Iowa EyeCare is committed to giving our patients the very best services and products, including high quality eyeglasses and prescription lenses.  This includes High Index options for lighter, thinner lenses that improve the comfort and function of your glasses. 

Iowa EyeCare has new high-index materials that bend light more efficiently than the conventional plastic lenses. This means less material can be used in high-index lenses to correct the same amount of prescription. 

What is index of refraction? 

For Nerds Only

The index of refraction of a lens is a measure of ability to bend light.   Index of refraction is determined by the material in which it is made.  For the nerds reading this, you’ll be interested to know the refractive index equation: Refractive Index = velocity of light in a vacuum / velocity of light in medium… the bottom line… the higher the refractive index of a lens material, the thinner a corrective lens can be made.  

High Index (left) verses Conventional Plastic (right)

The higher your prescription, the more important high-index material becomes.  Iowa EyeCare also recommends this material for certain frame styles.  Ask the expert frame stylists at Iowa EyeCare about high index lenses in your next pair of glasses. 

Iowa EyeCare is located in Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Robins, Iowa.  Click here to schedule an appointment with one of our talented eye doctors.

By Dr. Kimberly Cruise

Look your best . Maximize your performance . Achieve more

If your eye doctor has told you that you’re not a candidate for contact lenses or you’ve tried contact lenses before and stopped, it’s time for you to try again!

The new generations of contact lenses are more comfortable and provide better vision than ever.  Most new lenses now have:

• Better optics
• Better oxygen transmission
• More moisture
• UV sunlight protection

New contact lens materials and designs have made contact lenses available to nearly everyone.  Contact lenses have been redesigned for nearly all types of vision correction:

• Astigmatism
• Near-sighted (myopia)
• Far-sighted (hyperopia)
• Bifocals (presbyopia)
• Keratoconus

Contact lenses are also designed to change or enhance eye color. 

Did you know…

Contact lenses will soon help deliver medications to the eye.  The goal of the new contact lens drug-delivery system is to provide a constant stream of therapeutic medicine in a way that reduces drug-induced side effects.

All contact lenses are considered a medical device.  Even contact lenses without vision correction require a prescription.

Schedule a contact lens consultation with one of our Cedar Rapids eye doctors today.

Learn more about contact lenses:

http://www.iowaeyecare.com/contacts.html

Your questions answered:

http://www.iowaeyecare.com/contacts-faq.html

Iowa LASIK

Laser vision correction has never been more precise or more safe than it is right now at Iowa EyeCare in Robins, Iowa.  We use the best equipment in the world.  We have a world-class LASIK surgeon.  Experience now what thousands of others have already discovered.

Iowa EyeCare has teamed with TLC Laser Eye Centersto provide patients with the very best LASIK experience.  Iowa EyeCare and TLC are committed to quality.  Many patients choose us because of our lifetime guarantee. 

To learn more about LASIK surgery at Iowa EyeCare schedule a free LASIK consultationwith Stacey Lensch, our Laser Vision Coordinator.  Stacey may also be reached by phone at 319-294-8888.

You can also learn more by reading our previous Blog post:

Important Facts To Know About Custom Bladeless LASIK

By Dr. Dennis Francis

Dr. Dennis Francis

 I often hear patients say they have (or think they have) a lazy eye. The term “lazy eye” is actually synonymous with the medical term “amblyopia”. Amblyopia occurs when one eye fails to provide adequate vision and the brain begins to collect visual information from only the better eye. The poorer seeing eye subsequently fails to develop normally. If left untreated, amblyopia results in a best-corrected vision of worse than 20/20 and reduced binocular vision.

Amblyopia is most often a consequence of unequal glasses prescription between the two eyes or from monocular strabismus (one eye turning in or out). It is very difficult to re-train the brain once it decides not to use the amblyopic eye. Amblyopia is one of the most common causes of vision loss in children because it often arises without symptoms. Routine eye examinations play a key role in preventing vision loss from amblyopia.

The American Optometric Association and the eye doctors at Iowa EyeCare agree that even if no eye or vision problems are apparent, at about age 6 months, you should take your baby to your doctor of optometry for his or her first thorough eye examination. We can offer helpful suggestions to prevent amblyopia and, if necessary, begin treatment for any eye-related problems.

Please schedule an appointment with an eye doctor at Iowa EyeCare in Cedar Rapids, Marion, or Robins, Iowa.

By Dr. Ryan W. Nelson

Astigmatism is the most common refractive condition.  It’s different from being nearsighted or farsighted.  Astigmatism means that light entering the eye is not focusing in one place.  Instead light is being scattered and the result is blurred vision. 

Most often, astigmatism results from misshapenness on the front surface of the eye (the cornea).  Instead of the cornea being spherical like the side of a basketball, it’s shaped more like the side of a football, flatter in one area and steeper in the other areas. 

At Iowa EyeCare we correct astigmatism using glasses, contact lenses, or even LASIK surgery.  If you aren’t seeing as well as you think you should, it just might be astigmatism that’s causing a problem.  Schedule an appointment today in either of our Marion, Robins or Cedar Rapids, Iowa, locations to find our which treatment options are right for you.

