Fundus Camera vs OCT: What Should an Optometry Clinic Buy First?

Ask BOC to review your patient mix, room plan and referral pathway before a quotation is finalised. A fit-out consultation can narrow the shortlist to systems that match daily clinical use.

Budget, Throughput and Referral Impact

Compare lifecycle cost, not the quote alone

The purchase price is one part of the investment. Clinics should review the total installed and supported cost across the expected equipment lifecycle.

Include:

• Hardware
• Software licences
• Delivery
• Installation
• Staff training
• Warranty terms
• Preventive servicing
• Repair response
• Loan-unit access
• Networking
• Room modifications
• Future upgrades

Clinics comparing OCT configurations can use BOC’s OCT machine guide to assess clinical requirements, scan features, workflow needs and long-term ownership factors.

A lower initial quote may offer less value when software support, training, parts or local servicing are limited. Equipment downtime can affect bookings, referral timelines and patient flow.

Test the real weekly workflow

A fast scan speed does not always produce a fast appointment. Patient positioning, repeat scans, data entry and report review all affect throughput.

During a demonstration, record:

• Average capture time
• Number of repeat attempts
• Ease of patient positioning
• Report access
• Progression comparison tools
• Referral export quality
• Staff confidence
• Performance with small pupils
• Performance with media opacity
• Performance with poor fixation

Consistent capture may matter more than headline scan speed. Ask several team members to operate the device during the trial rather than relying on a supplier-led demonstration alone.

Measure referral quality

A new imaging device may increase the number of findings. Clinics still need internal rules for artefacts, incidental findings, urgency grading and clinical correlation.

The HERMES trial studied a teleophthalmology pathway for community optometry retinal referrals using OCT data and specialist review. It reported a 59% reduction in false-positive urgent referrals among referred participants compared with standard care.

The result reflects the full clinical pathway rather than the device in isolation. It shows the value of structured image transfer, clear review criteria and specialist input.

Ask regular referrers what information helps them triage or accept a case. The answer may favour colour images, OCT reports or both.

Build a simple return model

Use actual clinic data rather than supplier assumptions.

Estimated monthly imaging contribution

“Completed scans per month × average contribution per scan”

Subtract:

• Finance or depreciation
• Service costs
• Staff time
• Software fees
• Consumables
• Expected downtime
• Training time

Track operational gains that may not appear as direct imaging revenue:

• Better baseline records
• Faster referrals
• Fewer repeat visits
• Less external imaging
• More consistent co-management reports
• Improved clinical documentation
• Reduced administrative handling

A clinic purchasing high-value retinal imaging equipment should model conservative, expected and high-demand scenarios before committing capital.

When Clinics Need Both

The modalities answer different questions

Fundus photography shows visible retinal appearance. OCT shows structural depth.

A suspicious macular change may need a colour record and a B-scan. A glaucoma assessment may need disc photography, OCT, visual fields, pressure data and examination findings.

The case for both becomes stronger when:

• The clinic manages routine screening and disease co-management
• Referrers request both image types
• External imaging creates delays
• Patients often need repeat appointments for separate imaging
• The clinic manages a high number of glaucoma and macular cases
• Clinical records need both surface appearance and structural measurements

A staged purchase may suit cash flow

A clinic can begin with the device that serves the larger share of current patients, then add the second modality after demand is measured.

A general clinic may start with a fundus camera for routine retinal records. A co-management-heavy clinic may begin with an OCT machine. The second device can be introduced when scan volume, referrals and staff capability support the investment.

A staged plan gives the clinic time to assess:

• Actual imaging demand
• Staff training needs
• Patient flow
• Referral patterns
• Room capacity
• Revenue contribution
• Service experience

Combined systems can suit limited space

Combined systems can be practical where floor space, operator movement or patient transfer creates workflow pressure.

BOC lists dual-modality systems that combine OCT and non-mydriatic fundus imaging in one automated unit. A combined platform may reduce equipment footprint and limit the need to reposition patients between separate devices.

Clinics should still assess:

• Image quality for each modality
• Available scan protocols
• Fundus field of view
• Report format
• Progression tools
• Capture speed
• Service access
• Software support
• Staff usability

A combined unit should be judged on both functions. Strong performance in one modality does not confirm that the second function meets the clinic’s needs.

Choosing an Imaging Setup With BOC Instruments

The best first purchase is the one that fits the clinic’s real diagnostic demand and can be supported across its working life.

BOC Instruments supplies ophthalmic technology for Australian eye-care practices and provides Optometry equipment services covering product selection, clinic fit-outs, installation, training and ongoing technical support.

Before selecting a system, prepare the following information:

• Weekly patient volume
• Main diagnostic and co-management services
• Current referral patterns
• Number of trained operators
• Available room space
• Practice management software
• Preferred reporting workflow
• Capital budget
• Planned clinic growth
• Service and loan-unit requirements

Request a fit-out consultation with BOC Instruments to compare a fundus camera, an OCT machine or a combined imaging system against your patient mix, room layout and referral needs.