permanent

Permanent record

Your images stay on file, available for any future medical context that needs them.

. NHS & Pricing

Available as an add-on to any standard examination. Phone for current pricing. Worth it, in our honest opinion, for any adult over 35 or anyone with diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of eye disease.

Do I need this every visit?

We recommend it once a year for anyone over 40, anyone with diabetes, and anyone with a family history of eye disease. For younger patients with no risk factors, every two years is reasonable.

Will it hurt or sting?

No. The scan is a flash of light, similar to a normal camera. No drops, no contact with the eye, no discomfort.

Do I need dilating drops?

Almost never. The technology has advanced enough that we can see the retina clearly without dilation in most cases. If we ever need drops for a clearer view, we will tell you in advance.

Can I drive afterwards?

Yes, immediately. There is nothing about the scan that affects your vision.

Is it the same as the NHS scan I had at the hospital?

It is similar technology. Hospital diabetic-screening scans look for one specific condition. Our scan is a general health screen. Both are useful. They are not interchangeable.

What if you find something?

We will tell you, calmly, what we have seen and what it likely means. If it warrants further investigation, we write the referral straight away. Most findings turn out to be nothing serious. The point is to know.