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Optometrist or Ophthalmologist?
If you require a routine eye exam or are simply updating your eyeglasses or contact lens prescription, a visit to the optometrist is the best option. However, for a specific problem in the eye resulting from a disease, trauma, infection, or surgery, an ophthalmologist is the most appropriate professional to visit.
An optometrist (also known as O.D.s or Doctors of Optometry) is a primary healthcare doctor of the eye and visual system who provides comprehensive eye and vision care, which includes refraction and dispensing, detection of disease in the eye, and the rehabilitation of conditions of the visual system. An optometrist will perform an eye exam and write a prescription for corrective lenses.
An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in all aspects of eye care, including diagnosis, management, and surgery of ocular diseases and disorders.
It’s common for ophthalmologist and optometrist to work together and co-manage a patient’s eye care needs. Here’s a real-life scenario: an optometrist conducts your thorough eye exam and prescribes corrective lenses (glasses and/or contact lenses). However, if surgery is indicated or if the optometrist detects and eye concern that is outside of his or her scope of practice, you may be referred to an ophthalmologist for more advanced care.
Eye Center of Texas specializes in all aspects of eye care, including diagnosis, management, and surgery of ocular diseases and disorders, however we do not perform routine eye exams or write prescriptions for corrective lenses (glasses and / or contact lenses).
We are happy to help you find an optometrist who provides comprehensive eye and vision care. “Find an Optometrist in Your Area“: https://www.eyecenteroftexas.com/patient-resources/ods-in-your-area/
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Is It Time for Cataract Surgery?
Cataracts cause a progressive, slow, steady decline in vision. Cloudy areas spread and intensify over a period of months or years.
You may be bothered by glare from headlights and other bright sources of light, halos around bright lights when the surrounding area is dim, decreased color perception or the need for more light to see common objects. You may also experience an inability to read, an inability to drive, or an inability to do the normal things you do because your vision is getting progressively worse.
Sometimes new glasses prescriptions can help improve the vision, but it does not remove the fog and haze caused by the cataract. However, when the vision becomes blurred and hazy to the point that you are not able to perform your daily activities, it is time to discuss removing the cataract.
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Does LASIK Hurt?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions when patients come in for their LASIK evaluation. In the hands of an experienced surgeon, LASIK does NOT hurt and the procedure itself is painless. Before surgery you will be given a valium to help relax…and your eyes are numbed with a series of eye drops. You will be comfortable during the procedure (the surgery room is cold and recommend you wear a sweater or jacket).
Choosing a qualified surgeon is one of the most important decisions you can make for a pain free and successful outcome. Our surgeons has performed LASIK for over 60,000 patients and are confident they can give you the excellent visual results you are looking for.
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Win A FREE Visian ICL Procedure
STAAR Surgical, maker of the Visian ICL, is giving away a FREE Visian ICL procedure and GoPro Hero4 to one lucky grand prize winner. The Visian ICL can give you the freedom to live a life uninhibited by the day-to-day lifestyle demands of glasses and contacts.
Enter the Wake Up and Go contest for your chance to experience a hassle free life today! To enter, you must be a qualified candidate. Call us today at 713-395-1515 to schedule an appointment with our certified Visian ICL surgeon, Dr. Edward Wade and take the first step toward winning a FREE Visian ICL procedure!
For more info and contest rules, please click on: http://tiny.cc/VisianCL
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Reduce Your Risk for AMD & Heart Disease
February is National Heart Disease Awareness Month and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Awareness Month.
Some of the same things that put you at risk for heart disease and stroke also put you at risk for AMD. These include:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Obesity
- Smoking
The good news is that you can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol to reduce your risk of heart disease and AMD by:
- Consult a doctor; follow their instructions and stay on your medications.
- Eat a healthy diet that is low in salt; low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol; and full of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Take a brisk 10-minute walk, 3 times a day, 5 days a week.
- Don’t smoke and if you do smoke…quit!!!
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Considering LASIK? Ask Your Optometrist
If you’re thinking about getting LASIK, you should ask your optometrist who they recommend. More than likely, your eye doctor will say “Eye Center of Texas” because over 275 Houston area eye doctors trust their patients to Dr. Mayo or Dr. Wade.
Don’t just trust search engines, trust the eye doctor who’s been taking care of your eyes for the last 5…10…20 years. When it boils down to it…who knows more about which surgeons get the best results than other eye doctors who have sent their patients and family members to Eye Center of Texas for more than 20 years?
