After Hours Care
Our normal hours are 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday; 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm Thursday; and 8:00 am to 1:00pm on Saturday. The office is closed on Sunday. If you need to contact the doctors after hours, dial 605-670-9582 or 605-670-2294.
Laser Vision Correction
Refractive surgery is defined as surgery that helps a person see without the aid of glasses or contact lenses. Major advances have been made in the field of refractive surgery making it a proven and effective alternative to optical devices. Refractive surgery can be very beneficial, but it is not for everyone. For those who are good candidates, it is important to have an understanding of all the elements of refractive surgery.
Below are some good questions and answers about refractive surgery provided by Vance Thompson, MD (www.vancethompsonvision.com). Dr. Thompson is our preferred refractive surgery specialist, having worked closely with Drs. Johnson and Brown co-managing many surgery patients.
1. What is the best method of refractive surgery to correct my vision?
The best method for correcting your vision is dependent on a number of factors including your age and level of correction (i.e. the amount of nearsightedness, astigmatism, or farsightedness). We recommend you learn about all of your options including PRK, LASIK, RK, Intacs, and IOL's. We will also discuss any risks that may be involved. Then you will be ready to pick the method that is best for you.
2. Can anyone have this procedure done?
Laser vision correction is exciting, but it isn t for everyone. We like to make sure that everyone undergoing a procedure has healthy eyes. However, generally speaking, anyone who sees well with glasses or contacts but is not happy with their eyesight without optical devices is probably a good candidate for laser vision correction.
3. How long is the treatment?
The treatment length depends on which procedure you are having. However the individual treatments are all quite short. You don t even need to change clothes for these procedures.
4. Can I walk in and have the procedure done today?
Dr. Thompson prefers to do the treatment on a different day than your examination. This gives you time to think about everything that's discussed in the consultation. Since we treat people's eyes from all around the world we do have a program where people can have their evaluation and treatment performed in the same day.
We work closely with Drs. Johnson and Brown and also send all the necessary information to you so that when you arrive you feel comfortable with the level of knowledge you have gained prior to seeing us.
5. Is it painful?
A few numbing drops in the eye before the procedure keeps the eye quite comfortable during the treatment. It is not unusual to feel a bit of pressure during the procedure. However patients can take comfort in the fact we have done thousands of treatments with just a numbing eye drop.
6. How fast does my vision improve after the procedure?
This depends on the type of treatment you have. LASIK patients often have legal driving vision (better than 20/40) the next day and are ready for work and other daily activities. A lot of improvement will be noticed the next day though gradual improvement is still noted for the next few weeks. The Intacs patients also enjoy improved vision and the ability to return to work the next day.
7. Should I have both eyes done at once?
With the LASIK procedure the vision return is often to the legal driving level without the aid of glasses or contacts the next day so that typically we feel comfortable doing both eyes in the same day. With the Intacs procedure we also feel comfortable doing both eyes at once in many patients. In some LASIK and Intacs patients it is best to do the procedures one eye at a time (one day or one week apart). Because clear vision returns more slowly with PRK, we always recommend doing one eye at a time. During your office consultation we will carefully explain all of these options to you.
8. If I have one eye treated at a time, how long do I need to wait to get my other eye treated?
This again depends on the type of procedure you have done on your first eye and the type and level of correction you are undergoing. Our general philosophy is that we like to have you seeing well enough with your first eye that you can legally drive and function without glasses before we do your second eye. For those that chose one eye at a time it is not unusual to have legal driving vision the next day and to thus feel comfortable proceeding with the second eye.
9. Will I need more than one treatment per eye?
It is not unusual for some patients to need an enhancement procedure to make their vision even better. However this depends on the patient s goals and expectations of how sharp they hope their vision ultimately will be. For a lot of laser patients one treatment per eye is all they will need.
10. Will the treatment be permanent?
Typically the treatment is permanent. However if the eye is still undergoing a lot of change, a person may need to have it fine-tuned sometime in the future. That is why we don t perform these procedures on children and teenagers, since their eyes are still changing.
