Silverstone RGB is Optos’ first ultra-widefield system combining red, green and blue laser channels with swept source OCT, giving clinicians 4-in-1 colour depth imaging and providing vital clinical data from the retinal surface through the choroid. Insight talks to an American specialist who was one of the first clinicians to use the device.
When Kentucky-based retinal specialist Dr Steve Bloom first began using Optos technology, he knew ultra-widefield imaging represented a step forward.
But it wasn’t until the arrival of the Silverstone RGB – which the company describes as its most advanced ultra-widefield imaging system yet – how big of a step that would be.
“The ability to see so much at once makes you realise how bad a clinician you were before,” Dr Bloom says.
“We used to think we were seeing everything through traditional examination and older imaging systems, but once you start using true-colour, ultra-widefield images, you understand what you were missing.”
That shift has reshaped both Dr Bloom’s diagnostic accuracy and his confidence in managing patients.
The Silverstone RGB, which made its Australian debut at November’s 2025 RANZCO Congress in Melbourne, combines true-colour RGB SLO technology with ultra-widefield and swept source OCT imaging in a single platform. Now available for Australian ophthalmology and optometry practices, it’s designed to deliver new capabilities and operational efficiency that are hallmarks of Optos technology.
True colour, real confidence
Dr Bloom helps lead one of the largest ophthalmology practices in the US Midwest, based in Louisville, Kentucky, with over 20 doctors and about 200 technicians across multiple sites.
Handling a broad range of retinal diseases, his team depends on consistency, speed and clarity in every image they capture.
“I personally see 80 to 90 patients a day, so efficiency and image quality are critical,” he explains. “Our technicians are cross trained in OCT and photography, and having a system that’s intuitive, consistent and fast to use really matters.”
Bloom has been using Optos technology since 2018, first adopting the California platform, then moving to Silverstone and, most recently, the pre-release Silverstone RGB.
He was one of the first clinicians to use the new system and contributed images from over 50 patients for Optos’ internal validation ahead of its US launch.
What differentiates the RGB system is its use of red, green and blue laser channels, producing images that replicate the natural colour tones seen in direct clinical observation.
“The older ultra-widefield images have a greenish tint,” Dr Bloom says. “Once I started using the RGB system, I realised how much more intuitive it was.
“The images are true colour – what you see on screen exactly replicates what you see on biomicroscopy.”
That fidelity is more than aesthetic. Subtle hue differences can help clinicians distinguish between pathologies that appear similar on conventional imaging.
Dr Bloom recalls one patient referred with a suspected choroidal melanoma, a potentially life-threatening diagnosis.
“The Optos RG image revealed a pigmented tumor suggesting a uveal melanoma” he said.
“When we imaged the eye with the Silverstone RGB, the true-colour image told a completely different story, revealing an orange-red lesion consistent with a choroidal hemangioma.”
“The colour tone and texture confirmed it wasn’t malignant. That changed the management plan entirely.”
Such cases highlight how true-colour imaging can directly influence diagnostic decisions and patient outcomes.
Workflow, speed and multi-modality
The Silverstone RGB isn’t only about image quality, it’s about efficiency.
It integrates nine imaging modalities, including ultra-widefield colour, autofluorescence, angiography and swept source OCT. In other words, it offers the broadest spectrum of retinal imaging capabilities available on an Optos platform, enabling clinicians to capture, visualise, and analyse pathology across every layer of the retina.
It means clinicians can capture all the necessary data in one sitting, without moving the patient between machines.
“We can get all the data we need in one scan,” Bloom says. “For tumours or choroidal lesions, I can get the ultra-widefield photo and OCT cross-section together. It’s a no-brainer.”
Its built-in AreaAssist tool further streamlines analysis by allowing clinicians to measure specific areas of interest, tracking changes over time, which is ideal for conditions such as geographic atrophy or progressive diabetic retinopathy.
The workflow is designed for speed.
“The technician doesn’t need to choose which laser channel to use, it’s all automatic,” Dr Bloom explains. “Then, on review, you can toggle between the red, green, blue or composite image depending on what you’re analysing.”
That simplicity translates into faster training, consistent image quality, and smoother operation across large clinical teams.
“It’s almost hard not to get a great image,” he says. “The automation and field of view mean technicians can capture publication-quality photos quickly, which helps us see more patients without compromising quality.”
Raising the bar in retinal care
For Dr Bloom, the evolution from conventional fundus photography to ultra-widefield RGB imaging feels like moving from a “black-and-white television to high-definition colour.”
“These aren’t just prettier pictures, they’re clinically meaningful,” he says. “The red and green channels still provide depth information, but the overall image now looks natural and immediately understandable to both the doctor and patient.”
The true-colour capability also brings new appreciation for peripheral pathology.
“Before Optos, I thought I was a good clinician,” he laughs. “Then I saw how much we’d been missing, especially in the mid to far periphery. With the RGB, you can toggle between channels and see things like retinal breaks and neovascularisation in diabetic retinopathy just pop out.”
In one striking case, a patient presented with a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. The Silverstone RGB’s ultra-widefield photo and OCT clearly revealed both the retinal break and associated corrugations in a single view.
“Having all that information in one place – colour photo, OCT slice, widefield context – simplifies everything,” he says. “It’s better for the clinician, and better for the patient.”
He believes such technology sets a new standard for modern retinal care.
“If you’re buying an Optos device today, you’d be foolish not to get the RGB version,” he says. “It’s the same core platform, but with true-colour capability that fundamentally changes how you see and interpret disease.”
“Ultimately,” he says, “the goal is simple: better vision and better outcomes.”
“Patients deserve the most accurate diagnosis we can give. When you see the retina as it truly looks, you make better decisions. That’s what the Silverstone RGB gives you – clarity, confidence, and the feeling that you’re finally seeing the full picture.”
