Ultrasound scan of the eye

You may have this scan to diagnose your eye cancer.

What it is?

Ultrasound scans use high frequency sound waves to create a picture of a part of the body. The person doing the scan is called a sonographer. The sonographer is a trained professional who specialises in ultrasound scanning.

Ultrasound scan of the eye

Before the scan

You do not usually have any special preparation before this test. You lie on a couch in a comfortable position and keep your head as still as possible. Do let your sonographer know if this difficult for you. 

During the scan

An eye ultrasound scan uses a small instrument called a probe. The sonographer puts clear gel over your closed eyelids and moves the probe gently over them.

Sometimes the sonographer puts the probe directly over the surface of your eyes (the conjunctiva). For this you may have local anaesthetic drops put into your eyes. The drops can sting a bit when they first go, so you may have some discomfort for a few minutes. They can also cause blurred vision for a few hours, so you shouldn't drive yourself home.

Getting your results

You may have to wait to get the results. Ask your doctor or nurse how long it will take to get them. Contact the doctor who arranged the test if you haven’t heard anything after a couple of weeks.

Waiting for results can make you anxious. It may help to talk to a close friend or relative about how you feel.

You might have contact details for a specialist nurse. You can contact them for information if you need to.