Professional Services
Comprehensive eye exams
Our eye exams consist of a complete vision and eye health assessment for people of ages including seniors and children. Periodic eye and vision examinations are an important part of preventive health care. Many eye and vision problems have no obvious signs or symptoms, so you might not know a problem exists. Early diagnosis and treatment of eye and vision problems can help prevent vision loss. Our comprehensive ocular evaluation includes:
We have exciting new technology, called the Optomap Ultra-Widefield photography. This new technology combines retinal photography with computerized imaging to allow instant viewing of the retina, macula and optic nerve in great detail. Both the doctor and the patient see the images on a computer monitor.
This method of examining and documenting the retina promotes earlier diagnosis of abnormal conditions, which could allow us to prevent permanent vision loss. An additional benefit of retinal imaging is that we store the pictures permanently and compare them against any changes in the future.
Children
Kids eye exams are recommended starting at 6 months of age. At that age, we are looking for equality of the eyes and eye muscle and coordination as checks for lazy eye (amblyopia) and crossed eyes (strabismus), as well as larger corrections the child may need.
As your child gets older, we check all health aspects of the eyes as we do for all other patients.
It is important to note that even if the patient is unable to respond or read the eye chart, we can get an accurate measurement of vision correction needs in most cases through a process of objective refraction by using an auto-refractor keratometer and retinoscopy. Since children grow and change so fast, we recommend annual eye exams for all kids. Some children will change significantly between annual exams, and may need refractions or office visits between exams to keep their vision correction current.
Our eye exams consist of a complete vision and eye health assessment for people of ages including seniors and children. Periodic eye and vision examinations are an important part of preventive health care. Many eye and vision problems have no obvious signs or symptoms, so you might not know a problem exists. Early diagnosis and treatment of eye and vision problems can help prevent vision loss. Our comprehensive ocular evaluation includes:
- Eye coordination and focusing functions
- Examination of peripheral field of vision with a visual field analyzer
- Refraction for best corrected visual acuity for near and distance.
- A comprehensive eye health evaluation including the external as well as the internal part of the eye by using a slit lamp
- Intraocular pressure (tonometry) by utilizing a tonometer
- Evaluation of the back of the eye including looking for signs of macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, holes, tears, or detachments of the retina, as well as any signs of systemic conditions that can affect your eyes such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
We have exciting new technology, called the Optomap Ultra-Widefield photography. This new technology combines retinal photography with computerized imaging to allow instant viewing of the retina, macula and optic nerve in great detail. Both the doctor and the patient see the images on a computer monitor.
This method of examining and documenting the retina promotes earlier diagnosis of abnormal conditions, which could allow us to prevent permanent vision loss. An additional benefit of retinal imaging is that we store the pictures permanently and compare them against any changes in the future.
Children
Kids eye exams are recommended starting at 6 months of age. At that age, we are looking for equality of the eyes and eye muscle and coordination as checks for lazy eye (amblyopia) and crossed eyes (strabismus), as well as larger corrections the child may need.
As your child gets older, we check all health aspects of the eyes as we do for all other patients.
It is important to note that even if the patient is unable to respond or read the eye chart, we can get an accurate measurement of vision correction needs in most cases through a process of objective refraction by using an auto-refractor keratometer and retinoscopy. Since children grow and change so fast, we recommend annual eye exams for all kids. Some children will change significantly between annual exams, and may need refractions or office visits between exams to keep their vision correction current.
Medical and Urgent Care
If our evaluation indicates an ocular health condition or risk of condition, further medical testing may be recommended to access the condition. Our office is equipped with the latest in ocular medical testing instruments to perform most of these tests. In some cases you will need to be referred to another doctor or facility for additional testing or evaluation. Please call for urgent care, so we can get you in as soon as possible. Urgent care includes:
- Infections
- Red eyes
- Sudden vision loss
- Foreign matter in your eyes
- Minor injuries
- Other urgencies
Medical Conditions
We are able to monitor Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and recommend a course of treatment for you. We have a sensitive ocular coherence tomography (OCT) instrument which helps to determine the severity of the disease. We are able to detect subtle changes that may indicate the wet form of AMD. It is important to catch AMD as soon as possible when it turns to the wet form, as you will need to be referred to a retinal specialist ophthalmologist for immediate treatment to preserve your vision.
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Our office is fully equipped for diagnosis, management and treatment of glaucoma and those who have a risk of glaucoma such as ocular hypertension, family history or suspicious optic nerve appearance. We utilize technologies such as ocular coherence tomography (OCT), visual fields testing, pachymetry, and fundus photography to monitor and track your condition and plan or change your treatment when necessary.
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If we determine that you have cataracts that need to be removed, we will refer you to a surgeon for the lens replacement surgery, and co-manage your post operative care with the surgeon following the procedure.
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Diabetics or pre-diabetic patients need annual dilated exams to check for effects of diabetes on your eyes, such as diabetic retinopathy or changes in vision correction. We communicate with your primary care physician after your eye exam to let your doctor know if your eyes show any effects from your diabetic condition.
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Dry Eyes
Montana's climate produces a higher percentage of dry eye patients. We have experience with over-the-counter and prescription therapies for dry eyes. For more extreme cases, we can insert punctal occlusion plugs for temporary or long term relief. This process involves placing dissolvable or synthetic plugs in the natural drains of your eyes to enable tears to stay in your eyes longer. Placing warm compresses on your eye also helps with dryness.
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Floaters
Floaters are a very normal finding and most people have them and learn to ignore them. However, a sudden onset of floaters with flashes can be an indication of something more serious. It is considered an emergency and it is imperative that you contact our office immediately. We will dilate your eyes so we can get an indepth view of the back of your eye to make sure there is nothing serious such as a tear in the retina or a retinal detachment. If a tear or detachment is present, we will refer to the appropriate retinal specialist.
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Dr. Kristi Schied, Optometrist
2203 Broadwater Ave, Billings, MT 59102
(406) 652-4455
www.theeyedocs.us