Seasonal Allergic Conjunctivitis
By Dr. Kimberly Cruise
It’s only March, but allergy season is already in full swing here in eastern Iowa. None of us are complaining about the unseasonably mild temperatures, but that doesn’t come without consequences, especially for those with seasonal allergies. For these individuals spring brings with it, redness, itching, watering and swelling of the eyelids. (more…)
Learn more about one of the most common vision problems from the eye doctors at Iowa EyeCare. (more…)
What to Expect — With Your Eyes and Vision — When Your Expecting.
It is true that some women will experience changes to their vision and to their eyes during pregnancy. Most of the time these changes are minor, but for some individuals, significant and/or permanent changes may occur.
Pterygium
The two terms “pterygium” and “pinguecula” describe similar changes to the eye. Both “”pterygium” and “pinguecula” are extremely common and most often affect patients who have frequent exposure to (more…)
By Dr. Ryan Nelson & Dr. Dennis Francis
Dr. Ryan Nelson
Take it from a couple of eye doctors who are avid bass fisherman: Your eyes are more important than any tackle or technique when bass fishing in Iowa. (more…)
Eye Allergies
What are Allergies?
Allergic reactions occur when the eye over-reacts to pollen, molds, dust, or pet dander, the body thinks is dangerous. Approximately 30-50% of the Iowa population has allergic symptoms of some kind. Allergic symptoms of the eye include redness, watering, itching. (more…)
Did you know that every eye is unique and could be used to identify individuals. This uniqueness of the eye is similar to a fingerprint. (more…)
The TearLab™ Osmolarity system is the first instrument in the next generation of dry eye diagnosis technologies. Tear osmolaritycan be defined as the concentration of particles in the tears. Dry Eye is caused by decreased tear production, increased tear evaporation or abnormal lipid production. (more…)
The snow in Iowa has finally thawed and it’s warming up. That means more and more people are planning outdoor activites. Just remember to be concious about your eye health this summer season.
One of the biggest eye hazards is yard work. Eye protection is essential when operating power equipment like a lawn-mowers, weed-eaters, chain-saws, leaf-blowers or electric trimmers. Each of these tools can send small high-velocity projectiles hurling toward the eyes. Eye abrasions, perforations and infections have the potential to cause significant damage to the eye including permanent vision loss.
Think about eye protection even when you don’t anticipate dangers.
If you receive an eye injury or have foreign material in your eye, seek care immediately. It’s always best to have a professional look at your eye under a microscope. Washing the eye yourself with tap-water is insufficient. The doctors at Iowa EyeCare are on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 319-377-2222.
Optometrist
Optometrists are doctors of optometry. Optometrists are experts at all parts of the eye and visual system. Commonly, optometrists will prescribe glasses and contact lenses. Optometrists are able to diagnose and treat binocular vision disorders, including strabismus (eye turn) and amblyopia (lazy eye). Optometrists treat eye infections, remove foreign material from the eye and even perform some minor, non-invasive surgeries. Optometrists are able to diagnose all eye conditions. Optometrists are able to use both topical eye drops and oral medications to diagnose and treat eye disease.
Optometrists must have 8 years of college education, including a doctorate degree from a 4-year college of optometry.
The eye doctors at Iowa EyeCare are optometrists.
Ophthalmologist
Dr. Womack, Ophthalmologist
An ophthalmologist is an eye surgeon. Ophthalmologists commonly perform cataract removal, retinal repairs, and LASIK surgery. Most ophthalmologists specialize in a particular area of the eye, such as the retina, neuro-ophthalmology or cornea.
After earning an undergraduate degree ophthalmologists go to a 4-year general medicine school before learning a specialty.
