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:
- Cataracts
- Comprehensive Eye Exams
- Computer Vision
- Contact Lenses
- Diabetic Eye Care
- Digital Retina Imaging
- Dry Eye Treatment
- Emergency Care
- Glaucoma
- Hard To Fit Contact Lenses
- Hyperopia
- Keratoconus
- LASIK Co-Management
- Macular Degeneration
- Myopia Control
- Pediatric Eye Exams
- Sports Vision
- Surgery Co-Management
Cataracts
Cataracts cause a clouding of the lens in the eye, making your vision appear to be foggy. Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over 40 and are the leading cause of blindness in the world.
Your eyes are meant to naturally adjust to normal light changes, adjust focus, and allow us to see both near and far. Your lens is primarily made up of water and proteins. The proper arrangement of these proteins is what contributes to normal vision. Some of these proteins clump together forming a clouding of the lens.
Comprehensive Eye Exams
Our West Des Moines eye doctor at Huseman Eye Care can help you preserve your vision with annual eye exams. Not only will you see clearer with our quality care, but our comprehensive eye exams are the key to eye disease prevention. Read on to learn more about the importance of these examinations with our West Des Moines eye doctor.
The Importance of an Annual Eye Exam Throughout Life
Children’s vision can change rapidly as they grow and develop, which is why we recommend an annual pediatric eye exam for your child. Vision screenings they receive in school are often inaccurate, and they don’t have the ability to ‘see’ other issues such as developing diseases like an eye doctor can. We even offer infant eye exams, which can help detect vision problems in your baby early on.
An annual eye exam is also recommended for adults and especially for seniors. An adult or senior eye exam can help reveal conditions that can develop with age such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. These are conditions that could take years to discover through traditional medicine, so make a yearly visit to Huseman Eye Care a priority to preserve your vision.
What We Screen for During An Eye Exam in West Des Moinesfp
Whether you’re getting an adult exam, a pediatric eye exam or a senior eye exam in Des Moines, we look for several eye conditions including farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism and other ocular issues. These include:
Strabismus—Also known as turned or crossed eyes, we will check your eye alignment to see how well your eyes are working in unison. This condition can cause depth perception issues and lead to amblyopia if left untreated.
Amblyopia—Misaligned eyes or those with two highly different prescriptions are at greater risk for developing amblyopia. This condition can impede visual development in the affected eye that lead to permanent vision issues. Patching the eye is the easiest course of treatment.
Eye Diseases—In the early stages eye diseases like diabetic eye disease and glaucoma have no apparent symptoms. Early detection is essential for proper treatment, and our exams can uncover these issues to reduce the risks of permanent vision loss.
Physical Conditions—We have specialized equipment that look behind your eyes to establish if you have physical health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol so you can see your physician immediately for further tests and treatment.
What to Expect During a West Omaha Eye Exam
After a consultation with our optometrist in West Omaha, we’ll run a series of eye tests that typically include:
- Reading an eye chart.
- Eye cover tests for alignment.
- Using a phoropter to check for manual refractions.
- A slit lamp examination of the eye.
- Examining the retina after dilation.
We also offer the applanation tonometry exam to check for glaucoma, which may incur an additional charge.
Looking for a West Des Moines Eye Doctor?
With two convenient locations in the area, there’s no reason for you not to see things clearly with an annual eye exam in West Des Moines to preserve your vision and for eye disease prevention. Call Huseman Eye Care’s optometrist in West Des Moines at (515) 224-9681 or contact our Des Moines optometrist at (515) 278-1653.
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.
Contact Lenses
As your trusted Des Moines and West Des Moines Optometrists, Huseman Eye Care has helpedhundreds of patients see better with contact lenses optimized for their vision needs. Contact lenses are a popular option for people who want to enjoy the best vision possible without the need for eyeglasses. If you’re thinking about contact lenses, here’s what you should know:
Contact Lens Exam vs. a “Regular” Eye Exam: What’s the Difference?