11. What are the side effects of PRK and LASIK?
The most common side effects are light sensitivity and halos. They are most noticeable during the healing process and usually get better with time. After the treatment has healed thoroughly the eyes are typically just as comfortable as they were before the procedure.
12. What if I blink or move my eye during treatment?
A device called a lid speculum is used to hold the eyelids open during the procedure so you do not have to worry about blinking. Minor movements of the eye do not affect the procedure. To comfort you almost all patients who go through a procedure say it was a lot easier than they had expected.
13. How accurate is the excimer laser?
The excimer laser is very accurate. The laser removes .25 microns of tissue with each pulse. We never had this kind of delicate and accurate control in corneal surgery before the development of the excimer laser...in fact take a look at this human hair that s been "modified" with the excimer laser!
14. How good will my vision be when I am finished?
This is the exciting part. We spend our entire day, every day, helping people see clearly without glasses. This is not just a part of what we do, it is all we do. This total commitment to refractive surgery has given our clinic a reputation that is respected worldwide. But at the same time we take great pride in helping our patients understand that refractive surgery is not perfect. It is very good but it is not perfect.
15. What if I move my eye during the treatment?
During your eye exam we are evaluating your level of eye movement. For a typical excimer laser treatment minor eye movements are not a problem. If there is excessive eye movements we will have your treatment performed with our Autonomous laser that tracks eye movements.
With the Autonomous laser system you do not have to worry about eye movements since the laser's sophisticated tracking system is actually following your eye movements. This brings a lot of peace of mind to the patient.
Contact Lenses
Confused about contacts?
Dr. Gary Gerber (www.gerberandsmith.com) acknowledged expert in all fields optometric, has some excellent information that I have listed here concerning contact lenses for the 21st century.
Advances in contact lens technologies have created many options in addition to hard and soft lenses. Today, contact lenses are likely to be described in one or several of the following ways.
By their prescribed wearing period: The time that the lenses are left in the eyes.
Daily Wear (Up to 18 hours)
Extended Wear (For overnight use, up to seven days)
By their replacement schedule: The time interval for replacing lenses.
Planned - (Frequent replacement: 1 month, 1-2 weeks; daily disposable)
Unplanned, or Conventional Replacement - (No specific time schedule before lenses are replaced)
By the type of vision correction for which they are designed:
Spherical (For near- or farsightedness -- myopia or hypermetropia)
Toric (For astigmatism)
Bifocals (For presbyopia)
By the type of tint they have:
Tinted to improve handling only
Tinted to enhance your eye color (For light-color eyes)
Tinted to change your eye color (Opaque tints for light or dark eyes)
Clear - without tints
Of course, contact lenses are also still described by the basic type of material of which they are made.
Soft (hydrophilic)
Rigid Gas Permeable
By Wearing Period
Daily Wear: Lenses prescribed for daily wear are to be worn only during waking hours, usually up to a maximum of 18 hours. Daily wear lenses are removed at night and cleaned and disinfected after each removal.
Extended Wear: Extended wear lenses may be worn on an overnight basis for up to seven consecutive days (six nights). You should wear your lenses on an extended wear basis only on the advice of your optometrist.
Extended wear lenses generally have a higher water content or thinner center thickness than other lenses and permit more oxygen to reach the eye. However, their use has been linked to a higher incidence of eye problems. Extended wear lenses need to be cleaned and disinfected at recommended intervals or discarded after use.
By Replacement Period
Contact lens are often prescribed with a specific replacement schedule suitable to your specific needs. Planned (or Frequent) Replacement contacts are disposed of and replaced with a new pair according to a planned schedule. Unplanned replacement lenses (often called conventional lenses) are not replaced according to a pre-determined schedule. They are typically used for as long as they remain undamaged, usually around 12 months for soft lenses.
Why replace lenses frequently?
Almost immediately after they are inserted, contact lenses begin attracting deposits of proteins and lipids. Accumulated deposits, even with routine lens care, begin to erode the performance of your contacts and create a situation that presents a greater risk to your eye health.