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After LASIK…get out and enjoy Houston!
With so many fun things to see and do in Houston. Here are some of our favorite activities to do in Houston after you have made the quick recovery from LASIK vision correction surgery.
Hermann Park: is a beautiful wooded site with picnic areas, running trails, lots of on-leash dog walking areas, the Houston Zoological Gardens, a public golf course and an outdoor theater featuring plays and live music.
Discovery Green: This downtown park offers free yoga classes, movie nights and toddler story times. The park has a playground, spray fountain and Mist Tree, great for hot Houston days.
Memorial Park: Memorial Park is a sprawling park nestled within a wooded majestic metropolis. Enjoy miles of walking or jogging with friendly Houstonians. You will find this park to be very pleasant indeed.
Memorial/Allen Parkway Trails: The Allen Parkway and Buffalo Bayou trail revitalization is awesome! Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get over there to explore…but will report more when our temp warms up a bit!
Get LASIK at Eye Center of Texas on Friday…explore and enjoy Houston on Saturday!
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Give LASIK to Your Valentine!
Searching for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift? If your sweetheart wears glasses and/or contacts, consider giving the gift of LASIK. Okay, we get it…LASIK may not be the most romantic Valentine’s Day gift, but unlike chocolate or flowers the gift of sight will last a lifetime! Think about it, you could look into your sweetheart’s eyes – without looking through glasses!
LASIK Gift Certificates are available by calling 713-395-1515 (ask for Steve or Kathy). They will be happy to help create the perfect Valentine Gift Certificate!
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February is Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month
Macular degeneration is a progressive eye condition affecting as many as 15 million Americans and millions more around the world. The disease attacks the macula of the eye, where our sharpest central vision occurs. Although it rarely results in complete blindness, it robs the individual of all but the outermost, peripheral vision, leaving only dim images or black holes at the center of vision.
AMD is the leading cause of severe vision loss in adults over the age 50. Although anyone can get AMD, caucasians are at higher risk than other races and women tend to develop AMD at an earlier age than men. There are several other risk factors for the onset of Age-related Macular Degeneration:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
In the early stages, AMD doesn’t have any symptoms. However, there are complications that a patient should be aware of that become noticeable as the condition progresses. These include:
- Straight lines begin to appear out of shape
- Dark or white blurry areas appear in the center of vision
- Change or decline color perception
With no cure for Age-related Macular Degeneration, the best defense against the eye disease is early detection. As always, it is important for eye care patients to get annual comprehensive eye exams.
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Visian ICL or LASIK?
Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK. When doing your research, you should look seriously at a practice that also offers Visian ICL as an alternate to LASIK.
If you have thin corneas, dry eyes and high refractive error – the Visian ICL may be a better option for you.
The Visian ICL is an implant and it doesn’t involve a laser to treat the cornea (this is especially good for patient with dry eye).
The Visian ICL is an outpatient procedure, takes 15 minutes per eye, little to no discomfort and has a 99.4% satisfaction rate.
The ideal ICL candidate is between the ages of 21-45 with high levels of nearsightedness and without significant astigmatism.
Recovery begins immediately, with most patients reporting clear vision by the end of the procedure.
Dr. Wade is the #1 Visian ICL surgeon in Houston. Call Eye Center of Texas (713-395-1515 and ask for Steve) to schedule your free Visian ICL evaluation.
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Our Locations
Houston/Bellaire
6565 W. Loop S., Suite 650Bellaire, TX 77401
Medical Office:
713-797-1010
Medical Fax:
713-357-7276
LASIK/Near Vision:
Office: 713-395-1515
Fax: 713-357-7278
Pasadena
4415 Crenshaw RoadPasadena, TX 77504
Medical Office:
281-977-8800
Medical Fax:
281-977-8877
Sugar Land
15200 S.W. Freeway, Suite 130Sugar Land, TX 77478
Medical Office:
281-277-1010
Medical Fax:
281-277-4504
Clear Lake
455 E. Medical Center Blvd., Suite 110Webster, TX 77598
Medical Office:
281-332-1397
Medical Fax:
281-282-9152
Katy
Greenhouse Medical Plaza2051 Greenhouse Road, Suite 110
Houston, TX 77084
Medical Office:
713-797-1010
Medical Fax:
281-214-2971
The Woodlands/Conroe
100 Medical Center Blvd., Suite 118Conroe, TX 77304
Medical Office:
713-797-1010
Medical Fax:
936-647-1620