Eye exams in Medellín
OCT, visual field test, corneal topography, biometry, ocular ultrasound, angiography and more: what each one is, how to prepare and how much it costs
If your ophthalmologist ordered eye tests, here you can see the estimated self-pay price of the 12 most common ones, how long each takes and whether you need your pupils dilated, need to stop wearing contact lenses or should bring someone with you. MDE Care is not a clinic: we arrange your tests in Medellín and, if you do not have an order yet, the consultation with the specialist.
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Which eye tests are usually ordered in your case?
Tell us why your doctor suggested them and we show you the set of tests that is usually ordered, how to prepare and how much it costs. You can then edit it in the price estimator.
1Why were the tests suggested?
2Is this your first assessment or a follow-up?
This is the set that is usually ordered, not a medical order. Your ophthalmologist is the one who decides which tests you need.
First glaucoma assessment
To start, an optic nerve OCT, a visual field test and pachymetry are usually ordered. Pachymetry helps interpret the eye pressure.
Tests usually ordered
- Optic nerve OCT, both eyesCOP 400,000
- Computerized visual field test, both eyesCOP 260,000 to COP 300,000
- PachymetryCOP 80,000 to COP 150,000
Estimated total
COP 740,000to COP 850,000
Sum of the tests on the list. Self-pay price.
How to prepare
- OCT rarely requires dilation, but some studies do: we will confirm it when booking.
- Stop wearing soft contact lenses 3 days before and rigid ones 8 days before.
- Some contact tests use an anesthetic drop. They do not hurt.
- Visual field test: bring your glasses.
Estimated time: 30 min to 55 min.
* Prices are estimates and are confirmed when booking. Guidance only: it is not a diagnosis and does not replace your ophthalmologist’s order.
How much do eye exams cost in Medellín?
Check the tests on your order and, where it applies, whether they are for one eye or both. We show you the estimated total, how to prepare and how much time to plan for.
First, the medical order or the assessment
Tests are ordered by the ophthalmologist depending on what they are looking for. If you already have the order, we arrange it as it is. If you do not, we start with a consultation with the ophthalmologist. If you are having cataract or refractive surgery, the pre-surgical assessment already includes several of these tests.
What is included
- Each test done at a diagnostic center in Medellín
- Results to take to your ophthalmologist
- Coordination of dates and preparation
What changes the price
- Whether the test is for one eye or both
- Whether the OCT is macular, optic nerve or both
- The diagnostic center assigned
Check the tests on your order
Optic nerve and glaucoma
Retina
Cornea and refractive surgery
Cataract
Estimated total
COP 660,000to COP 700,000
2 tests · self-pay price
Breakdown
- Optic nerve OCT, both eyesCOP 400,000
- Computerized visual field test, both eyesCOP 260,000 to COP 300,000
How to prepare
- OCT rarely requires dilation, but some studies do: we will confirm it when booking.
- Visual field test: bring your glasses.
Estimated time
25 min to 45 min
Sum of the length of each test; it can be split over more than one visit.
* Estimated self-pay prices in Medellín, confirmed when booking. The US dollar conversion is for reference. They do not include the consultation in which the ophthalmologist interprets the results.
The 12 most common eye tests
What each test is, why the ophthalmologist orders it, how long it takes, how to prepare and its estimated self-pay price in Medellín.
Optic nerve and glaucoma
OCT: optical coherence tomography
Macular and optic nerve
Estimated price
COP 200,000 per eye
It is a cross-sectional image, made with light, of the layers of the retina or the optic nerve. You rest your head on the device, look at a fixed point and the test does not touch the eye.
- What it is for
- Macular OCT checks the macula, the area of central vision, and is used to monitor edema, membranes and the effect of injections. Optic nerve OCT measures the nerve fibers and helps monitor glaucoma and other optic nerve diseases.
- How long it takes
- 5 to 15 minutes.
- Preparation
- Usually without dilation. Some macular or optic nerve studies do require it: we will confirm it when booking.
- Estimated price
- COP 200,000 per eye and COP 400,000 for both eyes. Macular OCT and optic nerve OCT are separate studies and are charged separately.
Computerized visual field test (perimetry)
Peripheral vision
Estimated price
COP 260,000 to COP 300,000
It measures your side vision. You look at a fixed point inside a dome and press a button each time you see a light appear. One eye is tested at a time and it requires attention, not effort.
- What it is for
- It finds areas of vision that are being lost without you noticing. It is key to diagnosing and monitoring glaucoma and to studying diseases of the optic nerve and the brain.
- How long it takes
- 20 to 30 minutes for both eyes.
- Preparation
- No dilation. Bring your glasses.
- Estimated price
- COP 260,000 to COP 300,000 for both eyes; about COP 200,000 for one eye.
Cornea and refractive surgery
They measure the shape, thickness and health of the cornea. They are ordered when keratoconus is suspected and before any laser or lens surgery.
Corneal topography
Map of the curvature of the cornea
Estimated price
COP 100,000 to COP 200,000
The device projects rings of light onto your eye and builds a color map of the curvature of the corneal surface. It does not touch the eye.
