Few would argue that advances in imaging and scanning technology used within optometry are anything but welcome, as they allow for earlier and more precise detection of retinal and optic nerve pathology. 

However, some experts are concerned that increasingly sensitive imaging may identify abnormalities whose clinical significance is uncertain, potentially contributing to overdiagnosis and overtreatment.

Common technologies today include optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus photography and other retinal and optic nerve imaging systems.

OCT can reveal structural changes associated with conditions including glaucoma, diabetic macular disease and age-related macular degeneration, often before functional changes become apparent (Michelessi et al, 2015). 

Some experts believe that OCT has altered our understanding of many retinochoroidal diseases, as well as ways of managing common conditions and defining successful treatment (Kumar et al, 2020).