Dry Eye & Treatments
Do you experience a burning sensation, redness and even blurred vision. A common and frequently-diagnosed condition, dry eye syndrome is essentially the eye's inability to produce enough tears to maintain comfort for everyday activities. Tears are made up of three layers. The oily layer that keep yours tears from evaporating too quickly, the watery layer that delivers nutrients and the mucus layer that keeps your tear film stuck to the surface of your eyes. Some people are at a greater risk of developing dry eyes than others. You may be at risk if you fit into the following categories.
Age: Dry eye will occur naturally as we age.
Gender: Women are more likely to develop dry eye related symptoms due to hormonal changes brought on by menopause, pregnancy and birth control.
Medication: There are a medications that can decrease tear production which leads to dry eye. They include antihistamines, decongestants, blood pressure medications as well as antidepressants.
Medical conditions: Autoimmune disease ie: Rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, Diabetes, Thyroid conditions and Lupus can increase your risk for dry eyes.
Laser eye surgery: Laser eye surgery such as LASIK can interfere with the tear production, although it can often be temporary.
Contact lenses: Contact lenses can interfere with the distribution of tears over the surface of the eyes.
Dry eye management
comes in many forms, depending on the severity of your symptoms. Treatments are customizable
to fit your needs. What can we do for your Dry Eyes? To address your Dry Eye Disease, the first step is to schedule a Dry Eye consultation. We offer a range of treatment options, including:
Preservative-free artificial tears
Eye gels or ointments
Prescription eye drops
Eyelid hygiene products
Dry Eye Masks
Vitamins for dry eye
Punctal plugs
Ask about our nutrition program for Dry Eye, Macular Health and Visual Wellness.
HydroEye Softgels
is a unique, patented oral formula that can provide relief for symptoms for dry eye. It contains omega-3 and
omega-6 fatty acids, antioxidants and other nutrients to support a healthy tear film. They work by providing continuous relief with the suggested dosage and patients typically experience improvements within 30 to 60 days. Powerful relief for Dry Eyes!
Eye Omega Advantage
helps maintain healthy retina and macula regions in the eye.
Numaquala Vitamins AREDS2 formula is advanced support for Macular health.
Dry Eye & Treatments
Comprehensive eye exams
- Defects of the Field of Vision
- Color Vision Deficiencies
- Corneal Defects
- Cataracts
- Diabetes
- Color vision
- Assessment of refractive status to determine any presence of nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism
- Muscle Imbalance
- Retinal Holes, Tears or Detachments
- Glaucoma
- Macular Degeneration
- Dry Eye
Diabetes and your eyes
Diabetes can cause serious damage to your eyes called diabetic retinopathy. It is one of the most preventable causes of blindness and vision loss. If your blood sugar is high, it can damage the blood vessels in the retina. People with diabetes are also prone to other eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma. Early detection and treatment is so important and can prevent or delay vision loss. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you should receive a yearly dilated examination of your eyes. Call to schedule your exam today. 757-490-9091.
Macular Degeneration
If you've been diagnosed with macular generation, there are medications to help slow down the progress and vision loss. Since macular degeneration may go unnoticed in the early stages, it is very important to have regular dilated eye exams to detect any changes in your vision.
Flashes and Floaters
Seeing Flashes of lights or floaters in your vision is fairly common as we age. You may notice them in your line of vision, particularly at night or looking at a blank wall. It is important to have your eyes checked when you notice the flashes of light or floaters to evaluate your retina.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is referred to as a "silent disease". It is an asymptomatic disease that can cause a progressive loss of vision if untreated. Diagnosing Glaucoma requires a comprehensive eye examination. Additional testing may also be necessary. There are several treatments available to help manage or slow the disease. If you have been diagnosed with Glaucoma, it is very important to follow the treatment plan your doctor has prescribed.
OTHER ADVANTAGES
These comprehensive exams can also help to detect systemic diseases such as Diabetes and High Blood Pressure. Dr. Fellner and Dr. Cook are highly trained in diagnosing vision problems, eye disease, and recommending or providing surgical and medical treatment where necessary. The Drs. at The Eye Specialists LTD. are committed to provide patients the newest and most advanced technology and equipment. Recently added, is our newest optical biometry called the "Lenstar" LS 900. The "Lenstar"quickly and accurately obtains pre-cataract measurements for more reliable outcomes during cataract surgery.
