84 | www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com RETINAL IMAGING SCREENER According to Savannah Coker, O.D., of The Vision Center at Seaside Farms, “The retinal imaging screener we now use in our annual eye health examinations creates a wide-field photograph of the retina as well as a valuable cross-sectional scan. These eye health scans can now take less than 10 minutes and avoid the use of annoying dilation eyedrops. Beginning changes can be detected that might not be caught by a typical eye examination. This information has allowed us to catch early signs of macular degeneration, glaucoma, hypertension, diabetes and many other eye diseases.” Other new vision technology includes Neurolens, an eyeglass lens that can reduce symptoms such as headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain and eye strain. Intense pulsed light therapy and the TearCare system offer improved dry-eye treatments. Recently, eye vitamins that can reduce the size of floaters and eyedrops that can improve focus and reduce the need for reading glasses have been introduced to the market. Dr. Coker is a fan of both new technologies: “I have always loved the community aspect of private practice in optometry, and that is what drew me to The Vision Center at Seaside Farms. Today’s new technology allows me to give exceptional care to my patients.” TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN HEALTH CARE It’s no secret that technology is racing ahead of us, with new innovations seemingly emerging daily. Applications for the health care industry are particularly exciting. Whether improving early diagnoses, reducing the risk of infection, permitting more precise surgeries or decreasing hospital stays and recovery times, these new innovations benefit the patients using them and the doctors delivering the services. Here’s a brief look at three new procedures and a sample of South Carolina facilities that offer them. By Janet E. Perrigo Photo Courtesy of The Vision Center at Seaside Farms.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjcyNTM1