How the DRSplus Has Helped
One Doctor Increase His Ability to
Care for a Unique Group of Patients

Meet Dr. Gartner

Dr. Scott A. Gartner, an optometrist based in West Palm Beach, Florida, is one of the leading low vision specialists in the nation. In multiple Lighthouse for the Blind locations in Florida, Dr. Gartner treats a unique patient population with severe vision impairments. As such, he requires top-of-the-line equipment to guide care for his patients, and the Centervue DRSplus has satisfied his needs in a way that other technologies have failed to do in the past.

The DRSplus Has Revolutionized Dr. Gartner’s Practice

Treating low vision cases often means developing complex rehabilitation strategies for patients approaching total blindness. Dr. Gartner needed a tool that would increase his ability to get clear retinal images, which led him to purchase the DRSplus. Here are a few of the ways his practice was impacted by the addition of this technology:

  1. The DRSplus Drastically Improves the Rate of Viable Imaging for Dr. Gartner’s Patients

    Low vision patients often have smaller pupils and obstructed eyes, which means that many fundus cameras simply cannot get clear, usable images.

    “With the DRSplus, probably less than 10% of patients aren’t able to get a good photograph just because their pupils are too small,” says Dr. Gartner. “I’ve had patients with 1.5mm pupils that I got good results with, just by using the DRSplus in my practice. With all the other cameras I evaluated, I really only had about a 30% success rate on initial photographs” (compared to greater than 90% success rate with the DRSplus).

    As a confocal imaging device, the DRSplus greatly reduces the amount of light that gets reflected or scattered by obstructions in the eye. According to Dr. Gartner, “[the DRSplus] is over 90%. That’s critical in coming up with a rehabilitation plan and helping my patients improve their ability to see clearly.”

  2. The DRSplus’ Ease-of-Use Saves Time for Dr. Gartner and His Team

    As an automated camera, the DRSplus is incredibly fast and easy to use and does not require a trained retinal photographer. “I had my technician do the test, and in five minutes, they were a pro at it,” said Dr. Gartner. Even in the most difficult circumstances with the most challenging patients, the DRSplus obtains outstanding images quickly and with minimal effort.

    Not only can nearly anyone in your practice use the DRSplus, they can take exceptional, high-quality, full-color images that rival almost anything on the market. On top of that, it allows you to take photos before dilating patients eyes, saving time and increasing overall practice efficiency.

  3. The DRSplus Improves the Patient Experience

    Dr. Gartner’s patients face a daunting challenge due to their low vision, but because he invests in technology like the DRSplus, patients find out very early in the process how dedicated he is to their treatment plan.

    “I was seeing a younger patient recently, and her mother was so impressed both with the technology and the movement of the device,” Dr. Gartner recalled. “I put the photograph on the computer, because the device lets you use your Wi-Fi to project it onto your screen. I was able to show them instantly, in this case, how the optic nerve was damaged. I was able to show the patient exactly what was going on.”

The DRSplus Provides Exceptional Outcomes

With the images he can get from the DRSplus, Dr. Gartner is able to develop a treatment plan that allows his patients to compensate for blind spots or other errors in their vision and live a higher quality of life. Essentially, if Dr. Gartner’s specialized cases can yield a viable image at a rate of 90% (or better) with the DRSplus, imagine what the DRSplus can do for other doctors — adding efficiency and dramatically improving the overall level of care.