A specific replacement schedule helps to prevent problems before they might occur. Contact lens wearers, in turn, enjoy the added comfort, convenience and health benefits of a planned replacement program. Planned replacement lenses are generally a thinner design or are made of different, more fragile materials with a higher water content than unplanned replacement or conventional contact lenses.
Based on a complete assessment of your needs, a prescription for planned replacement lenses may call for replacement:
Quarterly,
Monthly
Every 1-2 weeks
Daily
Except for daily disposables, planned replacement lenses require cleaning and disinfection after each period of wear unless they are discarded immediately upon removal. Planned replacement lenses can be worn as daily wear -- removed before sleep -- or as extended wear, if recommended by your practitioner.
By Type of Vision Correction Required
Contact lenses may be identified by the type of refractive error they are designed to correct.
Spherical contact lenses for nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hypermetropia);
Toric contact lenses for astigmatism;
Bifocal lenses for presbyopia, the loss of ability to focus on reading or close-up activities.
As an alternative to special bifocal contact lenses, many practitioners use a system called monovision where one eye is fitted with a distance lens and the other with a reading lens. Approximately two-thirds of patients adapt to this type of contact lens wear.
By Type of Tint
Contact lenses may be described as clear or tinted. Tints are used to make lenses more visible during handling, or for therapeutic or cosmetic reasons. Tints can enhance eye color, or change it altogether.
Three categories of tinted contact lenses are available.
Cosmetic enhancement tints are translucent and are designed to enhance your natural eye color. They are best for light-colored eyes (blues, greens, light hazel or grays). When wearing these tints, the color of your eye is a blend of the lens tint and your natural eye color and iris pattern.
Opaque or "cosmetic" tints change the color of your eyes whether they are dark or light. The pattern on the lens, which is colored, overlies the colored part of your eye, resulting in a color with a natural look.
Visibility tints are very pale, colored just enough to make the contact lens visible while you are handling it. They usually have no effect on eye color.
Frames and Eyeglasses Lenses
Coming Soon...
The Prairie Eye Clinic Guarantee
In our office, we want you and your family to be satisfied. In striving to be your family eye doctor, we guarantee you that:
If you're unhappy with our office for any reason; if you don't think the exam was thorough; if you don't like how your eyeglasses perform, the way they look, how they fit, or you can't handle your contact lenses, or they are uncomfortable...any reason whatsoever, we will:
1. Refund the money that you personally have spent
2. Refer you to another eye doctor
Dr. Johnson and Dr. Brown, along with the staff at Prairie Eye Clinic, want you to feel that you have been treated fairly and professionally.
Eye Care Insurance
As a service to our patients, our doctors participate with most major insurance plans and we gladly accept Medicare assignment. For the convenience of our patients, we are pleased to file insurance on your behalf directly to most major insurance carriers. However, in order for us to assist you in seeking reimbursement from your insurance carrier, you must help us by respecting our payment and billing policies.
Please understand that your insurance is a private contract between you and your insurance company. We do not control what dollar amount your insurance company reimburses or what they deem as covered services. Also, your insurance company will only reimburse for services that are covered in your insurance contract, so it is very important for you to understand your insurance plan. It is your responsibility to contact your insurance company when you believe they paid or processed your claim incorrectly. We will be happy to re-file your claim once you have settled the disagreement with your insurance carrier.
Please note that insurance is a method of reimbursing the patient for fees paid to the doctor and is not considered a substitute for payment. However, for your convenience, the doctors of Prairie Eye Clinic are participating providers with most major insurance companies. If you are enrolled with a plan that we participate with we will gladly file your insurance carrier for reimbursement. It remains your responsibility to pay any deductible amount, coinsurance, non-covered services or any other balance unpaid by your insurance company.
Prairie Eye Clinic gladly accepts Medicare assignment and is pleased to file your Medicare supplement plan.
