La Mesa Vision Care Center is designed to meet all your eye care needs.  Dr. Hixson and Dr. Giles use the latest state-of-the-art technology to thoroughly assess the health of your eyes.

“We cannot optimally prescribe for you if we don’t take the time to know everything about your visual life.”

Dr. Tom Hixson

 

● Annual eye exams/diabetic exams every six months

For the health of your eyes, we recommend annual eye exams. The exam includes a brief interview with an optometric technician regarding your medical history, a check of your blood pressure, if needed, followed by tonometry (glaucoma testing) and a visual fields evaluation which measures your peripheral vision.  We ask that you please bring in your current eyeglasses or contact lense boxes at the initial exam.  Normally, we will call you a month ahead of time, but If you have not heard from the office, feel free to contact us when it is time for your optometric appointment. 

● Low vision exams and treatments

When your eye doctor is unable to improve your vision with a normal spectacle correction, there are many (low vision) devices that may help.  There are eye disesases that can not be cured by medical or surgical intervention.  Macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma are just a few of these diseases.  If the vision decrease affects the individual’s ability to function visually, this is called low vision.  Dr. Hixson specializes in low vision and will spend optimal time to meet each patient’s needs.  The low vision exam normally takes about one hour and could include the use of magnifying or telescopic lenses. 

● Sports vision therapy

Athletic performance is dependent on many factors.  One of the factors that is required to perform at the highest level in all sports is vision.  All athletes can enhance their visual skills through vision training.  Dr. Giles specializes in this area and is dedicated to not only giving every athlete evaluated the best opportunity to succeed, but to also educate coaches, trainers, parents and athletes about the vision process used in sports.  The first step is a free sports vision screening that takes about 15 minutes.

● Vision therapy

Vision disorders are the fourth most common disability in the United States and are the most prevalent visual handicap in childhood.  The U.S. Census data states as many as eight to 12 million school-aged children are at risk from undetected vision impairments.  If an initial evaluation reveals a vision disorder, Vision Therapy will help.  Vision therapy is a series of procedures that require activation of a particular vision skill.  This targeted therapy focuses on the weak visual skill and raises it to a higher level.

● Optos exams 

An important part of the eye exam process is checking the overall health of your eyes.  The Optomap Retinal Exam provides our optometrists with important information about your health, without the need for uncomfortable pupil dilation.  It is a painless procedure: By looking into the Optomap Eyepiece, the digital image of your retina is captured in less than a second. Nothing touches your eye during the process, and the retinal image is immediately displayed for your eye specialist to review with you.  Not every office has an Optomap Retinal Imaging Machine, and La Mesa Vision Care is proud to care about the health of your eyes.

 ● Glaucoma and visual field analysis

 

● Corneal Topography

 

● Refraction

The refraction is a vision test that determines your best visual acuity with corrective lenses.  It can be done with computerized equipment, but typically an instrument called a phoropter is used.  The phoropter holds corrective lenses that are positioned in front of your eye.  While looking at the eye chart through the phoropter, the optometrist will adjust the lenses until the chart appears the clearest possible.

● FDA studies

La Mesa Vision Care is proud to be an official site for Federal Drug Administration studies.  Patients can participate in, and be compensated for, studies relating to cutting-edge contact lense technology.  An example is the new CRT contact lense that re-shapes your cornea as you sleep, allowing you to be free of lenses during normal waking hours.  

● Free onsite adjustments

As a service to the community, La Mesa Vision Care optometric technicians will gladly adjust your frames and/or replace nosepads at no cost to you.  Feel free to drop by the office with your frames.  There is no need for a pre-scheduled appointment.

● Onsite lab to repair damaged lenses, fill prescriptions and repair frames

La Mesa Vision Care is unique in that it has its own onsite laboratory and Lab Technician to handle all of your lens-care needs.  Lab Technician Craig Lund has been in the business for over 25 years and prides himself on his attention to detail.  Often, he can grind the lenses and make repairs within a few hours.  The process saves time and money in many cases.

● A wide selection of designer frames are available

There are hundreds of frames from which to choose.  Some familiar names include: Coach, Nike, Disney and RayBan.  Optometric Technicians Angela and JoAnne will help you through the decision process, lending fashion advice as needed.

● Contacts

Over the years, contact lenses have grown to include a wide variety.  Daily lenses, monthly lenses, quarterly and CRT lenses (overnight lenses) are available and Doctors Hixson and Giles will help you assess which work best for you.  Through the recurrance of FDA studies in the office, La Mesa Vision Care is able to offer the latest in contact lense technology.

● Miscellaneous products – lens cleaners, cases, etc.

To complete your visit to La Mesa Vision Care, you will be given free cases with your lenses and there are a wide variety of cleaners and other products from which to choose.  Feel free to browse and ask questions.