Fundus Photography

Fundus photography is a procedure that takes a picture of parts of the eye, including the fundus (inner lining of the eye), retina and optic nerve.

Fundus photographs taken over time can reveal changes or damage to the eye. Your child may need this test to monitor conditions like glaucoma, detached retina or other retinal disorders and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

What to Expect

Your child’s eyes are usually dilated for fundus photography. Dilation enlarges the pupil and allows doctors to see the retina, optic nerves and other parts of the eye. The eye drops used to dilate your child’s eyes typically last four to 24 hours, or occasionally longer.

During this test, your child sits in front of a fundus camera, positioning the chin on a chin rest and pressing the forehead against a bar in front of them. A light flashes in front of the eyes, and the camera takes a picture. The images are instantly viewable and are archived for future reference.

Since the eyes are usually dilated for this test, your child may be sensitive to light or have blurry vision afterwards. Wearing sunglasses may help. If your child returns to school immediately after fundus photography, you may want to advise teachers of any temporary changes to vision due to the test.

Key Points to Remember

Fundus photography takes a picture of parts of the eye, including the fundus (inner lining of the eye), retina and optic nerve.
Fundus photographs taken over time can help detect changes in the optic nerve and other parts of the eye.
Your child’s eyes are dilated for fundus photography.
For the test, your child sits in front of the camera. He or she sees a flash of light when the picture is taken.
The eye drops used to dilate your child’s eyes usually last four to 24 hours. Your child may have light sensitivity and blurry vision during this timeframe.

Support Services & Resources

Riley at IU Health offers a broad range of supportive services to make life better for families who choose us for their children's care.

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Ophthalmic Photographer’s Association (OPA)

The OPA educates photographers who specialize in making images of the eye. Their website contains an article that explains fundus photography.

American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)

The AAO shares information to educate ophthalmologists and the general public about eye care. This article explains how fundus photography can be used to diagnose certain eye conditions.

Locations

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