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Slit-lamp examination

Photo of a man undergoing slit-lamp examination

Your eye doctor may use a microscope called a slit lamp to examine the front of your eye. The microscope focuses an intense narrow line of light on your eye. The slits allow your doctor to view these structures in a cross section and detect any small abnormalities. Used with an ophthalmoscope and special lenses, the slit lamp also provides detailed views of the back of the eye.
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