Is OCT included in an eye exam? Your OCT questions, answered.

The short answer

Is OCT an add-on, or part of the exam? At Guildford Eye Clinic it is part of the exam. Every comprehensive eye exam includes OCT retinal imaging and fundus photography, with no separate imaging charge. It is one of the most common things people ask on Reddit and on the phone before they book, so this page covers the questions that usually come next.

If you want the full picture of everything a visit covers, read What a comprehensive eye exam actually checks. This page sticks to OCT itself.

What is OCT, in plain terms?

OCT stands for optical coherence tomography. It is a scan that uses light to capture a cross section of the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of your eye, and of the optic nerve. A regular photo of the back of the eye shows the surface, a bit like looking down at a lawn. OCT shows the layers underneath, like lifting out a clean slice and seeing the soil. People often compare it to an ultrasound, except it uses light instead of sound.

Because it shows layers and their thickness, OCT gives us measurements we can compare from one visit to the next, not only a picture.

What can OCT help catch early?

Many eye conditions do not change how you see in their early stages. OCT helps us look for early signs of:

• Glaucoma. OCT measures the nerve fibre layer around the optic nerve, which helps with earlier detection and with tracking over time. More on glaucoma testing.
• Macular degeneration. The scan shows fine detail at the macula, the centre of the retina, where age-related changes can begin without symptoms.
• Diabetic changes. OCT can show swelling or fluid in the retina from diabetes, often before vision is affected. More on the diabetic eye exam.
• Other retinal changes, including what we look for when someone calls about new flashes or floaters.

OCT does not make a diagnosis on its own. It is one piece of information that sits beside the rest of the exam and the optometrist's judgment. A scan that looks healthy is useful too, because it becomes your baseline.

What does the scan feel like?

Honestly, most people are surprised by how uneventful it is. You sit at the machine, rest your chin on a support, and look at a small target light for a few moments while each eye is scanned. Nothing touches your eye. There is no needle and no discomfort.

A few things help: blink normally before the scan, keep looking at the target, and tell the team if you find it hard to hold still or keep your eyes open. We can take it slowly.

Is OCT extra at Guildford Eye Clinic?

No. OCT is included in every comprehensive eye exam. For adults 19 to 64 with MSP, the comprehensive exam is $99 with OCT included. For children 18 and under and seniors 65 and over, a full eye exam is covered yearly by MSP, and OCT is still included with no extra fees on top.

You pay at the front desk, and anything that does cost extra, such as a contact lens prescription or a required form, is explained before it is added. Full pricing and MSP details are on our eye exam in Surrey page.

Do kids and seniors get OCT too?

Yes. OCT is part of the comprehensive exam for every age group we see.

For seniors it is especially useful, because the risk of glaucoma and macular degeneration rises with age and the early stages rarely cause symptoms. Comparing each year's scan with the last makes slow change easier to spot. See our senior eye exam page.

For children, most of the visit focuses on how they see and how their eyes work together, and OCT adds a healthy baseline of the retina and optic nerve for the future. If your child is in our myopia program, eye length is tracked with a different scan called ocular biometry, explained in our quick guide to axial length.

How are OCT results explained?

Your optometrist reviews the scan with you during the visit and tells you in plain language whether the retina and optic nerve look healthy, what anything borderline means, and what to watch for before your next exam. If something needs closer monitoring or a referral to a specialist, we say so clearly and explain the next step.

Your scans are saved to your record, so at your next exam we can compare them. That comparison is where OCT is most helpful: a small change is easier to notice against your own previous scan than against a general average.

Do I need OCT if my vision seems fine?

Seeing well and having healthy eyes are not the same thing. Glaucoma, for example, can progress for years before it affects what you notice. That is the main reason we include OCT routinely instead of saving it for people who already have a problem.

Getting an eye exam with OCT in Surrey

We are inside Specsavers at Guildford Town Centre, Unit 2309, 10355 152 Street, Surrey, on the second floor near Scotiabank and London Drugs, with easy mall parking. Hours are Monday to Saturday 10 AM to 7 PM and Sunday 11 AM to 6 PM. Book online any time. For a sudden change in vision, new flashes or floaters, or a painful red eye, call first at (604) 229-9627. More on the technology: OCT retinal imaging in Surrey.

OCT questions, answered

This article is for general education and is not a substitute for a personalized eye examination. Coverage details can change; confirm current MSP rules and fees when you book.