Your appointment with Dr Leo Sheck
You can find a printable pdf copy of this information sheet here.
Thank you for making an appointment with Dr Sheck. He is looking forward to help you optimise your vision and to address any concerns you may have. Your first appointment will be a comprehensive assessment of your eyes, and subsequent appointments will be directed by your ocular findings and treatment response. The overall length of your appointment will be around one hour to allow necessary imaging and tests to be done, including around 30 minutes with Dr Sheck. If more specialised tests are required (visual field testing, electrodiagnostic testing, genetic assessment), the appointment can be longer.
On arrival
You will be greeted by our receptionist, and shortly after one of the technicians will see you for an initial assessment. Your technician will ascertain the reasons for your appointment and record your medical history. You will have your eye sight measured (visual acuity), your intraocular pressure checked, and in most cases, your pupils dilated with eyedrops.
The technician will then arrange for your retina to be imaged - an OCT scan to assess the detailed architecture of the macula, and an Optos ultra-wide field imaging to assess the peripheral retina. These imaging modalities will pick up problems not visible on clinical examination, and are required to ensure that your assessment is comprehensive.
Dr Sheck will then see you once your imaging has been performed and your pupils fully dilated.
Your time with Dr Sheck
Before welcoming you to his room for your appointment, Dr Sheck will have reviewed all your imaging and he will have a good idea of what is wrong inside your eyes. Dr Sheck will start by asking you questions about your eye problems so he gets a good understanding of this and your expectations. He will also confirm your pertinent medical history with you.
Dr Sheck will examine your eyes carefully with a slit lamp microscope to confirm the findings in your imaging.
He will then discuss the findings with you and show you the imaging to illustrate the problems. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have regarding your eyes. If appropriate, Dr Sheck will present you a range of treatment options and formulate a treatment plan together with you.
Written information about your condition will be given to you either on paper or electronically. If treatment is indicated, you will generally have the option of having this performed right away or on a later date.
Special situations
Electrodiagnostic testing
This is a specialised test for objective measurements of retina and optic nerve function. The test usually takes around 3 hours, and Dr Sheck will see you either on the same day or on a latter date with a separate appointment.
Genetic assessment
In addition to the standard assessment, Dr Sheck will need to know in details your family history. Genetic testing can be performed with a buccal swab at home (entirely painless).
Travelling to your appointment
Your appointment will be in Retina Specialists, Parnell, Auckland. Detailed information regarding the location, including parking and public transport, is available here. Your vision can be blurry and your eyes more light sensitive for a few hours after your pupils are dilated, and this can affect your ability to drive after your appointment. Please consider bringing someone with you to drive you home if you attend your appointment by car.
About Dr Leo Sheck
Dr Sheck is a RANZCO-qualified, internationally trained ophthalmologist. He combined his initial training in New Zealand with a two-year advanced fellowship in Moorfield Eye Hospital, London. He also holds a Doctorate in Ocular Genetics from the University of Auckland and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Cambridge. He specialises in medical retina diseases (injection therapy), cataract surgery, ocular genetics, uveitis and electrodiagnostics.
