We truly believe in routine eye examinations so that you can see as clearly as possible. Once you have to get glasses or contacts, it is even more important to watch the health of your eyes. You also need routine checks to ensure your prescription has not changed.
To ensure good eye health and vision, we are very proud to offer the following services:
Diabetic Eye Care
Diabetes can affect more than just your blood sugar. It can also cause damage to your eyes if improperly managed.
Diabetic eye disease can lead to loss of vision. This can impose on your ability to perform everyday tasks, despite using glasses or contacts regularly. If you have been recently diagnosed with diabetes, contact us to see how we can help maintain your eyes’ health!
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Injuries & Emergencies
We understand that infections and injuries appear with no warning. Our office is committed to seeing urgent and emergency patients the same day an incident occurs if possible. Drs. Rhodes and Quackenbush can remove foreign objects, provide treatment, and prescribe medication appropriate to your specific condition. While we do not have weekend office hours, one of our doctors is on call at all times in the event a weekend emergency visit if warranted.
Comprehensive Eye Exams
On average, we recommend scheduling an appointment once every yeaar to ensure your eyes are remaining healthy. If you have been diagnosed with an eye condition, however, we recommend scheduling an appointment once or twice a year depending on the severity.
During your appointment, we will review your patient history, visual acuity, perform preliminary tests, and evaluate your eyes’ overall health.
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Computer Vision
Computer Vision is a relatively new term within the optometry field and refers to eye problems associated with the prolonged use of computers and electronics that utilize a digital screen. Although it can be temporary, there are times when computer vision can strain the eyes to a degree that permanently affects your vision as well. An existing eye condition can worsen as the eyes try to focus and adjust to a computer screen, and precautions should be taken if you spend long hours in front of a computer screen.
If you have been experiencing blurry vision, dry eyes, eye strain, headaches, neck or back pain, try adjusting the lighting, posture, and the distance in front of your computer screen. If computer vision symptoms persist, call us to request an appointment, we will perform a full evaluation.
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Contact Lenses
Nowadays, most people prefer to wear contacts instead of glasses. If you are interested in contact lenses, please let your eye doctor know prior to your appointment. During your exam, we will discuss the various contact lenses available and determine the best option based on your individual needs and lifestyle.
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Dry Eye Treatment
Hixson Eye Care is proud to offer dry eye treatment for our patients. Ocular Surface Disease, also known as dry eye, can occur from certain medications, naturally by aging, or as a symptom arising from systemic diseases such as Sjogren’s syndrome, Rheumatoid arthritis, or Lupus. If you have a minor case of dry eye, you may be experiencing irritation, excessive tearing, fluctuating vision, and/or a burning sensation in your eyes. Excessive dry eyes, or dry eye symptoms that go untreated, have the potential to damage eye tissue, scar your corneas, and impair your vision.
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Ortho-K
Ortho-k involves temporarily reshaping the cornea through the use of specialized contact lenses, which are designed to be worn while sleeping. This reshaping method is gaining more popularity as the procedure continues to be improved.
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Sunglasses
Sunglasses are designed to protect your eyes from sunlight. While all tinted lenses help to protect your eyes from sunlight, some will protect your eyes better than others. Sunglasses with lenses that block ultraviolet sunlight are the best option. Although sunglasses can be expensive, there are many affordable brands that provide great protection from harmful sunlight as well. If you are interested in finding the best brand of sunglasses for your lifestyle, we can help you find them.
We have a variety of options for you to choose from that will comfortably fit your face and let you enjoy the warm weather in style. Prescription lenses can be applied to most sunglasses and we can help you order a specific brand if we don’t have them in the store.
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Infantsee
All infants should have an eye exam at 6 months of age. An infant’s vision is vital to proper physical and mental development. Although your infant cannot “tell the difference between 1 and 2”, our doctors can still determine the overall health of the eyes and estimate their prescription.
Lack of detection of vision problems can lead to Amblyopia (Lazy Eye), Strabismus (Crossed Eye), or can result in delayed discovery of serious ocular health problems.
InfantSEE is a nationwide health initiative that provides FREE comprehensive examinations to infants 6 months of age and older. Both Drs Rhodes and Quackenbush are proud to be a part of this program. Click below to learn more about this program.