In order for us to file claims on your behalf, we must receive a current copy of your insurance card. You are also responsible for securing required referrals or authorization forms from your primary care provider; it is also necessary for you to inform us prior to your examination if you participate in any vision plans.
Please understand that we incur cost when filing patient insurance claims; to control our administrative cost, payment is due when services are rendered.
When Paying In Cash
Services are to be paid for in full at the time they are rendered. When purchasing materials like contact lenses and glasses, 50% of the entire bill is to be paid at the time the materials are ordered and the balance of the bill must be paid on delivery to the patient.
For your convenience, we accept single party checks, cash, money orders and MasterCard/Visa payments.
Medicare
Please inform the staff member taking your appointment that you have this coverage. When you arrive at the office for your exam, the staff member will ask for and make a copy of both your Medicare card and you secondary insurance card (if you have one) for our files.
This program covers the eye health portion of the examination only. Non-covered services like the refraction (typically $17 at Prairie Eye Clinic) are not covered and would need to be paid in full at the time of the exam. Materials like eye glasses and contact lenses are not covered either except after cataract surgery. With cataract surgery, the only materials covered would be a new lens in your glasses for the operated eye.
Medicaid (Title XIX)
Please inform the staff member taking your appointment that you have this coverage. When you arrive at the office for your exam, the staff member will ask for and make a copy of your Medicaid card for our files. We will contact the State to confirm eligibility before the exam begins.
To be eligible for Medicaid, you must have full coverage and not pregnancy related coverage only. Annual eye examinations are covered with materials like frames and lenses covered each 15 months. There is a co-pay of $2 for each adult exam and a $6 co-pay for glasses. Co-pays are due at the time of the examination.
When selecting glasses in the optical, a special frame area displays the Medicaid eligible frames. Coverage includes plastic single vision or lined bifocals only. The patient can choose to upgrade their lens and pay the difference and/or add a coating (an example might be the scratch resistant coating) or tint to the lenses and pay the retail cost due at ordering.
Medicaid covers only a routine eye examination and not a contact lens examination or any contacts. Medicaid patients wanting contacts would first have one of the doctors do the routine eye examination (paid for by Medicaid) and then the contact lens fitting (paid for by the patient at the time of the exam). Any contact lenses would be paid by the patient. The exam and fitting can and should be done at the same office visit.
Vision Service Plan (VSP)
Please inform the staff member taking your appointment that you have this coverage. They will ask for the insured persons name and social security number over the phone to help immediately confirm eligibility. Confirmation is done over the internet and will tell us those covered, what type of plan they have and the services and materials covered.
For VSP reimbursement in full, the patient must do all the examination testing mandated by VSP. This includes but is not limited to tonometry (testing the pressure in the eye for glaucoma) and dilation of the eyes (to better check the interior of the eye for eye health).
There are many different VSP plans with many different benefits, some varying greatly from others. Your individual coverage is not determined by our office. We do accept assignment for VSP but some plans have co-pays and non-covered options that require payment by the patient to Prairie Eye Clinic at the date of service, before materials are ordered. If you have questions, we urge you to contact the HR person at your company for details.
Dakota Care
Please inform the staff member taking your appointment that you have Dakota Care. They will ask you if you have the vision rider or not. Basic Dakota Care covers medical eye care (eye infections like "pink eye") while the vision rider to Dakota Care covers specifically eye care items. When you arrive at the office for your exam, the staff member will ask for and make a copy of your Dakota Care card for our files.
With Dakota Care for eye health concerns, we do accept assignment. We will bill the carrier and they pay us directly.
With the Dakota Care vision rider, we are happy to do all paperwork normally required in submission of these claims but we do not accept assignment. As with private pay patients, payment for services and 50% of materials is due at the time of the exam. We then submit the claim on behalf of the patient and Dakota Care reimburses the patient directly. The balance of the materials is due before any materials can be dispensed.
Flex Plans
Many patients, especially those with the University of South Dakota and the Vermillion Schools have flex plans at work. While not technically an "insurance" plan, they use these dollars that have been set aside to pay for their eye care needs.