During cataract surgery, the cataract-affected natural crystalline lens is replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). IOLs are typically made of a flexible material, allowing Dr. Fellner to fold and insert the IOL through a small incision. Once the cataract is removed and the IOL is in proper position, light can once again travel to the back of the eye. Patients who undergo cataract surgery typically receive a monofocal IOL that doesn't correct existing vision problems such as astigmatism. If you have astigmatism, you may still experience blurred and distorted vision because a monofocal IOL cannot correct pre-existing corneal astigmatism. Dr. Fellner now offers the new AcrySof IQ
Toric IOL. It provides clear distance vision for patients with astigmatism, usually without the need for glasses. It's a giant leap forward in intraocular lens implants (IOL).
Cataract surgery video with Monofocal lens implant:
Cataract surgery video with Toric lens implant:
At The Eye Specialists Ltd., we offer new technologies to detect eye diseases earlier. There are over 200 different conditions that can be detected within the eye, and our mission is to be able to diagnose and treat conditions, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration before they threaten your vision and or your health.
Visual Field
testing can detect early signs of visual loss due to glaucoma and other neurological issues. The results can manage a variety of diseases.
The optomap® Retinal Exam produces an image that is as unique as your fingerprint and provides our doctors with a wide view to look at the health of your retina. The retina is the part of your eye that captures the image of what you are looking at, similar to film in a camera.
We offer OCT (optical coherence tomography) screening for macular degeneration. It is a cross sectional scan that can detect diseases on a microscopic level. It gives the doctor instant, direct imaging of tissue morphology. There is no ionizing radiation. The baseline image is recommended for anyone age 18 and above, patient's with diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, concerns for glaucoma and a family history of macular degeneration.
Many eye problems can develop without you knowing. You may not even notice any change in your sight. But, diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, retinal tears or detachments, and other health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure can be seen with a thorough exam of the retina.
LASIK CONSULTATION
We are a proud affiliate of The Laser Center
in Richmond and would love the opportunity to speak with you about LASIK. Are you tired of wearing contacts and glasses? You may be a candidate for LASIK (laser assisted in situ keratomileusis) vision correction. LASIK surgery has been effective in treating myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and other eye conditions. At The Eye Specialists Ltd., we provide evaluations and referrals for patients interested in LASIK surgery. Dr. Christine Cook performs a complete review of your patient history as well as a full assessment of your eye health and vision. A current exam is vitally important to determine if you are a candidate for LASIK surgery.
Once Dr. Christine Cook has performed all the necessary tests and determined whether you are a candidate for LASIK, you will be referred to the LASIK center that we have worked with for many years. The center will perform advanced diagnostic testing and will further evaluate your eligibility for surgery. Once LASIK has been scheduled for you, we will also schedule the post-op visits for you in our office. Typically, you will begin follow-up visits starting one day after your surgery and up to 6 months. After 1 year, a complete examination is recommended to determine the results of your procedure. Dr. Christine Cook is experienced in working with LASIK patients and will answer any questions that you may have during this process.
Schedule your appointment by calling 757-490-9091 for a consultation.
CONTACT LENSES
We offer daily or extended wear soft contact lenses, astigmatic lenses, multi-focal lenses, rigid gas permeables, mini-sclerals and specialty lenses for those with corneal disease or post-surgical corneas. Our selection of lenses is available in a wide range of tints to enhance or change the color of the eye. We fit brands such as Acuvue, Air Optix Night
and Day, Proclear, Focus, Fresh Look, Biofinity
and many more. Introducing the newest DAILIES TOTAL 1 contact lenses. The worlds first and only water gradient contact lenses. They allow more oxygen through than any other daily disposable lenses. Set up an appointment today to see if they are right for you. 490-9091
In most cases you can be fit with contact lenses the same day as the eye exam appointment, due to our large inventory of contacts on site. Our trained technicians will instruct you on the care and handling, as well as teach you insertion and removal of the contact lenses.
Did you know
that Acuvue
is the only brand offering UV protection in every contact lens. You can help reduce or eliminate UV rays that could pose short or long term health threats to the eye by wearing Acuvue brand contacts.
REBATES ARE AVAILABLE FOR CONTACT LENS ORDERS....a majority of contact lens manufacturers offer mail in rebates and we have them. These rebates are not available to you when you order your supply of contacts through mail order or online. Ask us for details on how to get money back on your contact lenses, plus free shipping.
INSURANCE AND PAYMENTS
Payments can be made using cash, check, credit/debit card, CareCredit and any major credit card. We also accept many major insurance plans, including:
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Aetna®
- Tri-Care Standard & Prime
- UnitedHealth Care®
- Anthem
- Blue Cross/Blue Shield®
- Cigna
- Well-Care
- Medicare Advantage
- Humana®
- MDIPA
- Optima™
- Optimum Choice
VISION PROGRAMS INCLUDING:
- EyeMed Vision Care
- MetLife® Vision
- UnitedHealth Care
- VSP
- Cigna
- Aetna™
