Contact Lenses

We prescribe and evaluate all major brands of soft and rigid contact lenses. Additionally, we prescribe custom designed contact lenses for special needs as well as special eye problems. Specialized fitting may include: Single vision Bifocal contact lenses Astigmatism contacts

Our staff are able to answer many of your questions and are available for ongoing contact lens instruction and training.

	Disease Diagnostic and Management

Glaucoma: Glaucoma gradually destroys the optic nerve tissue in the back of the eye. The greatest danger of glaucoma stems from the fact that the disease is painless and without obvious symptoms until significant damage has occurred. The most common cause is from pressure being too high inside the eye, but vascular disease and other diseases can also cause glaucoma.

We always monitor for glaucoma during routine eye examinations. Tests include checking the pressure of the eye, screening for peripheral vision defects, and analyzing the appearance of the optic nerve.

If you are diagnosed with glaucoma, we typically prescribe medications that lower the eye pressure. Most forms of glaucoma are successfully treated with eye drops. Laser treatments and eye surgery are secondary treatments that offer alternative ways to treat more advanced glaucoma.

Cataract:

The natural lens in the eye gradually becomes less clear as we get older. When opacities develop in the lens and the lens gets too hazy, vision will be impaired. Our office can diagnose and manage cataract care.

When the cataract affects the vision to the extent that you cannot read or see distant objects comfortably, we will recommend cataract surgery.

Our office co-manages with cataract specialists that are proven experts in cataract surgery. Cataract surgery can provide you with a bright new world of vision.

Diabetes:

Diabetic patients should have a dilated retinal examination each year. Laser treatments have proven to slow the progression of retinal eye disease for many patients. Diabetes often stimulates the growth of new blood vessels in the back of the eye, which ultimately leak and damage the retina.

If this condition is discovered early, laser treatment can destroy these vessels. We have the latest instruments used to detect changes in the back of the eye.

If we discover advancing diabetic eye disease that can be treated or needs further evaluation, we will refer you for consultation and further testing to a board certified retinal specialist.

	Disease Prevention and Detection

Detecting the early signs of diseases is an important step toward offering early treatment and management to prevent symptoms from worsening. Our office has the opportunity to help protect patients’ health with the use of digital retinal imaging, which offers more detailed views of the retina and a better chance of detecting certain diseases.

The use of high-resolution retinal imaging can lead to early detection of the following diseases and provide visual evidence of the changes that occur in patients’ eyes over time due to these conditions.

There are 6 Diseases Digital Retinal Imaging Can Help Detect Sooner:

Glaucoma:


Retinal imaging can reveal signs and symptoms of glaucoma, such as damage to the optic nerve caused by excess pressure or increased pressure on blood vessels in this area. Since this eye disease can lead to permanent vision loss, early detection is crucial.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration:


As one of the main causes of vision loss in patients 50 years of age and older, spotting the early warning signs of age-related macular degeneration is important. Retinal imaging can show signs of this disease, including fluid leakage or bleeding in the rear part of the eye.

Retinal Detachment:


Retinal detachment is a medical emergency that requires prompt treatment to prevent permanent vision loss. When you use digital retinal imaging on patients who are exhibiting symptoms of this condition, such as seeing flashes of light or floaters, you can quickly find evidence that the retina has become detached.

Diabetic Retinopathy:


The use of retinal imaging on patients with diabetes helps detect early signs of damage to the retina due to this disease. This technology provides detailed images of the retina, which allows ophthalmologists to check for abnormal changes, such as the formation of new blood vessels or leakage in this part of the eye. Retinal imaging might also show swelling, another common sign of this disease.

High Blood Pressure:


High blood pressure, or hypertension, can go undiagnosed and untreated for months or years, increasing the risk of heart problems or stroke. With digital retinal imaging, patients can find out early that they have high blood pressure.

This type of imaging shows symptoms of high blood pressure that affect the eyes, such as blood vessels becoming narrower, bleeding in the rear part of the eye or retinal spots. Finding signs of this disease early helps ensure that patients get the treatment they need to manage it and decrease the risk of complications.

Cancer:


Retinal imaging can significantly increase patients’ chances of successfully treating certain types of cancer. High-resolution images of the retina can reveal early signs of cancer in the eye, such as dark spots that indicate a melanoma. When these symptoms are noticed early, patients can undergo diagnostic testing and seek treatment promptly to prevent cancer from spreading to other parts of the body.

The longer it takes to find and diagnose signs of cancer, the more difficult it becomes to treat, especially if it enters the bloodstream.

	UV Protection

Even people who normally wear prescription lenses should have a separate pair of sunglasses with not only a tint for comfort, but an ultra-violet block coating to protect their eyes from sun damage. Ultra-violet radiation has been shown to cause or worsen a range of eye conditions, including pterygia, cataracts and age-related maculopathy, as well as making the delicate skin around the eye more prone to lines, wrinkles and skin cancers.

Although many of these conditions don't appear until much later, the damage is actually done while you are young, so NOW is the time to start taking precautions.

Your choice of UV protection depends on your vision needs.

Prescription sunglasses are important for anyone who needs a vision correction. They allow you to see clearly and comfortably without squinting in the sun. Ultra-violet light, though damaging, is invisible, and the protection provided by sunglasses is not related to the darkness of the tint. Instead, it is a special coating on the lens that blocks these rays. Remember when buying sunglasses that very small frames do not provide as much lens area, especially to the side of the frame, and therefore offer less protection.

For contact lens wearers, it is now possible to wear lenses with UV guard built in. Several brands of disposable lenses offer this feature, and conventional lenses are sure to follow. The benefit of these lenses in preventing eye disease is still being studied, but contact lenses cannot protect the conjunctiva (white of the eye) or the skin of the eyelids, so sunglasses are still a must!