As with other private pay patients, payment for services and 50% of materials is due at the time of the exam. The balance of the materials is due before any materials can be dispensed. No receipt can be issued from our office until payment is made.
Remember to check your calendar as USD normally ends their year on June 30th. Don't let those benefits expire!
Sioux Valley Plans
Please inform the staff member taking your appointment that you have coverage with one of the Sioux Valley plans. They may ask for the insured persons name and social security number over the phone. When you arrive at the office for your exam, the staff member may ask for and make a copy of your insurance card for our files. There are many different Sioux Valley plans (ie - Midland Choice and others) so these procedures may vary.
Our normal policy is to accept assignment and bill the carrier directly. Normally only medical eye care is covered and not materials. The co-pays can vary from plan to plan so we normally bill the patient any balance due after we have submitted the bill and been paid by the carrier.
How Glaucoma Is Discovered
Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the internal pressure in your eyes increases enough to damage the nerve fibers in your optic nerve and cause vision loss. The increase in pressure happens when the passages that normally allow fluid in your eyes to drain become clogged or blocked. The reasons that the passages become blocked are not known.
Noticeable symptoms of glaucoma may be a gradual loss of side vision (above) or blurred vision (below).
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the U.S. It most often occurs in people over age 40. People with a family history of glaucoma, African Americans, and those who are very nearsighted or diabetic are at a higher risk of developing the disease.
The most common type of glaucoma develops gradually and painlessly, without symptoms. A rarer type occurs rapidly and its symptoms may include blurred vision, loss of side vision, seeing colored rings around lights and pain or redness in the eyes.
Glaucoma cannot be prevented, but if diagnosed and treated early, it can be controlled. Vision lost to glaucoma cannot be restored. That is why the American Optometric Association recommends annual eye examinations for people at risk for glaucoma (your doctor may, depending on your condition, recommend more frequent examinations). A comprehensive optometric examination will include a tonometry test to measure the pressure in your eyes; an examination of the inside of your eyes and optic nerves; and a visual field test to check for changes in central and side vision.
The treatment for glaucoma includes prescription eye drops and medicines to lower the pressure in your eyes. In some cases, laser treatment or surgery may be effective in reducing pressure.
This article and many other very informative articles are available at the American Optometric Association web site (www.aoanet.org).
Cataract Surgery: How Do You Know When It s Time?
A cataract is a clouding of all or part of the normally clear lens within your eye, which results in blurred or distorted vision. Cataracts are most often found in persons over age 55, but they are also occasionally found in younger people.
No one knows exactly what causes cataracts, but it is known that a chemical change occurs within your eye to cause the lens to become cloudy. This may be due to advancing age, heredity or an injury or disease. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation in sunlight, cigarette smoking or the use of certain medications are also risk factors for the development of cataracts.
Although cataracts develop without pain or discomfort, there are some indications that a cataract may be forming. These include blurred or hazy vision, the appearance of spots in front of the eyes, increased sensitivity to glare or the feeling of having a film over the eyes. A temporary improvement in near vision may also indicate formation of a cataract.
Currently, there is no proven method to prevent cataracts from forming. During a comprehensive eye examination, your optometrist can diagnose a cataract and monitor its development and prescribe changes in eyeglasses or contact lenses to maintain good vision.
If your cataract develops to the point that it affects your daily activities, your optometrist can refer you to an eye surgeon who may recommend surgery. During the surgery, the eye's natural lens is removed and usually replaced with a plastic artificial lens. After surgery, you can return to your optometrist for continuing care.
This article and many other very informative articles are available at the American Optometric Association web site (www.aoanet.org).
When Should Your Child Have Their Eyes Examined?
During the infant and toddler years, your child has been developing many vision skills and has been learning how to see. In the preschool years, this process continues, as your child develops visually guided eye-hand-body coordination, fine motor skills and the visual motor skills necessary to learn to read.
As a parent, you should watch for signs that may indicate a vision development problem, including a short attention span for the child's age; difficulty with eye-hand-body coordination in ball play and bike riding; avoidance of coloring and puzzles and other detailed activities.
