Ophthalmology

• Our specialists have an excellent track record and a huge amount of experience in diagnosing not only highly complex vision problems, but also more common ones.
• The Paediatric Ophthalmology Department at SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital is one of the busiest in the country, handling on average more than 120 visits a day and approximately 4-5 surgeries a day. This huge volume of patients, as well as the complexity of many of the cases, makes us a leading centre of national and international recognition.
• We have a team of 12 ophthalmologists sub-specialising in the 8 branches of the different conditions that affect children's eyes. We also rely on a group of 6 paediatric optometrists. Because of this, our Ophthalmology Department has more accreditations than any other leading centre in Spain .
• Examining children's eyes is not always easy. As paediatric specialists,  we have the experience and technology to adjust to a specific patient's characteristics.

• At our hospital, we have added and developed state-of-the-art technology specifically adapted to children's eyes. For example, the GazeLab device allows the movement of children's eyes to be studied, to accurately digitally record diseases affecting the eye's biomechanics, such as strabismus .
• We have cutting-edge rapid diagnostic tools. In certain circumstances, we are able to activate an express rapid-diagnostic protocol (a few days) in which each of our sub-specialists, by using the appropriate technologies, study all parts of the eye in order to reach a diagnostic consensus.

Standard equipment adapted for children

• Paediatric autorefractor.
• Various types of portable tonometer (to measure eye pressure in children).
• Photographic biomicroscope: provides serial images to track conditions affecting the anterior pole of the eye.
• Portable biomicroscope: helping to examine young children or disabled persons.
• Portable corneal topographer. Adapted for children or those confined to bed.
• Portable corneal pachymeter.
• Non-mydriatic retinal camera: obtains images of the fundus of the eye in children over 4 years of age, with no need for drops to dilate the pupil.
• Standardised automated perimetry.
• Synoptophore: Platform of eye exercises.

Complex exploratory equipment

• Contact retinal camera (RetCam2): takes serial photographs of the fundus of the eye in small children and even premature babies. This is a video camera with a wide-angle lens that is placed on the eye and takes images of the retina and optic nerve. It used to diagnose and monitor retinopathy of prematurity and retinoblastoma. We have a second hand-held RetCam to use in examinations outside our hospital setting.
• High-resolution ocular ultrasounds and biometry. These take ultrasound images of all areas of the eye when they are not visible.
• Hand-held OCT (optical coherence tomography): device able to take sectional images of most anatomical structures of the eye through a photon beam.
• Electrophysiology: next-generation device that allows for visual evoked potentials, electroretinography and electrooculography, with no need for anaesthesia in many children.

Complex surgical equipment

• Cross-linking for the treatment of keratoconus.
• High-end ophthalmologic surgical microscope.
• Integrated phaco-vitrectomy for cataract and vitreoretinal surgery.
• Endolaser: used to treat the retina from inside the eye.
• Diode-laser indirect ophthalmoscope to treat retinopathy of prematurity.
• Laser for transpupillary thermotherapy to treat retinoblastoma.
• Laser for dacryocystorhinostomy.
• Nasal endoscope with televised control for tear-duct surgery.
• Centrifugation of fats and platelets for orbital micro-filling.
• Cryotherapy for tumours and other retinal lesions and to destroy ectopic cilia.

Ophthalmological equipment developed in-house

• Video-oculography (GazeLab): digital recording of any type of eye movements. Very useful in strabismus and certain neurological diseases.
• Dynamic pupillography. This helps to measure the pupil when it is closed and to calculate how long it takes to recover. It is used to diagnose optic nerve tumours, intracranial hypertension, neuritis, etc.