Fundus Photography

Fundus photography captures a detailed photograph of your retina, optic nerve, and blood vessels — a simple, painless test that helps detect eye disease early, often before you'd notice any change in your vision.

What is fundus photography?

The "fundus" is the interior surface of the eye — the retina, optic disc, macula, and blood vessels — visible only through the pupil. A fundus camera captures a high-resolution photograph of this area, giving Dr. Dhaval Patel a permanent, detailed record that can be examined closely and compared against future visits. It's one of the most useful tools for catching silent, symptom-free eye disease early.

Why it's done

Many serious eye conditions develop gradually and painlessly, with no noticeable symptoms until real damage has occurred. Fundus photography helps detect and monitor:

• Diabetic retinopathy — damage to retinal blood vessels caused by diabetes, one of the leading preventable causes of blindness if caught late.
• Glaucoma-related changes — documenting the optic nerve's appearance to track subtle changes over time.
• Macular degeneration — age-related changes to the macula, the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision.
• Hypertensive retinopathy — retinal blood vessel changes linked to high blood pressure.

Beyond diagnosis, a fundus photograph is also a genuinely useful way for patients to actually see the condition of their own eyes — many find it easier to understand and stay engaged with treatment once they've seen the image themselves.

What to expect during the test

You'll sit facing the camera and rest your chin and forehead against a support to keep your head steady. You'll be asked to look at a target light while the camera captures the image — you may see a brief, bright flash, but there's no discomfort involved. For the clearest view, your pupils are usually dilated with eye drops beforehand, which takes about 20 to 30 minutes to take full effect. The photograph itself only takes a few minutes.

After the test

If your pupils were dilated, expect some light sensitivity and blurred near vision for a few hours afterward — it's a good idea to bring sunglasses and arrange a ride if you're not comfortable driving. There's no other downtime, and you can otherwise resume your day normally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related conditions we screen and monitor with this test

Fundus photography is a core part of how we manage diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and retinal conditions at Sadbhaav. See our full range of diagnostic equipment.