optometry services  Duluth, MN
Here at Troy M. Powers, O.D & Associates, we know how important proper eye care is. We are dedicated to providing the highest level of service so you can have the vision you deserve.

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:

Comprehensive Eye Exams  Duluth, MN

Comprehensive Eye Exams

On average, we recommend scheduling an appointment once every two years to ensure your eyes are remaining healthy. If you have been diagnosed with an eye condition, however, we recommend scheduling an appointment once or twice a year depending on the severity.

During your appointment, we will review your patient history, visual acuity, perform preliminary tests, and evaluate your eyes’ overall health.

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contact lenses  Duluth, MN

Contact Lenses

Nowadays, most people prefer to wear contacts instead of glasses. If you are interested in contact lenses, please let your eye doctor know prior to your appointment. During your exam, we will discuss the various contact lenses available and determine the best option based on your individual needs and lifestyle.

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Designer Frames  Duluth, MN

Designer Frames

Troy M. Powers, O.D & Associates is proud to offer a wide variety of designer frames! Glasses, more than ever, say a lot about your personality, style, and fashion. Selecting the right frames can be confusing and daunting, especially for first time patients. Our staff has a great deal of experience helping patients find the best frames for them – taking into account budget, medical needs, lifestyle, and appearance.

At Troy M. Powers, O.D & Associates, we are here to help you find the perfect look, while also correcting your vision. There is no replacement for professional help finding the right frames for your face, but the guide below can give you an idea of what to look for.

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Dry Eye Treatment  Duluth, MN

Dry Eye Treatment

Troy M. Powers, O.D & Associates 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.

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Frames  Duluth, MN

Frames

There are many different styles, shapes, and materials to choose from when picking out the best frames for your lenses. This can sometimes be an overwhelming and difficult decision, but at Troy M. Powers, O.D & Associates, we are happy to help you find the best frames for your specific wants and needs. Although frames are primarily a style choice, they are also affected by prescription strength. High-index prescriptions may limit which frames can support your lenses, but our friendly opticians are happy to help you find the right solution!

Frame material is also an important choice that needs to be made when choosing your frames. For our patients with metal allergies, we offer several options in alternative frame materials such as plastic or acetate. Since plastic and acetate frames are generally not adjustable, it is crucial to get the proper fit. Stainless steel frames are also an option as it tends to be less irritating than other metals for those with sensitive skin. Titanium is another alternative, and they are incredibly lightweight as well as durable and hypoallergenic.

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Hard To Fit Contact Lenses  Duluth, MN

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.

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LASIK Co-Management  Duluth, MN

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.

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Pediatric Eye Exams  Duluth, MN

Pediatric Eye Exams

Here at Troy M. Powers, O.D & Associates, we are proud to offer pediatric eye examinations. Children should have their first eye exam around the age of six months. If the first exam finds that their eyes are healthy, they won’t need another appointment until they are between the age of two and three.

Although many schools offer annual eye exams, they are not complete visual exams and the results can be inaccurate. For this reason, you should schedule yearly or bi-yearly examinations to ensure that your child’s eyes are healthy and that he or she can see clearly.

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Frames  Duluth, MN

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are designed to protect your eyes from sunlight. While all tinted lenses help to protect your eyes from sunlight, some will protect your eyes better than others. Sunglasses with lenses that block ultraviolet sunlight are the best option. Although sunglasses can be expensive, there are many affordable brands that provide great protection from harmful sunlight as well. If you are interested in finding the best brand of sunglasses for your lifestyle, we can help you find them.

We have a variety of options for you to choose from that will comfortably fit your face and let you enjoy the warm weather in style. Prescription lenses can be applied to most sunglasses and we can help you order a specific brand if we don’t have them in the store.

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Surgery Co-Management  Duluth, MN

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.

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Optomap

Your retina (located in the back of your eye) is the only place in the body where blood vessels can be seen directly. This means that in addition to eye conditions, signs of other diseases (for example, stroke, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes) can also be seen in the retina. Early signs of these conditions can show on your retina long before you notice any changes to your vision or feel pain. While eye exams generally include a look at the front of the eye to evaluate health and prescription changes, a thorough screening of the retina is critical to verify that your eye is healthy.

What is an optomap Image?

Getting an optomap image is fast, painless, and comfortable. Nothing touches your eye at any time. It is suitable for the whole family. To have the exam, you simply look into the device one eye at a time (like looking through a keyhole) and you will see a flash of light to let you know the image of your retina has been taken.

Under normal circumstances, dilation drops might not be necessary, but your eye care practitioner will decide if your pupils need to be dilated depending on the health of your eyes. The image capture takes less than a half-second and they are available immediately for you to see your own retina. You see exactly what your eye care practitioner sees – even in a 3D animation.

Source https://www.optomap.com/optomap-screening/

Benefits of an optomap Image

The benefits of having an optomap ultra-widefield retinal image taken are:

– optomap facilitates early protection from vision impairment or blindness

– Early detection of life-threatening diseases like cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular disease

The unique optomap ultra-widefield view helps your eye care practitioner detect early signs of retinal disease more effectively and efficiently than with traditional eye exams.

Early detection means successful treatments can be administered and reduces the risk to your sight and health.

Frequently Asked Questions about an optomap

Why is a retinal exam so important?

Some of the first signs of diseases such as stroke, diabetes and even some cancers can be seen in your retina, often before you have other symptoms. An optomap makes it easier to see them.

Is an optomap safe for children?

Yes. In fact, many vision problems begin in early childhood, so it’s important for children to receive quality routine eye care.

What is an optomap?

The optomap is a digital image of the retina produced by Optos scanning laser technology. It is the only technology that can capture 82% view of your retina at one time.

Does it hurt?

No. It is completely comfortable and the scan takes less than a second.

How will optomap benefit me?

The ultra-widefield optomap may help your eye doctor detect problems more quickly and easily. Unlike traditional retinal exams, the optomap image can be saved for future comparisons.

How often should I have an optomap?

This is a decision that should be made by your doctor. However, it is generally recommended that you have an optomap each time you have an eye exam.

Are there side effects?

optomap images are created by non-invasive, low-intensity scanning lasers. No adverse health effects have been reported in over 150 million sessions.

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