By Dr. Ryan W. Nelson

The most common reason for reading glasses in a person who has never needed them before is a phenomenon known as presbyopia.  Presbyopia causes near vision blur when distance vision is either normal or corrected.

The cause for presbyopia is a faulty focusing system.  The focusing system of the eye is made of two major components, the “lens” and the muscle that controls it called the “cilliary body”.   The ciliary body is triggered to contract when focusing on objects at near and it directly controls the lens.  It is ultimately the lens’ flexibility which allows us to see at both distance and near automatically.  Over time, the lens becomes less flexible and is no longer able to focus light like it once could, which results in blurred vision.

In the optometry profession we say, “three things are certain: death, taxes… and presbyopia”.  Given enough time, presbyopia catches up with us all.  Most individuals will experience the early signs of presbyopia between 40 and 50 years old.  It starts when you have to hold things further away in order to see them clearly.

Near vision blur is correctable with glasses and contact lenses.  The difference is that now two prescriptions are needed: one for distance, and one for near.  Let us help you at your next eye examination.

Laser vision correction is one of the most frequently performed operations in America. Iowa EyeCare offers Custom Bladeless LASIK at our location in Robins through TLC, the largest laser correction company in the world. We also have the most extensive diagnostic equipment and technology in the world because we are committed to providing the highest level of care for you and your eyes. Our skilled doctors can identify the unique imperfections of your eyes and factor them into a custom treatment plan.

We take care to assist you in your decision to have LASIK eye surgery.  We want you to be fully informed of your options and feel absolutely comfortable with the procedure.  The following items will help you understand more about Custom Bladeless LASIK.

1. What does Custom Bladeless LASIK mean?

Custom Bladeless LASIK is the most advanced laser vision technology.  LASIK (Laser-Assisted-In-Situ Keratomileusis) is an FDA-approved outpatient procedure that uses a laser to reshape the front surface of your eye in order to correct your vision.  Instead of a blade, our offiice uses a silent computer-guided laser during the first step of the LASIK procedure to create the corneal flap. This laser is very precise and has improved the healing time and discomfort typically associated with a microkeratome blade.  We also create a customized map for each eye, which allows for treatment of tiny imperfections in the eye that can have a significant impact on your quality of vision.  The entire procedure typically takes about 10 minutes to perform on each eye.

2. Are you an eligible candidate?

The best way for you to determine if you are a candidate for Custom Bladeless LASIK is with a personal one-on-one consultation.  Free consultations can be arranged by calling our Laser Vision Coordinator at 319-294-8888.  LASIK can treat people who are at least 18 years old, are not pregnant or nursing, are in good general health, have a stable prescription, and have no eye diseases.  Your Iowa EyeCare doctor will work with you to assess your eligibility for laser vision correction.

3. Is your surgeon qualified?

Dr. Larry Womack, M.D., focuses exclusively on LASIK surgery and has performed over 30,000 LASIK procedures; making him one of the region’s most experienced LASIK surgeons.  Our supporting staff is professionally trained and nationally recognized.  We have the experience and skill to help you and will carefully guide you through your decision to undergo LASIK eye surgery.

4. Is Custom Bladeless LASIK Safe?

Like all surgeries, there is a potential for risks and complications.  Each individual eye heals differently, and it is not always possible to predict how your eye will heal.  Extensive screening and testing enables us to identify most potential complications before they start and you will only be considered a candidate when it is medically advisable.  Diligent post-procedure care is also necessary to protect against infection and measure your visual progress.

5. Does it hurt?

Prior to the procedure, anesthetic drops are used to numb the eye.  Although most patients say there is no pain during the surgery, some report feeling mild pressure or vibration.  Afterward, your eyes may feel slight irritation for a few hours.

6. How long does the correction last?

Laser vision correction is intended to permanently reduce your dependancy on glasses or contact lenses.  While most patients achieve fully corrected vision with one procedure, some patients will require an enhancement to complete their correction. For nearly everyone, beginning in their 40s or 50s, the lens of the eye loses some of its flexability, making it necessary to use bifocals or reading glasses.  LASIK does not correct for this normal aging process.

7. What is the TLC Lifetime Commitment?

TLC stands behind your vision results for life.  We have sincere confidence in our surgeon and in your long-term results and want to help you maintain the best possible vision throughout your life.  If an enhancement is needed to maintain vision results it will be administered at no cost for qualified patients.  To maintain eligability in the TLC Lifetime Commitment you must complete your course of post-operative appointments and have an annual eye exam with any TLC affiliate doctor.

8. How much does it cost?

Prices vary based on your individual treatment plan.  The best way to determine your cost is to schedule a personal one-on-one consultation.  Free consultations can be arranged by calling our Laser Vision Coordinator at 319-294-8888.  Keep in mind that Flex Spending Accounts, Insurance Plans, and Financing Plans may help make laser vision correction more affordable.