Contact lens evaluation takes time. Dr. Allen needs to see the contact and how it works on your eye to ensure long term, healthy contact lens wear. If a contact lens does not fit, it can cause problems with your cornea, eyelids and vision. Our global evaluation fee covers you for 90 days: if we need to change anything during that time, there is no extra charge. After that time, it could be changes in contacts are due to changes in vision, and there is an additional fee after 90 days.
Our goal is to be as efficient as possible with your time. We strive to run on time, and hope that an exam, including pre-test, examination, dilation and glasses consultation will be about 1 hour. If you have complicated contact lenses or more severe health problems, it may take longer: Accuracy and thoroughness are more important than rushing through an appointment. Sometimes, complicated cases before your appointment make us run behind. We try our best to make this a rare occasion, but when sight is on the line it’s important to be there for each patient individually.
Defining a successful contact lens fit is always a challenging topic. Does success mean being able to wear contacts all day every day and see perfectly both distance and near? Or is success measured by someone having the option to occasionally wear contacts in social settings, but needing glasses for work? We have to be realistic in our expectations. With new daily lenses coming out every month comfort and clarity are better than ever. Specialty contact lens fits like scleral, hybrid or orthoKenable many unsuccessful contact lens wearers to revisit contacts and achieve great vision. If you are interested in contacts, let Dr. Allen know. She can discuss all available options and find the one right for you.
A Therapeutic optometrist is licensed to write prescriptions for many types of medication to heal eye problems. Oral antibiotics help styes, topical antibiotics or steroids can help with infection or inflammation. If you have an emergency red eye, call the office: we have the tools and knowledge to resolve your eye problem quickly and efficiently
The comprehensive eye exam is the basis for contact lens fitting, so Dr. Allen must do an eye exam in order to do a contact lens fit.
Contact lenses are available for kids who are responsible and clean, regardless of age. There are new treatments for myopia management (helps prevent kids from progressing with their nearsightedness) that involve contact lenses. Don’t be surprised if Dr. Allen brings up contact lens wear: it’s great for kid’s self esteem, playing sports, and continued eye health.
Computer glasses are glasses specifically designed for computer use. They give the widest and most clear vision for computer users, especially those who have multiple monitors. If you spend all day on the computer, and tend to have fatigue or blurred vision at the end of the day, computer glasses can help comfort and clarity on the computer.
There are pediatric specialists who see patients starting at birth. Dr. Allen is set up to see kids 5 and above, and truly believes it is important to see children before they start school to make sure there aren’t any visual problems that can affect learning to read. 25% of children have a vision problem that affects school performance, many of these problems aren’t picked up at your pediatrician or school screenings.
Dr. Allen is an optometrist, and therefore can’t perform surgery. She loves LASIK for the right candidate and works with several surgical centers around town. Come in for an appointment, and Dr. Allen can determine if you are a great candidate for this life changing procedure. She can do you pre and post op visits, and help manage your care after LASIK.