Our eye health evaluations are more than just vision correction!

Do you realize that your eyes reveal insights regarding your overall health? In fact, your eyes provide early detection for various diseases that can affect more than just your vision! This is the reason we routinely perform tests that look for signs and symptoms of the various systemic diseases, not only just eye diseases, during your regularly scheduled preventative, individualized, comprehensive eye health evaluation.

Illnesses that may be discovered early through signs in your eyes include high blood pressure, diabetes, and even heart disease. This is why it is so important to leave your total eye health care to professionals. We feel it is important to review your family history also. We will then be more equipped to monitor and watch for signs of possibly inherited diseases or illnesses as another precaution.

Ankeny Family Vision Center is proud to use the latest in technology to provide you the best in preventative, individualized, comprehensive eye health and vision care. This includes the newest Kowa Digital Retinal Imaging and Telemedicine System. The standard of care for eye health examinations today includes digital imaging for permanent diagnosis, documentation and comparison purposes. Early detection is crucial in the diagnosis and treatment of eye disease, or systemic disease detected during a comprehensive eye health examination.

Digital Retinal Imaging combines the technology of retinal photography and computerized digital imaging to produce remarkably clear images of the back of your eye (see sample images). We recommend this procedure as a baseline for ALL patients, especially those at risk of developing eye disease from the effects of diabetes, patients with high blood pressure, those with the risk of age related macular degeneration, or a family history of glaucoma. The images allow Drs. Hansen, Pietig and Waters to further evaluate the retina for eye conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and retinal holes/tears. In addition, these retinal images can be e-mailed to your personal e-mail address, or sent to your Physician (s) for them to have on file as part of your health record to compare for such systemic diseases that affect your eyes: diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, multiple sclerosis, orbital tumors for example, or to monitor eye side effects of medications that treat cholesterol or arthritis.

Here is what we are checking during your routine comprehensive eye health evaluation:

Of course Drs. Hansen, Pietig, and Waters are always checking your eyesight to ensure proper vision. Your total eye health is extremely important to them and the staff does everything they can to ensure that you receive the best individualized care possible. Do you know that the curve of your cornea determines how the light reflects into your retina and the type of image produced? We measure your cornea, record your vision, then consult and recommend the best options available to you with all the latest technology!

We check for glaucoma, a disease where high levels of pressure inside of your eye are present when your eyes fail to regulate internal pressure. Early detection of glaucoma is crucial to prevent the loss of sight.

We watch for cataracts, when the internal lens of your eye becomes cloudy and necessitates replacement.

Do you know what binocular vision is? It is when each of your eyes forms its own image and transfers these images to the brain. The brain fuses these two images into one. In order for this to occur, your eyes must move together, be aligned, and produce the same size and shape image. When this does not happen it is difficult to see clearly and usually causes strain and headaches. We also conduct a series of tests to assess the ability of your eye muscles to assure you that both eyes are working as a team!

Our eye health evaluations are the best you will find!

While so many bargain eye care providers are interested only in volume and getting the next patient in the chair, we place quality above all else. We want to know your eyes and your vision are healthy. That is why we offer individualized, comprehensive, and preventative eye health evaluations and necessary follow-up care.