Learn More about InfantSEE
Dr. Quackenbush discusses the InfantSEE program with the local Kiwanis Club.
Surgical Pre and Post Op Care
LASIK stands for laser in-situ keratomileusis and is a popular surgery to correct vision problems. LASIK can help people who are nearsighted or farsighted, as well those who have astigmatism.
LASIK works by reshaping the cornea with a laser, which allows light to be correctly focused onto the retina. A laser is used to create a small flap in the cornea, which is peeled back so another laser can reshape the cornea. The flap is then placed back and the surgery is complete.
LASIK is popular because it is a quick procedure with a high success rate. The surgery takes about 10 minutes and only requires local anesthesia in the form of eye drops. LASIK does not typically involve much pain and does not require stitches or bandages. The results are often immediate and adjustments can be made in the future to correct vision if there are any changes.
While rare, there are downsides and potential side effects to LASIK, which is why you should consult with your optometrist to see if the procedure is right for you. At Hixson Eye Care, we will discuss what to expect before and after LASIK. Contact us at (423) 843-2020 today to learn how LASIK could work for you.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a common eye condition and often occurs in association with other refractive problems, such as myopia and hyperopia. Astigmatism occurs when the surface of the eye is shaped more like a football than a basketball. In other words, the surface of the eye (the cornea) does not bend light equally in all directions. Because of this irregularity, the light does not focus perfectly on the retina at the back of the eye and the image appears blurred. Astigmatism can usually be treated with glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery.
For more information as well as educational videos click here.
Farsightedness & Nearsightedness
Hyperopia, or farsightedness, is a common eye condition. Hyperopia occurs when the light that enters the eye focuses behind the retina. In many cases, the eyeball is too short and so the focal point of light falls behind the retina. People with hyperopia are called farsighted because, in many cases, they can see better far away than up close. In reality, however, the situation is much more complicated. Young hyperopic individuals may be able to see well at all distances and not even know they are hyperopic because the lens of the eye can accommodate for the condition. In other words, the eye in younger people can compensate for modest amounts of hyperopia. However, this ability to compensate is lost with age and so hyperopia is often discovered as that person ages. People with hyperopia are at higher risk for certain types of eye conditions, including certain forms of glaucoma. Hyperopia can usually be treated with glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery.
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is also a very common eye condition. People with myopia find it difficult to see people and objects at a distance. Myopia occurs when the images that enter the eye focus in front of the retina. In many cases, the eyeball is too long and so the focal point of light falls in front of the retina. The cause of myopia is not precisely known, but it may be caused by a combination of environment and genes. The prevalence of myopia is increasing worldwide, and seems to be more common in industrialized countries. Environmental influences are likely of greater impact than family history. Family history may define a risk to an environmental factor, for instance. People with myopia are at higher risk for some eye diseases, such as retinal detachment, retinal degeneration, glaucoma and certain forms of cataract. The blurred vision from myopia can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery, but these treatments are not known to reduce the risks of future eye disease.
Blephex
Our practice is one of a very few Lid Hygiene Centers certified for the use of Blephex. This revolutionary treatment can provide lasting relief for patients suffering from chronic dry eye and blepharitis. If you have itching, burning, redness, or blurry vision that comes and goes, ask us if Blephex is an option for you!
Your Eyes Over 40
Presbyopia is a universal condition of human aging. All individuals eventually become symptomatic with presbyopia, usually between the ages of 38 and 42.
Presbyopia occurs as the lens of the eye loses its ability to bend and flex. This loss of accommodation begins very early in life but usually becomes symptomatic around age 40. The eye focuses light much as a camera focuses light. As the eye loses its ability to focus at near items, people with presbyopia will need reading glasses or bifocals to see near objects.
Note that people with both near-sightedness and presbyopia may still be able to see up close without their glasses, but they will need glasses with bifocals to use their glasses to see both far away and close up. Far-sighted people will need glasses with bifocals to see both distant and near.
People with presbyopia will need glasses or contact lenses. There are a few new types of surgery that address presbyopia, but, in general, presbyopia is a difficult condition to eliminate surgically.
For more information as well as educational videos click here.