There are everyday things that you can do at home to help your preschooler's vision develop as it should.
These activities include reading aloud to your child and letting him or her see what you are reading; providing a chalkboard, finger paints and different shaped blocks and showing your child how to use them in imaginative play; providing safe opportunities to use playground equipment like a jungle gym and balance beam; and allowing time for interacting with other children and for playing independently.
By age three, your child should have a thorough optometric eye examination to make sure your preschooler's vision is developing properly and there is no evidence of eye disease. If needed, your doctor can prescribe treatment including glasses and/or vision therapy to correct a vision development problem.
Here are several tips to make your child's optometric examination a positive experience: 1) Make an appointment early in the day. Allow about one hour. 2) Talk about the examination in advance and encourage your child's questions. 3) Explain the examination in your child's terms, comparing the E chart to a puzzle and the instruments to tiny flashlights and a kaleidoscope.
Unless Dr. Johnson or Dr. Brown advises otherwise, your child's next eye examination should be at age five. By comparing test results of the two examinations, your optometrist can tell how well your child's vision is developing for the next major step...into the school years.
Service to Our Community & Beyond – Giving Back
Math and Science Scholarships
A $250.00 scholarship is awarded annually to an outstanding Elk Point-Jefferson and Vermillion High School senior planning to continue his/her education after graduation at a college or vocational-technical school. The award is given to a student planning to major in math or science with preference given to intended majors in the optometric/healthcare field. The 2008 recepients are:
- Erin Rasmussen, a graduate from Vermillion High School, is attending USD for the 2008-2009 school year. Erin is pictured with Dr. Cynthia Johnson.
- Jessica Hudelson, a graduate from Elk Point-Jefferson High School, is attending Morningside College for the 2008-2009 school year. Jessica is pictured with Dr. Cynthia Johnson.
Annual Chamber of Commerce Golf Invitational
Each August the Chamber of Commerce has their golf social to raise funds for Chamber programs. Prairie Eye Clinic and Vermillion Printing & Graphics combine their efforts to provide team photos for each golfer to take home. Over 30 foursomes participate for a fun afternoon and evening social.
For more info on the Vermillion Area Chamber of Commerce and Development Company, click here.
Junior Coyotes
Each November the University of South Dakota Men’s & Women’s Basketball teams host a workshop for approximately 200 K-6th grade students. The children learn basketball skills, receive a basketball, get player autographs, and have a pizza party. With their registration they receive a T-shirt sponsored by Prairie Eye Clinic that gains them access to all home basketball games.
For more info on the USD basketball teams, click here.
Character Counts
Character Counts is a nation-wide coalition that includes thousands of schools, communities and nonprofit organizations. It is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian character education framework that teaches the Six Pillars of Character:
1.Trustworthiness
2.Respect
3.Responsibility
4.Fairness
5.Caring
6.Citizenship
Prairie Eye Clinic and the Vermillion School District have partnered in an effort to reinforce character education within the schools by implementing ‘The Hero of Character’ program. A staff member may nominate a student who demonstrates good character by submitting their name and a brief description of the qualities of character they see in that particular student. One student per month/per grade in each elementary school, and one student each per month in the Middle School and High School will be chosen as The Hero of Character. That student’s photo will be displayed in the Commons of their school and they will receive a Hero of Character T-shirt - courtesy of Prairie Eye Clinc.
For more information on the Character Counts coalition click here.
For more information on USD click here.
M.E.D.I.C.O.
Dr. Kevin Brown participates in M.E.D.I.C.O. – which stands for Medical, Eye, and Dental International Care Organization, Inc. MEDICO provides free health and educational service to impoverished people in Latin America, primarily in Honduras.
Dr. Brown has participated in several MEDICO teams since 1991. He is a member of MEDICO’s Board of Directors and currently serves as Treasurer. He contributed to two teams in 2004 - one for a week in May and one for a week in July.
For more information on MEDICO and the services it provides, click here.
|
