For Our Patients

Part of providing outstanding care for our patients includes helping them learn about their medical condition(s).

Our website is full of educational material to help aid your understanding of conditions and diseases that can affect the eye and the diagnostic and surgical procedures we offer.  Please note that the educational materials within our website are for informational purposes only and are not to be used as medical advice.    

(Medical Disclaimer: The information contained on the University Retina web site is presented for the purpose of educating people about ophthalmic conditions. Nothing contained on this web site should be construed nor is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider. Should you have any health care related questions, please call or see your physician or other qualified health care provider promptly. Always consult with your physician or other qualified health care provider before embarking on a new treatment, diet or fitness program. You should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this web site.)

Do You Need to Visit a Retinal Specialist?

What to Expect at Your First Visit

Do You Need to Visit a Retinal Specialist?

A retinal specialist is an ophthalmologist (eye M.D.) who treats retinal eye disease – specializing but not limited to diseases such as retinal detachments, advanced diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration. 

Certain individuals may be at greater risk for eye problems and may need to see an eye physician more often than recommended.  If you have the following risk factors:

• A family history of vision loss or eye diseases
• Age 50 years or older
• Diabetic (Most diabetic patients need an annual eye exam at the very least)
• Have a personal history of eye injury that required medical or surgical care

You should also be aware of symptoms that could be a serious problem.  See an eye specialist right away if you experience any eye problems such as:

• Sudden visual changes
• Sudden loss of vision
• Eye pain, irritation or burning
• Double vision
• Flashes/sparks of light in your vision
• Floaters/floating objects in your vision
• Seeing spots or ghost like images
• A dark spot or curtain appears in your vision
• Lines and edges appear distorted or wavy
• Loss of peripheral vision
• Loss of central vision
• Loss of color vision

If you notice any of the above symptoms, please seek help immediately or call us at (708) 687-2222.

What to Expect at Your First Visit

Thank you for choosing University Retina for your eye care needs. Our physicians are board certified ophthalmologists and vitreo-retinal specialists that treat a large variety of conditions such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions, retinal detachments, and many others.  We arededicated to providing high-quality evaluation and treatment for all of your retina needs.

How long will the exam take?

A retinal examination generally takes longer than most medical or general eye examinations.  You can expect to be in our office between one to three hours.  Many retinal problems are emergencies – eye trauma, severe eye infections, retinal detachments, retinal tears and other conditions that require immediate attention.  Since emergencies are unpredictable, we appreciate your anticipated cooperation and understanding.

What should I bring to my appointment?

Prior to your appointment, please complete the new patient forms and bring them with you to your first appointment.  In addition, please bring in a list of all medications you are currently taking, including dosages and frequency.  Also, please bring the names, phone numbers, and locations of your medical doctors.  Please also be sure to bring along your photo ID (e.g., drivers' license or state ID), as well as your health insurance card(s).  If you are insured by an HMO, please bring a referral from your primary care physician. 

Upon arrival, our staff will ask you to sign in at the front desk, fill out any necessaryinformation/forms, and provide your insurance card(s), photo ID, and referral (if needed). 

What will happen during my exam?

After you complete all necessary information, you will undergo an initial assessment, including a detailed history to check if you are experiencing any flashers, floaters, doubled vision, blurriness, pain, or recent head/eye trauma.

Then, you will be evaluated the Amsler grid, eye muscle test, visual field test, pupil reflex test, visual acuity, Ishihara color vision test, and tonometry.  Finally, you will most likely be dilated.  It takes about 20-25 minutes for your eyes to fully dilate.  Also, your eyes will be dilated for several hours after examination.  It is generally recommended that you have someone drive you home. 

One of the eye physicians (eye M.D.) will examine your eyes, using slit lamp examiniation and indirect ophthalmoscopy.  Other examination processes may be utilized and are determined by the physician.  When the initial examination is complete, your doctor will discuss their findings with you.

Many patients who come in for a retinal exam will need further diagnostic tests.  University Retina has state-of-the art equipment including spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT), fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography (ICG), and ultrasound.  For your convenience, our office is fully equipped, and many tests can generally performed the same day to save you time.