optician used glass /plastic magnifier against eye why?

[joetheghost]

went to eye hospital after having flashing lights and floater/, I am 72 years old female.  The examiner used a  glass type magnifier against my eye ball after putting in numbing drop in case of discomfort.  He said there was no retinal tear.   Why did he use this instrument.

[flossy93]

Sorry about the typo in my comment - I'm terrible at using my cell phone keyboard.  

The exam is called 'Contact Lens Biomicroscopy.'  

I hope your vision symptoms are abating!

[Timothy D McGarity, M.D.]

It's called a gonioprism. The prism is used to decipher code language.'

[flossy93]

I had a similar type of exam recently due to problems with my retinaa.  If what you had is the same exam, it is called 'Contact Lens Biomicrosopy.'

In this procedure, after numbing the eye the doctor places a microscope-type lens directly on the front surface of the patient's eye.  The eye will typically have been dilated first to allow the best possible view inside the eye.  

The doctor looks through the lens while moving it slowly across the surface of the cornea, usually following a methodical pattern like left-to-right and top-to-bottom (like reading a book), to make sure he/she views the entire inside surface of the retina using the enlarging lens.  

This exam allows the doctor to obtain a very detailed, enlarged view of the retina surface using his/her own eyes, rather than relying only on photographs or other imaging methods (photographs, dyes/angiography) that can show other aspects of the retina.

I hope your symptoms subside soon.  If not, be sure to return to the doctor  promptly for a follow-up exam if something still seems wrong.  Good luck!