A regular comprehensive eye exam focuses on how well you see as well as the health and function of your eyes. Based on the results of your eye exam, the eye doctor can determine if you need corrective lenses or if you need treatments to prevent eye damage or vision loss. In a contact lens exam, the eye doctor will perform additional evaluations and measurements of your cornea, the clear membrane located on top of the pupil and iris.
What Happens During A Contact Lens Fitting With An Optometrist In West Des Moines?
During the contact lens fitting portion of your exam, the eye doctor will use special instruments to carefully evaluate your corneas, looking for irregularities that could affect your ability to wear lenses comfortably or determine if you might need specialty lenses. The cornea will be measured, and you’ll be asked some questions about your lifestyle to help determine which type of contact lenses might be best for your needs. Once these evaluations are complete, the eye doctor will send the information to a lab that specializes in contact lens fabrication, and once the lenses are ready, you’ll come back to the office to ensure they’re a good fit and provide optimal vision correction. In most cases, you’ll receive a trial pair of lenses first so you can try them out for a week or so before ordering a larger supply.
Choosing the Right Lenses: How Your Optometrist in West Des Moines Can Help
If you’re looking for contact lenses in West Des Moines, you have a lot to choose from. There are many types of contact lenses available, including:
- lenses that can be worn for up to a month before they’re thrown away
- disposable lenses that are worn for just one day
- gas permeable (GP) or rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses which many patients find more comfortable than soft contact lenses
- bifocal lenses or lenses for patients with presbyopia, vision loss associated with natural age-related changes
- contact lenses for people with astigmatism, a vision problem that occurs when the cornea is misshapen
- hard-to-fit contact lenses for patients with unusual cornea shapes, including “steep” corneas
- lenses that alter the color of your eyes
And within all those options, there are different brands of lenses as well. Our optometrists are skilled in helping patients sift through all their options to choose the best lens for their needs, comfort, and preferences.
Are Contact Lenses A Good Choice For You?
Contact lenses can be a great option for many people, but they’re not always an ideal choice. To learn more about contact lenses, or to schedule a comprehensive eye exam, call Huseman Eye Care in West Des Moines at (515) 278-1653 or in Des Moines at (515) 278-1653.
Diabetic Eye Care
Diabetes can affect more than just your blood sugar. It can also do some damage to your eyes if you are not careful.
Diabetic eye disease can cause vision loss if you are not careful. It can cause you to have trouble with everyday tasks even if you have regular glasses or contacts. It can even cause blindness.
Digital Retina Imaging
Using a digital camera system, our optometrists at Huseman Eye Care can clearly see and examine your retina, located at the back of your eye. This examination is critical to monitoring the health of your eye as well as to the early detection of many medical problems. The pictures generated through retinal imaging help us identify problems with your vision and can also help diagnose other medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, or even brain tumors.
Dry Eye Treatment
Huseman 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.
Emergency Care
Here at Huseman Eye Care, we are here for you in the case of an emergency. There are times when you may need immediate care for your eyes. Any time that you experience trauma to your eyes, you need to be seen. If you get anything in your eye, especially chemicals and foreign objects, you should be seen immediately to limit the potential damage to the eye.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma occurs from damage to the eye’s optic nerve and can often lead to loss of vision and blindness. To detect glaucoma, our highly trained doctors will perform a proper screening to determine severity, examine the damage, and help you manage your glaucoma.
Early detection of glaucoma is crucial in preventing vision loss and blindness; the earlier the better. However, there is no official cure for glaucoma. There are several treatment methods that manage, slow down, or halt the process. Treatment for glaucoma will vary depending on the stage and severity for each individual patient.
Hard To Fit Contact Lenses
Do you find wearing contact lenses impossible? Are your regular contacts painful or constantly uncomfortable? You are not alone. Due to a variety of factors such as individual eye shape, specific conditions, impairments, or the aftermath of surgery, some patients are considered to have more difficulty wearing contacts than others.
Hyperopia
Farsightedness, known as hyperopia, makes it difficult to see objects close by. If you are experiencing farsightedness, corrective lenses such as glasses or contact lenses will be prescribed. After a thorough examination, we will determine the prescription that’s best for you.
Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a non-inflammatory disorder that affects the cornea. The cornea becomes thinned and steepened, resulting in distorted vision, sensitivity to light, and decreased vision. Symptoms typically manifest in a person’s younger years, usually the late teens or 20’s.
Keratoconus can affect a person’s ability to read or drive, which can be a major obstacle for people. Luckily, this is a condition that can be diagnosed through a routine eye exam, which underscores the importance of scheduling regular eye exams for you and your children.
LASIK Co-Management
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.
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is a deterioration of the central portion of the retina, the inside layer of the eye that records the images we see and sends them through the optic nerve from the eye to the brain for processing. The macula, or the center of the retina, is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye and controls our ability to see and process information.
Beautiful multiethnic family standing at the porch during covid19 lockdown
Myopia Control
Nearsightedness, known as myopia, makes it difficult to see objects from afar. If you are experiencing nearsightedness, corrective lenses such as glasses or contact lenses will be prescribed. After a thorough examination, we will determine the prescription that’s best for you.
Pediatric Eye Exams
At Huseman Eye Care, our Des Moines and West Des Moines eye doctors provide pediatric eye exams to stay on top of your child’s ever-changing and developing eye health. Our eye care team maintains a welcoming, friendly environment to ensure that your child is comfortable throughout the entire exam, and an annual pediatric exam allows us to ensure that your child’s eyes and vision are developing properly. If your child hasn’t had an eye exam in the past year, be sure to schedule one with us as soon as possible.
Vision Problems We Check for in Pediatric Eye Exams
Because a child’s eyes do a great deal of development at a young age, a regular kids eye exam in West Des Moines is just as important as your child’s annual physical or routine dental exams. After all, there are many eye conditions and vision problems that tend to manifest themselves at a young age, and the earlier we’re able to detect them, the more successful treatment can be.
Some of the more common eye conditions we see in children and can screen for during a pediatric eye exam include:
- Near- and far-sightedness (refractive errors)
- Strabismus (cross-eyes)
- Amblyopia (lazy eye)
- Astigmatism (curvature of the eye lens)
Fortunately, all of these conditions can be treated with corrective lenses, eye patching, or surgery (in more extreme cases). Furthermore, the sooner these conditions are diagnosed, the better.
Potential Symptoms to Watch Out for in Your Child
In addition to regular eye exams, there are some potential symptoms of eye problems to watch out for in your child and that should warrant a visit to the eye doctor if noticed. Some possible problems to watch out for include:
- Blurry vision
- Complaints of eye pain or headaches
- Trouble reading and writing
- Decline in academic performance
What to Expect From a Pediatric Eye Exam
When we perform a child’s eye exam in Des Moines, there are a number of steps we will take to ensure a thorough exam and to make sure your child is comfortable. We’ll begin by getting to know you and your child as well as his or her medical history. From there, we can move onto a physical inspection of the eyes as well as the back of the eye.
In our office, we can also test for alignment issues in the eye by performing what’s known as a “cover test,” as well as any visual acuity testing for color blindness, vision problems, and other common childhood eye conditions.
If you’re ready to schedule your child’s next eye exam with our eye doctor in West Des Moines, give Huseman Eye Care a call today at (515) 278-1653 today! We have two convenient locations and several great doctors at each office. We can also be sure to find an appointment date and time that works for you!
Sports Vision
Sports Vision training involves high-level eye tracking, depth perception, and hand-eye coordination. Many athletes will practice these exercises to keep their eye health in peak condition.
There are various exercises and specific exams used for Sports Vision testing. Office and field tests can both help determine how your eyes will function beyond the realm of normal activity. We can customize a program to strengthen your vision based on your level of activity.
Surgery Co-Management
If you are interested in laser surgery, we will begin with a comprehensive eye examination, which will let us know more about you and your needs. We may have to perform some testing to properly diagnose your eye conditions. During this time, the surgeon and staff will go over what you can expect before, during and after the procedure; we want to make sure to give you realistic answers for your unique vision.