It’s no secret that the eye scans and other medical technologies we use are a big part of our modern day lives.
So much so that we’re actually getting better at them and so much more efficient with them, even with the advances of our medical technology, according to Dr. Robert Griffith from the University of Queensland’s Faculty of Medicine.
“I think it’s important to have a broader perspective, and I think it was important to get a wider perspective on the lasers we’re using and how they work and how we can optimise them,” Dr Griffiths said.
“There’s a lot of people out there who are saying we’re going to have better outcomes if we just do laser eye tests for every patient, but they don’t have a wider understanding of the science behind them.”
Dr Griffights research into the science of lasers and the medical applications of lasers has focused on their effect on the human eye and the retina, where light is sent in and out of the eye.
Dr Griffs research found the average laser eye scan performed on a person is actually about one-tenth of what’s seen in the lab.
Dr Robert Griffs team has found that the average error rate of a laser eye test is between 4 and 8 per centDr Robert Griffiths group has found an average error in laser eye testing is between 5 and 9 per cent.
The study found that an average laser exam is usually performed between two and six hours after a person has been scanned.
Dr Griffiths team, led by Dr Robert Grifith, has also found that a high-quality laser eye exam can cost between $1000 and $4000.
“Laser eye scans can cost hundreds of dollars to $5000.
That’s a very high price for a laser test,” Dr Griffiths said.
Dr Briony Lopes, a medical sciences professor at Curtin University in Australia, has found the laser eye is not the only medical technology being used in Australia.
Dr Lopes said the high cost of lasers also means there are many other medical applications that can be done using lasers.
“The most common application for laser eyes is a laser treatment of a skin infection or a skin cancer.”
You can do a laser keratotomy or you can do laser eyelid surgery.
“We’re seeing many other applications, from cancer therapy to cardiac cataract treatment to cardiac surgery, from skin cancer to wound healing,” Dr Lopes explained.
“This is really a really large area of the field of medical imaging.”
Dr Griffithses research has found laser eye examinations can also be used to determine whether a person’s health is improving.
Dr David Janson, a clinical and radiobiology expert from the Centre for Research in Health Systems at the University on the Gold Coast, said he was amazed at how much information was being captured by the lasers.
The laser eye examination has been used for decades in Australia to diagnose illnesses like cancer and diabetes, but there have been growing concerns about the accuracy of laser eye exams.
Dr Janson said the laser was also being used to check for a range of medical conditions, including cancer and obesity.
“It’s a really exciting technology, because it’s really easy to do.
We can get the test done on a very cheap device,” Dr Janson explained.
Dr Gautam Mukherjee, a senior lecturer in radiobiotics and immunology at the Royal College of Radiology in Sydney, said there were many different types of lasers being used and the technology was evolving.
“All of the medical imaging that’s being done today has to be done in a lab, and so lasers can be used for all kinds of different purposes, including the diagnosis of disease, the treatment of disease,” Dr Mukherji said.
The technology is still in its infancy and Dr Mukheji said a lot would be learned from the field, but he welcomed the growing interest in the technology.
“When we look at how people are using it in the clinic, we find that people are looking for it for a variety of reasons,” Dr Mughal said.
“And the reason is that it’s easy to use, because of the cost and it’s fast.
The lasers can also help diagnose certain diseases.”
Dr Mukheri said the technology could also help doctors use other technology to better monitor people’s health.
“If we were to get more and more accurate laser tests, it could be really useful for diagnosing different diseases,” he said.