- What it is for
- Detecting and monitoring keratoconus and irregular astigmatism, and finding out whether you are a candidate for refractive surgery.
- How long it takes
- About 10 minutes.
- Preparation
- Stop wearing soft contact lenses 3 days before and rigid ones 8 days before. No dilation.
- Estimated price
- COP 100,000 to COP 200,000 for both eyes. Included in the pre-surgical assessment.
Pentacam (Scheimpflug corneal tomography)
Both surfaces of the cornea and its thickness
Estimated price
COP 120,000 to COP 200,000
A rotating camera in front of the eye takes cross-sections of the cornea and measures its front surface, its back surface and its thickness point by point. It goes one step beyond topography, which only sees the surface.
- What it is for
- Finding keratoconus at an early stage, monitoring its progression and assessing the cornea before refractive surgery.
- How long it takes
- About 10 minutes.
- Preparation
- Same as topography: stop wearing soft lenses 3 days before and rigid ones 8 days before. No dilation.
- Estimated price
- COP 120,000 to COP 200,000 for both eyes. It already includes pachymetry.
Pachymetry
Thickness of the cornea
Estimated price
COP 80,000 to COP 150,000
It measures the thickness of the cornea, with light or with a small ultrasound probe that touches it for an instant after an anesthetic drop.
- What it is for
- Finding out whether the cornea is thick enough for refractive surgery and helping interpret eye pressure when assessing glaucoma.
- How long it takes
- Less than 10 minutes.
- Preparation
- Stop wearing soft lenses 3 days before and rigid ones 8 days before. If it is done by ultrasound, you get an anesthetic drop.
- Estimated price
- On its own, COP 80,000 to COP 150,000 for both eyes. It is included in the Pentacam and in the pre-surgical assessment.
Endothelial cell count
Specular microscopy
Estimated price
COP 100,000 to COP 200,000
It takes a magnified photo of the endothelium, the innermost layer of the cornea, which keeps it clear. The device counts its cells and checks their shape. It does not touch the eye.
- What it is for
- Confirming that the cornea is healthy before cataract surgery, an ICL lens or corneal surgery, and monitoring it at follow-up visits.
- How long it takes
- Less than 10 minutes.
- Preparation
- No dilation.
- Estimated price
- COP 100,000 to COP 200,000 for both eyes. Included in the pre-surgical assessment.
Cataract and intraocular lens
Ocular biometry
Lens calculation for cataract surgery
Estimated price
COP 130,000 to COP 220,000
It measures the length of the eye and the curvature of the cornea. With that data the surgeon calculates the power of the intraocular lens that will replace the natural lens.
- What it is for
- It is essential before cataract surgery: how well you see afterwards, and how much you depend on glasses, relies on its accuracy.
- How long it takes
- 10 to 15 minutes.
- Preparation
- None. Only if it is done by ultrasound do you get an anesthetic drop.
- Estimated price
- COP 130,000 to COP 220,000 for both eyes. Included in the pre-surgical assessment.
Interferometry
Optical biometry or potential vision
Estimated price
COP 130,000 to COP 220,000
The name is used for two things. Most of the time it is optical biometry, which measures the eye with light and without contact to calculate the cataract lens. On some orders it refers to a potential visual acuity test, which estimates how much vision could be recovered before cataract surgery. If your order says interferometry, ask your doctor which of the two it is.
- What it is for
- Preparing for cataract surgery: calculating the lens or anticipating how much vision may improve.
- How long it takes
- 5 to 10 minutes.
- Preparation
- None.
- Estimated price
- COP 130,000 to COP 220,000 for both eyes, the same as biometry.
Retina and back of the eye
Fundus photography
Color record of the retina
Estimated price
COP 150,000 to COP 300,000
A special camera takes color photos of the back of the eye: the retina, the macula, the optic nerve and the blood vessels. It leaves a record to compare at each follow-up visit.
- What it is for
- Monitoring the retina in diabetes, documenting the optic nerve in glaucoma and keeping an eye on lesions such as moles at the back of the eye.
- How long it takes
- 10 to 15 minutes.
- Preparation
- Standard fundus photography requires dilation. The widefield version does not.
- Estimated price
- COP 150,000 to COP 300,000 per study.
Fluorescein angiography
Circulation of the retina
Estimated price
COP 250,000 to COP 450,000
A dye, fluorescein, is injected into a vein in your arm and a series of photos shows how it flows through the blood vessels of the retina. It reveals leaks, areas without blood flow and abnormal vessels that a simple photo cannot see.
- What it is for
- Assessing the retina in diabetes, macular degeneration, vessel occlusions and uveitis, and deciding on treatments such as laser or injections.
- How long it takes
- 30 to 60 minutes in total, including dilation.
- Preparation
- Dilation and dye through a vein. Tell the staff about any allergies and bring someone with you. Your skin and urine may turn yellow for 24 to 48 hours.
- Estimated price
- COP 250,000 to COP 450,000 for both eyes.
Widefield angiography
The retina out to the periphery
Estimated price
COP 350,000 to COP 600,000
It is an angiography done with a device that captures most of the retina in a single shot, including the periphery, which standard angiography sees in sections.
