A town opticians has invested more than £30k in a hi-tech 3-D eye scanning device.

The Specs Factory in Woodbridge Road East in Ipswich said it was delighted with the new 3D Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) system made by Topcon.

The Maestro 2 device works in a similar way to ultrasound and uses light waves to reveal the many layers that make up the back of the eye.

It captures a digital photograph of the inner surface of the eye at the same time, so that any areas of concern identified by the scan can be cross-referenced with the classic view of the back of the eye that the optometrist sees.

The non-invasive technology means opticians are the branch will be able to see a 3D image of the eyeball, helping them to locate and identify otherwise hidden eye conditions.

These include glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy.

Practice manager Neil Burdon said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer an OCT scan to our customers.

"The device is a pleasure to use because it’s so quick and the image quality is exceptional. The customer feedback has been great and this addition helps us continue to deliver our market-leading service.”

The Specs Factory was founded in Norfolk in April 2007 and opened its Ipswich branch on Woodbridge Road East in January 2008.