Retinal screening · Singapore
A retinal photograph shows the blood vessels and nerve at the back of the eye. It is part of many of our screening packages, with eye pressure and vision checks.
A photo of the back of your eye can show early changes from diabetes and blood pressure.
Retinal screening uses a special camera to photograph the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye, together with the optic nerve and its blood vessels. Because these vessels can be seen directly, the photo can show early changes linked to diabetes and high blood pressure.
At Fusion Medical, retinal photography (listed as 'retinophotography') is included in the Gold, Diamond, Pearl, Opal and Merdeka packages, and in our Breast & Women's Health, menopause, andropause and Liver & Cardiovascular packages. It is paired with tonometry, an eye pressure test, and in some packages a visual acuity and colour vision check.
Retinal screening is not a full eye examination. It cannot measure your glasses prescription or rule out every eye condition, and it does not replace a review by an optometrist or ophthalmologist if you have symptoms. If the photograph shows something that needs a closer look, your doctor will advise a referral to an eye specialist.
How it works
You sit at a camera with your chin on a rest and look at a target light while a photograph of the back of each eye is taken, usually with a bright flash. The camera does not touch the eye. Separate checks in the same visit measure eye pressure and, in some packages, how clearly you see.
Retinal photography
A photograph of the retina, optic nerve and blood vessels of each eye. The images are checked for:
Tonometry (eye pressure test)
Tonometry measures the pressure inside the eye. Raised pressure is a risk factor for glaucoma, a condition that damages the optic nerve and often causes no symptoms early on, so it is checked alongside the retinal photograph.
Visual acuity and colour vision
Some packages, including Liver & Cardiovascular, Andropause and Perimenopause & Menopause, add a visual acuity and colour blindness test: reading letters on a chart and identifying numbers in coloured patterns. Bring your glasses or contact lenses.
Who it's for
Retinal photography is useful for adults having a general health screening, especially people with diabetes, high blood pressure, short-sightedness or a family history of glaucoma, and older adults. People with diabetes should have an eye examination or screening at least once a year.
Sudden vision loss, flashes or eye pain? Seek urgent care.
Diabetes can affect the small blood vessels of the retina, often before vision changes. Eye checks are part of ongoing diabetes care.
The retina shows how blood pressure is affecting small blood vessels; the Liver & Cardiovascular package pairs it with heart checks.
Retinal photography and eye pressure checks are included in the Gold, Diamond, Pearl and Opal packages.
All three Fusion Merdeka packages include retinal photography and an eye pressure test.
Your eye checks, step by step
Choose a screening package that includes retinal photography, or ask our team which packages do.
Bring your glasses or contact lenses and a list of any eye drops or medicines you use.
You rest your chin on the camera and look at a light while each eye is photographed; eye pressure and vision checks follow.
Your doctor explains the photographs with your other results and arranges a referral to an eye specialist if needed.
Safety & expectations
Retinal screening is a quick photograph, not a full eye examination. New eye symptoms should be seen by a doctor or eye specialist.
Tell us about any eye conditions, previous eye surgery and the eye drops or medicines you use. Seek urgent care for sudden loss of vision, new flashes or floaters, or a painful red eye.
At Fusion Medical, retinal photography is included in many of our health screening packages at Wheelock Place, 501 Orchard Road, including Gold, Diamond, Pearl, Opal and the Merdeka packages. It is done together with an eye pressure test, and our doctors review the results with you. Our team can tell you which package suits you.
Retinal photography, also called fundus photography, uses a special camera to take a detailed picture of the back of the eye: the retina, the optic nerve and the blood vessels. Because these vessels can be seen directly, the photograph can show changes linked to diabetes, high blood pressure and some eye diseases, often before you notice any change in vision.
Retinal screening should not hurt, because the camera does not touch your eye. You rest your chin on a support and look at a light while the photograph is taken. The flash is bright and may leave a brief after-image. The eye pressure test is also quick, and the team explains each step before it starts.
Your eyes may not need to be dilated for retinal screening, as many retinal cameras can photograph the back of the eye without drops to widen the pupils. If drops are needed, your vision may be blurred and sensitive to light for a few hours, so you should not drive until it clears. Our team will tell you what to expect when you book.
Retinal screening can show changes in the optic nerve that suggest glaucoma, and the eye pressure test (tonometry) checks for raised pressure, a key risk factor. Neither test alone can diagnose glaucoma. If either result is outside the expected range, your doctor will advise a full assessment by an eye specialist, including a visual field test.
How often you need retinal screening depends on your age and health. People with diabetes should have an eye examination or screening at least once a year, according to the Singapore National Eye Centre. Other adults can include retinal photography in a regular health screening, and anyone with new vision symptoms should see a doctor or eye specialist rather than wait for their next screening.
No, retinal screening is not the same as a full eye examination. It photographs the back of the eye and, in our packages, is paired with an eye pressure test and sometimes a vision check. A full eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist also looks at the front of the eye, measures your prescription and examines the eye in more detail.
Doctor-led care
Appointments
Book a screening consultation at Wheelock Place and our team will suggest a package that includes retinal photography and an eye pressure test.