- What it is for
- Seeing areas without blood flow or abnormal vessels in the periphery of the retina, for example in diabetes, vein occlusions or uveitis.
- How long it takes
- 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preparation
- Same as fluorescein angiography: dilation, dye through a vein, telling the staff about allergies and bringing someone with you.
- Estimated price
- COP 350,000 to COP 600,000 for both eyes.
A/B ocular ultrasound and UBM
Ultrasound of the eye
Estimated price
From COP 150,000 per eye
Ocular ultrasound uses sound waves to see inside the eye: A mode measures distances and B mode produces an image. It is used when the back of the eye cannot be seen because of bleeding or a very dense cataract. UBM, or ultrasound biomicroscopy, is a high-resolution ultrasound of the front of the eye: the angle, the iris and the ciliary body.
- What it is for
- The A/B scan assesses the retina behind bleeding or a cataract, and eye tumors. UBM helps assess a closed or narrow angle in glaucoma and lesions of the iris.
- How long it takes
- A/B scan, about 20 minutes. UBM, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Preparation
- Ultrasound: no fasting, a clean face with no makeup or creams, and the medical order. UBM: anesthetic drop; it is done with the eye in a fluid bath.
- Estimated price
- A/B scan: COP 160,000 to COP 200,000 per eye and COP 320,000 to COP 380,000 for both. UBM: COP 150,000 to COP 250,000 per eye.
Eye tests: quick comparison
| Test | What for | Length | Dilation | Estimated price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macular or optic nerve OCT | Macula and optic nerve | 5 to 15 min | Rarely | COP 200,000 per eye |
| Visual field test | Peripheral vision, glaucoma | 20 to 30 min | No | COP 260,000 to COP 300,000 |
| Corneal topography | Curvature of the cornea | About 10 min | No | COP 100,000 to COP 200,000 |
| Pentacam | Keratoconus, refractive surgery | About 10 min | No | COP 120,000 to COP 200,000 |
| Pachymetry | Thickness of the cornea | Less than 10 min | No | COP 80,000 to COP 150,000 |
| Endothelial cell count | Corneal health before surgery | Less than 10 min | No | COP 100,000 to COP 200,000 |
| Ocular biometry | Cataract lens calculation | 10 to 15 min | No | COP 130,000 to COP 220,000 |
| Interferometry | Optical biometry or potential vision | 5 to 10 min | No | COP 130,000 to COP 220,000 |
| Fundus photography | Photo of the retina | 10 to 15 min | Yes, the standard one | COP 150,000 to COP 300,000 |
| Fluorescein angiography | Circulation of the retina | 30 to 60 min | Yes | COP 250,000 to COP 450,000 |
| Widefield angiography | Periphery of the retina | 30 to 45 min | Yes | COP 350,000 to COP 600,000 |
| A/B ultrasound and UBM | Inside of the eye and angle | 20 to 30 min | No | COP 150,000 to COP 250,000 per eye |
Estimated self-pay prices in Medellín, for both eyes unless stated otherwise. Confirmed when booking.
How to prepare for your eye tests
If your pupils are dilated
The drops take 15 to 30 minutes to work. Afterwards your near vision will be blurry and light will bother you for several hours: bring sunglasses.
Do not drive after dilation
Bring someone with you or use transportation. For angiography, bringing someone with you is mandatory.
Contact lenses
For topography, Pentacam and pachymetry, stop wearing soft lenses 3 days before and rigid ones 8 days before. They change the shape of the cornea and alter the result.
Bring the order and your previous tests
The medical order, your glasses prescription and earlier results help compare over time.
Tell us about allergies
Especially before an angiography, which uses a dye injected into a vein.
Bring your glasses
The visual field test is done with your correction. For the ultrasound, come with a clean face, no makeup or creams.
Why arrange your eye tests with MDE Care
We are not a clinic: we are your coordination team. We connect you with diagnostic centers and specialists in Medellín.
Everything in as few visits as possible
We group the tests on your order so you do not have to go several times, in the order that works best.
A clear price before you go
You know how much each test costs and whether any of them is already included in another one or in your assessment.
From the test to the specialist
If the results call for a consultation or a treatment, we arrange the next step and, if you are traveling, your stay in Medellín.
Organizations that support our work
How we arrange your tests
A guided process from your first message to reading the results.
Send us your order
A photo of the order on WhatsApp. If you do not have one, we tell you how to get it.
Quote
We confirm the price of each test and the preparation.
Booking
We group the tests into as few visits as possible.
Tests
They are done at a diagnostic center in Medellín.
Results
You take them to your ophthalmologist or we arrange the consultation to review them.
The most common questions about eye tests
How much do eye exams cost in Medellín?
Do my pupils need to be dilated for eye tests?
Can I drive after an eye test?
Do I need a medical order for the tests?
How long do the results take?
Do eye tests hurt?
Are they covered by my health insurance?
In what order are the tests done if there are several?
Do you already have your test order?
Send us a photo and we confirm prices, preparation and dates in Medellín.
Ophthalmology specialists and procedures
Ready to book your eye tests?
Write to us with your order or the reason for your visit. We arrange your tests in Medellín, with clear preparation and the price from the first message.