Eye Exams
We perform comprehensive vision and eye health examinations, as well as problem-specific and emergency exams. We assess your vision and visual system to determine your ocular health and determine which of the many vision correction methods will best solve your own vision problems. Many people don’t realize that, in addition to asking you “which is better, one or two,” we also evaluate you at each visit for common eye conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, dry eye syndrome, and computer vision syndrome. And through your eye exam, we also check for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, impending stroke and heart attack, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, and autoimmune diseases like Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Contact Lens Fitting & Exams
Contact lens technology has advanced to the point that we can correct almost any kind of vision problem, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia (difficulty seeing up close).
Soft lenses are available in daily, 2-week, and monthly replacement options. You can decide whether you’d like to wear lenses that require no cleaning or care at all, or lenses that can be worn for days or weeks at a time. For more complicated prescriptions, including high astigmatism and keratoconus, we have rigid oxygen-permeable lenses that may be your best option. And we even have SynergEyes “hybrid” lenses–rigid in the center for exceptional vision, with soft edges for superior comfort.
Daily disposables are, in our opinion, the healthiest lens. What could be better than a new, clean lens every day? These are a great choice for patients who don’t want to bother cleaning their lenses, people who travel, or people who have dry eyes.
Silicone hydrogel soft lenses transmit much more oxygen to the cornea than standard lenses. These are great for people who suffer from dry eye syndrome.
When discussing lens options, be sure to tell us about your vision needs for work and other activities. We’ll factor your individual life-style needs into our recommendations to solve your vision needs.
Medical/Emergency Services
As an optometrist, Dr. Waterman is trained and licensed to diagnose, treat, or co-manage most medical eye conditions, including:
Corneal abrasions
Cataracts
Dry Eye Syndrome
Eye infections (“Pink Eye”)
Eye Injuries or Eye Trauma
Foreign Bodies in the eye
Macular Degeneration
Diabetic Eye Disease
Ocular allergy
Glaucoma
Optical Shop
Do you get your information about eyeglasses from the ads in the Sunday paper? We believe it is important that you be an informed consumer. Vision care products are not all of the same quality or benefit, and what you see in a newspaper ad may not be your best option. We use top quality frames and lenses from reputable companies that make the best lenses available today. We take pride in our ability to customize your lens options to solve your particular vision needs, and we guarantee our glasses for one year. Some of our best lens coatings have a 2-year warranty.
COMPETITIVE PRICING
We have hundreds of frames in stock, priced from $45 and up. We also have affordable packages starting at $99 for a complete pair of glasses. These are a great choice for second pairs or to have as a back-up pair of glasses.
LENS DESIGNS
Single Vision Lenses – Available in all lens materials, these lenses can be general-use lenses, or made for distance or reading.
Aspheric Lenses – These lenses are thinner and flatter than conventional lenses. They enhance the appearance of strong prescriptions, and are lighter weight than regular lenses.
Progressive Lenses – These are no-line multifocals that feature continuous, clear vision at all distances. Because there are no lines like old-fashioned bifocals, these lenses look like single-vision lenses.
Computer Lenses – Many patients benefit from these lenses, which help relieve eye strain, as well as neck and back pain. These are a specialized type of Progressive lens, and are available in standard plastic and thinner, lighter materials.
Polarized Lenses – This special kind of sunglass eliminates reflected glare off surfaces, such as windshields, windows and water surfaces. We recommend these for everyone, and especially fishermen, drivers, and outdoor enthusiasts.
Photochromic Lenses – These are lenses that get dark outdoors and light indoors. They block 100% of UV light, and are available in many lens materials and designs. Keep in mind that these won’t get as dark behind your windshield as Polarized sunglasses because most vehicles’ windows block UV, which activates the lens.
LENS MATERIALS
Plastic lenses – These are the “standard” lens material. They are fine for lower-strength prescriptions, but are generally too thick and heavy if you are very nearsighted or farsighted. They are not impact-resistant like Polycarbonate or Trivex, and usually do not come with scratch-resistant coating.
Polycarbonate/Trivex lenses – Up to 10 times more impact resistant, 20-25% thinner, and up to 30% lighter than standard plastic lenses. They also are 100% UV-blocking, so they may reduce your risk of developing cataracts or macular degeneration. Due to their safety, these are preferred for children’s glasses, sports eyewear, and safety glasses.
High-Index Lenses – If you want the thinnest, lightest, and best-looking lenses, you’ll want to ask if these lenses are for you. They can be less than half the thickness of regular lenses. Because they reflect more light than regular lenses, we recommend anti-reflective coatings for these lenses.
LENS TREATMENTS
Anti-Reflective (AR) Coating – AR coatings make any lens more attractive by making the lenses appear nearly invisible. This allows people to see your eyes, rather than the reflections off your glasses. The visual benefit to you is sharper, high-def vision. More light will reach your eye, and reflections and glare will be nearly gone. Imagine driving at night with sharper vision and no glare from oncoming headlights! Like any other product, there many different quality levels in AR coatings. The best technology provides extremely high scratch-resistance, and excellent water, oil, and smudge resistance. They are also the easiest to keep clean, and have the best warranties. Lower quality coatings are less scratch-resistant and smudge easier, and are more likely to crack and peel.
Scratch-Resistant Coating – No lenses are scratch-proof, but adding a clear, scratch-resistant coating to both sides of a lens greatly improves the hardness and durability of a lens. Polycarbonate, Trivex, and nearly all high-index lenses come with a factory-applied scratch coating. It is optional on regular plastic lenses.
Ultra-violet (UV) Treatment – There is growing concern that lifetime exposure to UV may contribute to development of cataracts and macular degeneration. Like sunblock for your skin, add UV treatment to your eyeglass lenses will block 100% of the UV rays from getting through to your eyes. This is a clear treatment, and does not change the appearance of your lenses. Polycarbonate, Trivex, and most high-index lenses come with 100% UV protection built in.
Computer Vision
Many of us are spending hours a day using our computers and electronic devices, and experience eye fatigue, headaches, blurry vision, dry eyes, eye strain, and neck or back pain. This is known as Computer Vision Syndrome, or CVS.
CVS affects about 90% of people who work on a computer every day. A thorough eye exam will not only evaluate the health of your eyes, but can also be tailored to determine the effects of computer use on your eyes. We can test the focusing and converging abilities of your eyes, and determine if you would benefit from computer glasses. Anti-reflective coatings are highly recommended for CVS to reduce glare and strain, and even block the blue light that is emitted from electronic devices.
Sports Vision & Safety
There are 40,000 sports-related eye injuries in the U.S. each year. More than 90% of them could be prevented by wearing protective eyewear. According to Prevent Blindness America, the largest number of eye injuries occur in basketball, baseball, swimming and water sports, racquetball and court sports, and football.
We have different styles of sports glasses to choose from, and encourage you to ask us about this option if you or your children are involved in sports.
Children’s Vision
InfantSEE
We participate in the AOA’s (American Optometric Association) InfantSEE program. The AOA encourages parents to include a visit to your optometrist in the list of well-baby check-ups. Assessments at six to twelve months of age can determine if vision is developing normally. Early detection of eye conditions is the best way to ensure your child has healthy vision for successful development as he or she grows up! We will provide a comprehensive eye assessment when your baby is six to twelve months old, as a no-cost public health service. For more information, please visit www.infantsee.org or call our office.