Fundus Evaluation With Opaque Media

B-scan ultrasonography of the posterior segment of the eye is useful whenever a dense cataract makes visualization of the retina impossible. Ultrasonography can elucidate whether a retinal detachment, vitreous opacity, posterior pole tumor, or staphyloma is present. Tests such as light projection, 2-point discrimination, gross color vision, photostress recovery, blue-light entoptoscopy, or the Maddox rod test may also be useful in detecting retinal pathology. Electroretinography and visually evoked response testing could also be considered when other modalities are inconclusive and the surgeon must decide whether cataract removal would provide any benefit.

See BCSC Section 12, Retina and Vitreous, and Section 3, Clinical Optics, for discussion of these tests.

Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 11 - Lens and Cataract. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.