Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Eye exams are usually recommended on a yearly basis. School age children may need to be seen more frequently if vision is changing. Furthermore, older patients may need a routine vision exam and additional medical eye appointments during the year depending upon eye diseases. Read our Eye Exam Frequency Guidelines blog post to learn more.
An optometrist is an eye doctor and can treat many eye concerns. Your optometrist specializes in getting you a prescription for glasses or fitting contact lenses. Ophthalmologists are medical doctors dealing with eye diseases and often perform surgery. As an optometrist, Dr. Voss will refer patients to an ophthalmologist based upon the required specialty. In many cases, after the ophthalmologist finishes surgery or treatment, they refer care back to Dr. Voss for follow-up care, medications, routine eye examinations and eyeglasses.
Voss Eyecare has an entire optical selection for eyeglasses frames for the entire family. We carry major brands and specialty frame companies offering everyday eyeglass frames as well as sunglasses. Furthermore, our patients can order contact lenses through Voss Eyecare for pick-up or even home delivery.
It usually takes about a week to get a pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses. Voss Eyecare partners with local labs and other lab facilities to process orders which is usually determined by which vision insurance is contracted to make your eyeglasses. Your prescription and lens features may influence how long it takes to manufacture your specialty eyeglasses.
Photochromatic lenses change color when exposed to UV light. Transitions® are a specific brand name for this type of lens. Photochromatic lenses are usually chosen in a grey or brown, but are also available in Sapphire, Emerald, Amber, and other colors. Since photochromatic lenses work by being exposed to UV light, they do not stay tinted under automobile windshields unless a specific design is chosen. Ask a Voss Eyecare optician for options.
Blue-blocking is a non-glare (anti-reflective) treatment which filters blue light from computers and other electronic screens. Blue-blocking can be added to prescription lenses or even non- prescription lenses when ordering eyeglasses. One of the brands we offer is Crizal Prevencia®, but there are other brands available as well Vision insurance may cover a portion of blue- blocking depending upon your lenses and plan specifics.
Crizal® is a brand of anti-reflective features which can be applied to new lenses when ordering. There are different levels of anti-reflective features so that some offer more scratch resistance or even blue-blocking for electronics. Voss Eyecare opticians assist you in choosing the best anti- reflective lens treatment and will tailor your selection to the lenses best suited to you.
Meta® frames are a RayBan® product with camera and speaker technology which pairs through Bluetooth® wireless to a phone application. You can order Meta® frames at Voss Eyecare with or without a prescription. These frames accommodate sunglass lenses or clear lenses for everyday use.
Yes, we offer polarized lenses which is the ultimate sun protection to block UV and filter glare. Polarized lenses can be made with prescriptions in most ophthalmic frames. Polarized sunglasses are beneficial for everyday use, but especially desirable for boating and fishing sports.
Voss Eyecare has a large selection of safety frames in stock for viewing and fitting. You should always check with your employer’s human resources department, so that you are sure Voss Eyecare is on the list of preferred providers. You may also order safety glasses as a self-pay out- of-pocket purchase. If through an employer, you will need to bring your authorized company form as well as a current eyeglasses prescription. If you do not have a valid prescription, you can schedule an appointment with Dr. Kevin Voss. This appointment will be your responsibility unless your routine vision or medical insurance covers an eye examination.
Presbyopia is common after age 40. Presbyopia makes up-close activities, such as reading or texting more challenging. Reading glasses may help, or sometimes nearsighted people take their glasses off to read. Dr. Voss can determine if bifocals in glasses or progressive lenses will work for you. As a full-service optometrist, Dr. Voss can also fit you for multifocal contacts if you do not want glasses.
You should schedule a medical visit at Voss Eyecare if you have red and itchy eyes. Pink eye is also known as allergic conjunctivitis which is contagious. Pink eye often requires medicated eye drops as treatment. Other types of eye infections may also need treatment, so it is always best to get a medical appointment.
We accept most major health plans for medical eye appointments. It is always best to have your medical insurance available when calling for an appointment. Our optical staff will do our best to determine if your insurance can be used at Voss Eyecare. You can also call the member phone numbers on the back of your medical insurance card to see if Voss Eyecare is in your network. Some HMO and PPO plans will only allow you to see in-network providers. If your plan does not allow medical visits at Voss Eyecare, you will be responsible for the cost of services.
Watery eyes can be a result of several different conditions which fall under the description of Dry Eyes. Tear film is a balance of fluids. As such, if the eyes feel dry or there is not sufficient nutrients on the surface, eyes will tend to water. Aging factors can contribute to Dry Eye as the eyes do not have effective lubrication or the tear film may not stay on the eye surface. Always discuss watering eyes with your optometrist during a routine visit or call for a medical check up.
