Eye Disease Diagnosis & Management in Cochrane

Name: River Heights Eye Care
Address: 1129 4A River Heights Drive, Cochrane, AB, T4C 0N8
Telephone: (587) 327-9000

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We Keep an Eye on Eye Disease

Unfortunately, there are many eye diseases to be wary of, and eye disease may be more common than you think. What’s worse, some of them don’t begin to exhibit symptoms until they have caused permanent vision loss or even blindness.

At River Heights Eye Care, we have the knowledge, technology, and expertise to detect and manage many eye diseases before they progress.

Our priority is safeguarding your vision. Our team is dedicated to doing everything we can to protect your sight and eye health.

Early detection is vital! Book an eye exam today.

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Our Technology

At River Heights Eye Care, we can detect and diagnose a range of eye diseases using state of the art technology.

Visual Field Testing

A visual field test, also known as a perimetry test, is a useful way to test for early signs of glaucoma by detecting certain patterns of vision loss. We perform this painless test regularly to ensure we measure all areas of your eyesight and can monitor ongoing changes in your eyesight.

The test takes around 15 to 30 minutes to complete and allows us to identify how well objects can be seen in the peripheral field. You’ll need to look into an instrument called a perimeter and press a button every time you see a light flash. After the test, a computer will print out your results and show if there are any areas of vision loss.

ICare Tonometer

Tonometry measures your eyes’ intraocular pressure, or IOP, by seeing how your cornea responds to pressure. Normally, numbing drops are applied before the test to minimize discomfort.

However, We use ICare -the newest era of tonometry technology – to avoid having to use anesthesia. This also allows us to test your IOP in any position, no need to lay down or be in an uncomfortable position.

Using the ICare means avoiding the dreaded “air puff” that most patients have to experience when measuring intraocular pressure of the eyes. Instead, the ICare uses rebound tonometry to measure motion parameters of an object after getting it to collide with the eye.

Topcon Maestro2

Along with other cutting-edge diagnostic technologies, our clinic is equipped with the Topcon 3D OCT-1 Maestro2, an advanced automated optical coherence tomography system and fundus camera for assessing a range of optical diseases and conditions. The full-colour fundus camera offers both 2D and 3D pictures in high resolution and takes full scans in record time.

Eye Diseases We Can Diagnose & Manage

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a condition that damages the optic nerve, which is responsible for transmitting visual information from the eyes to the brain. While the damage is typically caused by an increase in eye pressure, this isn’t always the case. Normal-tension glaucoma can develop even when eye pressure is within the normal range.

Glaucoma is a progressive optical disease and one of the leading causes of blindness among Canadians.

Some studies show that the presence of diabetes can double the chances of developing glaucoma, making it even more critical for patients with diabetes to undergo annual diabetic eye exams.

At River Heights Eye Care, we use the Icare® tonometer for quick and easy intraocular pressure measurement without anesthesia or air. It measures your eye pressure without the dreaded “puff” test.

Cataracts

While not considered a disease, cataracts occur when the proteins in the eye lens become cloudy, often simply due to the ageing process. Symptoms of cataracts may include brown, white or blurry spots in the field of vision, seeing halos around light sources, and difficulty differentiating between shades of colour. In its early stages, the adverse effects of cataracts can often be minimized using glasses or contact lenses. However, cataracts can only be corrected using surgery.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

AMD is a condition that occurs when the macula (central portion of the retina) deteriorates due to age. While usually painless, this condition causes the central vision to become increasingly blurry. If left untreated, your central vision may be lost entirely.

AMD is the leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 55 in North America. While there is no cure after the disease has manifested, there are management strategies that can help.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that develops when high blood sugar levels damage the fragile blood vessels in the eye. These damaged blood vessels then leak and swell, causing retinal scarring, which can lead to permanent vision loss.

Diabetic Macular Edema

Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) occurs when fluid leaks around the macula, the back portion of the retina that is responsible for detailed vision. This leaking causes the macula to swell, blurring your vision. If left untreated or undiagnosed, permanent central vision loss may occur.

We Look Forward To Meeting You

Visit us

Our brand-new clinic is located in River Heights, on the south side of the beautiful Bow River. You’ll find us across the highway from the Community of Fireside, beside Cochrane Dodge.