Happy Birthday COA!

March marks the eighth year anniversary for Carolina Ophthalmology Associates. Wanting to provide a more personal hometown feel for their patients, Drs. Mark Scroggs and James Bryan left their positions at NC Eye and Ear Hospital in 2001 to open their own private practice that was located on East Franklin Street.

Since then, we moved our four employees from an office with two exam rooms to the Boyd Hall Building on VilCom Circle that we are currently located in that entails six exam rooms, an expanded optical shop, a laser suite and 12 employees.

The physicians have been careful to balance growth without compensating the patients’ personal experience. Dr. Scroggs explains, “We have an emphasis on the patient’s care and continue to build and improve upon their satisfaction whether they are here for a routine exam or a complex ocular condition.”

As with any anniversary, the family at COA must also look to the future while reflecting on our past. Dr. Bryan adds, “We are constantly focusing on creating the best possible eye care practice that the people in our community and their families can trust and want to refer others.”

If there is any area of our practice that you feel could improve, please let us know by sending an email to want2see@carolina2020.com. We do value your comments and suggestions.

Where Are You Going to Buy Your Glasses?

The bargains you can get online can be tempting, especially during this unstable economy, but how much does it really save you? Here are some things to consider before you go online to make your purchase. It takes a good bit of time and educating oneself to get a pair of glasses online that you’re going to really love and you’ll need to be comfortable making the following decisions for yourself.

So you want to know how a pair of glasses looks on you, simply try them on if you’re at The Vision Place. Optical websites offer creative solutions to address this important issue, but is it really the same? Online you may not be able to see the small details and you won’t know how they’re going to fit or feel until they arrive at your door step two weeks later.

In many ways, it is easier to select glasses if you have an optician helping you. Every frame is a custom job, so when you visit the optician, it is their job to take various measurements to ensure a proper fit that is specific to the size of your head, the distance between your pupils and that fit the bridge of your nose properly. Other wise, you may end up with a frame that is either too snug and pinches your nose and behind your ears or too loose and slides down your nose every time you lean over.

Another issue is measuring your own pupil distance (PD). If you don’t measure the distance between your pupils properly, then you may end up getting headaches if you're not looking directly through the centers of the lenses. Bifocals are especially tricky and are often avoided altogether by these types of web-based optical sites.

You will also need to educate yourself with everything that the optician usually guides you through such as deciding what lens material to use, which tint you may want and don’t forget about ultraviolet, crizal, anti-reflective and anti-scratch coatings… When making each decision on your own, what one may have thought would be a “fun” process can soon become overwhelming.

Last of all, beware of the various return policies. What if the prescription is wrong due to a doctor error or your vision changes in a month? Is there a warranty on the frame or lenses and if so, for how long? Our optical shop offers a 12 month manufacturer’s warranty and a 1 month money back guarantee for prescription changes/errors. If you can’t see properly out of your new glasses, bring them back.

At The Vision Place, you will have a qualified optician that is certified and available to assist you during each step of your purchase, making recommendations that will be best for you and your lifestyle. What’s more, UV protection, anti-scratch coating, a case and cleaning cloth is included with every purchase at no extra cost!

Happy Holidays

Dr. Scroggs, Dr. Bryan and staff would like to wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season!

Our office will be closed for Christmas on Wednesday, December 24th and 25th and on the afternoon of the 26th.

We will reopen on Monday, December 29th and will be closed on Thursday, January 1st for New Years Day.

Double Your Pleasure

If you haven't noticed yet, you will be greeted by two new smiling faces at our reception desk. We would like to introduce Jess and Sara to our patients.

On September 21st, Jess joined our staff. She is a very busy mother to two boys ages 4 and 2. In her free time, she enjoys racing all-terrain sports vehicles and volunteering through the local fire department and at The Ronald Mc Donald House.

Jess recently obtained her EMT certification and is training to become a flight paramedic. Her hobbies include car restorations, sport bikes, and salsa dancing. Jess says "I am very excited to be a part of the team here at Carolina Ophthalmology and I hope to see you soon!".

Just a short week later we were fortunate enough to also welcome Sara to our extended family. She graduated from Meredith College and is a former school teacher. After staying at home to raise her family for 13 years, she decided to returned to the work force. "I am enjoying being a part of Carolina Ophthalmology" she says. "In my spare time, I take care of my 4 dogs and spend time with my girls. We enjoy shopping, going to the beach and hanging out at our pool. We also are big Duke fans and like to cheer on the Blue Devils!!!".

Know Your Eye Care Team

There are several types of eye care workers, each serving a variety of patient needs. However, most patients do not know the difference between an ophthalmologist, an optometrist or an optician.

We feel it is important for you to understand the differences in education, training and credentials among eye care providers. Consider those differences when selecting a provider. Here is a listing of the various members of the eye care provider team, what they do and their credentials. Opticians provide the most limited amount of service while ophthalmologists provide all services within the eye care continuum.

Opticians

What They Do:
They fit eyeglasses and contact lenses, following prescriptions written by optometrists or ophthalmologists.
They measure patients’ eyes, recommend eyeglass frames and lenses based on the patient’s needs and can reshape eyeglass frames to fit properly. When licensed to do so, opticians also can fit contact lenses.

Credentials:
They are licensed after they have earned either an associate opticianry degree (one- to two-year program), or after they have apprenticed for at least two years.
They must pass a licensing for certification. Certification is awarded after passing an exam, and must be renewed every three years.

Optometrists

What They Do:
Provide routine, primary vision care.
They examine eyes to detect vision problems and diagnose eye diseases such as glaucoma. They also test patients’ depth and color perception, as well as their ability to focus and coordinate eye function.
They prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses, and in NC, they can administer and prescribe medications to help diagnose vision problems and treat certain eye disease.

Credentials:
Optometrists to be licensed.
Optometrists must have a Doctor of Optometry degree (minimum of three years of undergraduate studies), followed by four years at an accredited optometry school.
They must pass a written and clinical state optometric board exam to receive a license.
They are regulated at the state level, and renew their license usually every three years.

Ophthalmologists

What They Do:
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who specialize in all aspects of eye health. They provide primary eye care services including eye exams and prescribe medications and perform surgical procedures, such as laser surgery and lens replacement.
Using both surgical and non-invasive techniques, ophthalmologists diagnose and manage eye diseases, conditions, and disorders, and treat and repair eye injuries.

Credentials:
Ophthalmologists must be licensed.
Ophthalmologists must have a minimum of three years of college, four years of medical school, a one-year internship, and at least three years of an ophthalmology residency (hospital-based training). They must then pass a licensing examination.
As medical doctors, ophthalmologists are regulated by state medical boards.

Visit our web site at www.carolina2020.com

Feed Those In Need This Thanksgiving

Be sure to bring a can of food with you to your eye appointment as are currently collecting food for the InterFaith Council Food Pantry in time for Thanksgiving. Our patients have been so gererous in the past that this will be our sixth year participating!

Please visit our web site at http://www.carolina2020.com/