The slit lamp imaging system provides a magnified, three-dimensional (3-D) view of the parts of the eye . During the exam, we can look at the front parts of the eye. These parts include the clear, outer covering (cornea), the lens, and the colored part (iris). We can also see the front part of the thick fluid (vitreous gel) that fills the large space in the middle of the eye.
Special lenses are placed between the slit lamp and the cornea (or on the cornea) for us to examine the deeper structures of the eye. These structures include the optic nerve, the retina, and the area where fluid drains out of the eye (drainage angle).