However, with the advent of ultrasonography in both humans and animals, the requirement of direct access to the eye is bypassed. Instead, different components of the eye can be quickly and effectively scanned, including the iris, lens, optic disc and retina in a non-invasive procedure. This then enables the identification of a particular ocular condition, and the subsequent initiation of treatment. It should be noted however that when carrying out ocular scanning in animals, administration of a sedative may be advantageous to ensure a comprehensive assessment can be made. When carrying out ocular scanning, both the anterior and posterior section of the eye may be of concern, with the latter providing an overall view of the eye, including the optic nerve and the cornea. A particular benefit of using ultrasound scanning is the capacity of the practitioner to capture a ‘still image’ of the eye that can be more closely examined for any abnormalities, or kept as a record.

Furthermore, it is interesting to note that a water-filled probe allows the return of high quality scanning images in a variety of different species, irrespective of eye size. As a consequence, ensuring the correct machine and probe are chosen prior to examination will enhance the amount of information available to the practitioner, aiding in diagnosis and treatment. The SonoScape S6v is one of the few ultrasound machines which provides a large enough selection of probes which are capable of reaching the higher frequencies necessary for this speciality.