Allergies and environmental factors can sometimes cause the eyes to feel dry. Even dry air and lack of humidity in winter can cause eyes to feel dry. A medical consultation at Voss Eyecare can help determine why you have Dry Eye. Dr. Voss can recommend drops, write prescriptions as needed, and review your options.
Our optometrist, Dr. Voss can see patients for most eye concerns during routine business hours. Some problems routinely seen at Voss Eyecare are foreign body sensations, flashes and floaters, pink eye, allergies, dry eye, eye pain, and irritations. After hours eye emergencies should visit an urgent care or an emergency room.
Eye emergencies can happen at any time. After hours eye emergencies should visit an urgent care or an emergency room for treatment. If you have problems during routine business hours, our optometrist, Dr. Voss, can speak with you personally about your issue and make recommendations for how to proceed.
Eye emergencies could result in vision loss or blindness. You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following: a foreign object stuck or lodged in the eye, a scratch on the eye surface, chemical exposure, sudden pain or swelling in or around the eye, a sudden development of double vision, new flashes or floaters especially if you had a blow to the head or eyes, sudden vision loss, or pressure around the eyes with or without a headache. When in doubt, seek medical care at an urgent care or an emergency room for any acute vision problem.
You should have a routine eye examination or a medical appointment with your optometrist for any issues affecting your vision. Reasons for an appointment at Voss Eyecare may include: gradual changes in visual acuity for either distance or near vision, allergy sensations like watering or itchy eyes, redness or goopy eyes which could be pink eye or a sign of infection, styes on the outside or inner eyelids, uncomfortable pain either in contact lenses or when contact lenses are removed, dizziness, and blurry vision. Call your optometrist for any concerns or make an appointment for a routine comprehensive eye examination.
Glaucoma is a serious medical eye condition which may cause permanent loss of partial vision or blindness. Glaucoma is often associated with family history or genetic predisposition. Glaucoma is a change of pressure within the eye(s) and causes loss of vision. Although medicated eye drops can keep the eye pressure normal, there is no cure or restoration for lost vision. Some serious glaucoma problems may also require surgical intervention. Our optometrist at Voss Eyecare will do an ocular pressure check during your routine examination. If necessary, medicated eye drops will be prescribed and follow up testing will be scheduled . Dr. Voss will monitor glaucoma for pressure changes and perform Visual Field Testing to determine the status of your vision loss and recommend a glaucoma specialist if necessary.
You should always consult your optometrist for new spots, flashes, or floaters in your field of vision. These disturbances could be a sign of a serious condition like a detached retina even though there may be no pain involved. The vitreous or jelly-like substance filling the middle of the eye can sometimes shrink as we age. When this happens, tiny clumps of gel can form and cause floaters in your vision. More serious circumstances could be a blow to the head or a high prescription which may be susceptible to retinal detachments. The best advice is to call for an appointment at Voss Eyecare for new flashes and floaters or see an emergency room physician if you have had a recent accident.
A yearly eye exam at Voss Eyecare is necessary for any patient with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. After an examination with Dr. Voss, he will send a report to your primary care physician. For the diabetic patient it is important to monitor for Diabetic Retinopathy which is when the blood vessels in the eye are damaged and cause distorted vision with possible blindness if left untreated. Vision monitoring as well as A1C management through primary care is critical.
No, dilation is not always necessary for an eye examination. Dilation is done with drops which relax the pupil, so that the optometrist can view the inner eye. Dilation may be recommended for children, to check the retina for flashes and floaters, or for diabetic patients. In some cases, Retinal Eye Photography will take the place of dilation, and then the eye photos become part of the patient record.
As people age, cataracts develop as the lens inside the eye becomes cloudy making it difficult to see clearly or causing more glare at night. Evaluations for cataracts can be done by Dr. Kevin Voss. When appropriate, he will refer you to a surgeon for cataract surgery. Then, Dr. Voss will complete your follow-up care and prescribe final glasses if necessary.
There is a risk putting contacts into your eyes for Halloween or Cosplay. You should not use contact lenses if not properly trained to take them in and out of your eyes. Only buy Halloween contacts which are FDA approved, follow directions for how long they can be worn, and dispose of them as recommended. Storing Halloween contacts for future use after worn, can introduce infections, which is why these are usually for single use events. If you experience any problems during or after wearing Halloween contacts, you should call for an appointment at Voss Eyecare or visit an Urgent Care.