Your Vision & Eye Health

High Quality Vision Services, Including LASIK and Refractive Surgery in the Denver Area

At Vision Care Specialists, we are proud to offer services geared toward the total health of your eyes. From eye examinations to the treatment of eye conditions, we offer cutting-edge technology that improves your eye health and well-being at our offices in Denver, Aurora, Highlands Ranch, and Lakewood. Our doctors are experienced in the latest advancements in LASIK, a popular refractive surgery that dramatically improves the vision of those dependent upon glasses and contact lenses. Whether you need an eye exam or a LASIK consultation, contact Vision Care Specialists for all of your vision needs.

• Comprehensive Eye Examinations
• Specialized Medical Eye Testing
• Quality Fashion Eyewear & Sunglasses
• Enhanced Sports Vision
• Specialty Contacts & CRT
• LASIK
• IOLs / Cataract Treatment
• Glaucoma Treatment
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration
• Corneal Disease

Comprehensive Eye Examinations

We perform comprehensive eye examinations at our offices in Denver, Aurora, Highlands Ranch, and Lakewood. What we mean by a comprehensive eye examination is a detailed and complete evaluation of the health of each area of the eye as well as thorough vision testing and prescription assessment.

Our doctors and technicians explain the purpose of each test as it is performed. We want to help you understand all your eye health and vision treatment options. During the exam, pressure in the eye is measured to see if there are any early signs of glaucoma. In addition, the back of the eye, including the retina, macula, and ocular nerve are examined for signs of disease and problems such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal holes/tears or detachments. Observation of the back of the eye is performed either through dilation of the pupils or by taking an optomap®  retinal scan (there is a separate fee for the optomap® retinal scan).

The doctor performs refractive testing to determine the optical lens strength required for the clearest possible vision. Binocular vision skills are tested as well; this is to ensure that the eyes work together properly as a unit. These skills include depth perception, eye muscle coordination and the ability to change focus from near to far objects. Pupil responses are tested, and the cornea and lens are checked for general health and the possible development of cataracts.

It is important to have a comprehensive eye exam every 12 months. Getting your prescription checked by your doctor is the best way to keep your eyewear current and your eyes in good health. Eye diseases such as glaucoma display no symptoms until full onset has occurred; this is a disease that can be prevented through detection and maintenance. In addition, prescription changes do not necessarily reveal themselves through secondary symptoms. Changes in the amount of myopia (near-sightedness) or hyperopia (far-sightedness) occurring can be masked by the eye muscles straining to accommodate for the change. This does not always reveal itself by way of headaches or noticeable eye strain.

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Specialized Medical Eye Testing

We recommend and perform various types of medical eye testing as necessary. The tests we perform at our Denver area offices include Automated Visual Field Testing, Heidelberg Retinal Tomography (HRT), Corneal Topography, Pachymetry, optomap® retinal exam, Schirmer’s test, and various methods of color testing.

• Automated Visual Field Testing measures the effectiveness of a patient’s peripheral vision. This test is used primarily for glaucoma suspects or for patients that have been diagnosed with glaucoma.

• Heidelberg Retinal Tomography (HRT) is a system that combines a laser-scanning camera and specialized software that evaluates the optic nerve. The HRT may diagnose glaucoma years before symptoms become apparent to the patient and is particularly useful at detecting small changes over time.

Peripheral Hyperacuity Perimeter (PHP) is a system that allows  early detection of the change from dry age related macular degeneration to the wet stage.

• Corneal topography provides the most detailed information about the curvature of the cornea. The computer generates a color map from the data. This information is useful to evaluate and correct astigmatism, monitor corneal disease, and detect irregularities in the corneal shape. Corneal topography is very useful for refractive surgery (LASIK) and CRT (Corneal Refractive Therapy).

• Pachymetry determines the thickness of the cornea. This is especially useful in LASIK evaluations, keratoconus patients and to evaluate corneal swelling.
• optomap® Retinal Exam provides a 200 degree view of the retina without dilation. This scan gives our doctors the ability to detect early on such problems as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, ocular hypertension and retinal tears, holes or detachments.
• Shirmer’s testing determines tear production to determine if the patient has dry eye syndrome.
• Color testing determines a patient’s level of color sensitivity and discernment.

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Quality Fashion Eyewear

We carry a large number of high quality ophthalmic frames from top designers.

Before deciding to carry a frame line, we check frames for strength and durability as well as compatibility with various lens specifications. We have a large and comprehensive selection of frames to fit any lifestyle. Our opticians have many years of experience in the optical field. In addition to their technical expertise in recommending the proper lens type for an individual’s best vision, our opticians are skilled at finding the perfect frame shape and style for your personal look.

We offer a variety of lens options to help optimize vision. These include thin and lightweight lenses, anti-reflective coatings, transition lenses, and custom tints. We also offer many different types of progressive (no-line bifocal) lenses to provide outstanding vision to patients with presbyopia. These range from full time progressive lenses to computer vision lenses and include lenses geared toward any specialized vision need. Our certified opticians can help select the perfect lens for any lifestyle.

Sunglasses: It is important to protect your eyes!

Damage can come from wind, UV rays, infrared rays and glare. With Colorado’s elevation, everyone’s eyes are closer to the sun. This increases the danger of UV exposure. We carry the latest technological advances in polarized lenses, custom tinting, UV coating and mirror coating. We also carry a wide assortment of sunglass styles from a range of popular brands to help minimize sun exposure and enhance activities such as skiing, biking, and driving.

Enhanced Sports Vision

We offer glasses to help enhance sports performance through sharper vision under a variety of conditions. 

We can create prescription glasses for your specific sports vision needs. Lenses can be made with various focusing distances and additional tints to enhance your vision for a variety of sports from golf and tennis to skiing and basketball. Sunglasses can also be made with polarized lenses to drastically cut glare and enhance depth perception for pursuits such as fishing and other water sports and activities.

Learn more about eyeglasses

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Specialty Contact Lenses

Our doctors evaluate, fit, and prescribe a large selection of soft disposable and rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses. Soft contact lenses include daily wear, two week, and monthly disposable contacts. One of the recent advances in lens material technology is the introduction of silicon-hydra gel lenses. These lenses offer more water content and oxygen permeability than other disposable contacts. This allows extended wear time (in some cases lenses are FDA approved for overnight wear), with greater comfort. Customized RGP lenses offer the best vision for patients with complex prescriptions. RGP lenses are also often prescribed to correct vision for patients who have keratoconus, a condition where the cornea becomes especially steep.

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Corneal Refractive Therapy 

CRT is an option that allows patients to wear contact lenses at night and see without wearing either glasses or contacts during the day. The lenses used for CRT are high water content high oxygen permeability rigid lenses. The CRT lenses actually shape the surface of the cornea during sleep. This re-shaping is temporary, but after a few nights of wearing the lenses daytime vision will improve. CRT is especially beneficial to children with rapidly increasing myopia and can slow down the progression and limit the severity of myopia over time. CRT is limited to a range of prescriptions; see one of our doctors for more information.

Learn more about contact lenses

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LASIK Laser Eye Surgery

LASIK is a popular treatment used to correct refractive errors by reshaping the cornea of the eye. Our surgeon has experience performing refractive surgery on patients at our offices in Denver, Aurora, Highlands Ranch, and Lakewood. LASIK is a quick, safe, and effective way to dramatically improve your vision and possibly liberate yourself from glasses and contact lenses.

Learn more about LASIK

Comprehensive Treatment for Eye Conditions

At Vision Care Specialists our optometrists work with our ophthalmologist to diagnose and provide treatment for serious eye conditions including cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and corneal disease.

Cataract Treatment

Cataracts are the gradual clouding of the lens of the eye. A common ailment that occurs as we age, cataracts are caused by protein clumps that build up on the lens. As the protein builds, it begins to blur and impede vision. Lens replacement with an intraocular lens is the only treatment for cataracts.

Learn more about cataract treatment

Glaucoma Treatment

Glaucoma is a group of conditions that cause damage to the optic nerve of the eye. In most cases, glaucoma is characterized by an increase of intraocular pressure (IOP) in the eye. If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to vision loss. Treatment depends on the type of glaucoma that you have, though options include laser treatment and surgery.

Learn more about glaucoma treatment

Age-related Macular Degeneration

Like cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) occurs in older patients and is defined as the destruction of the macula of the eye, located in the center of the retina. The macula is responsible for the central vision. If left untreated, vision loss is imminent. Though there is no cure for AMD, it can be treated with laser surgery, among other treatments.

Learn more about age-related macular degeneration

Corneal Disease

Corneal diseases encompass a variety of diseases, infections and injuries that cause damage to the cornea of the eye, having an impact on vision. As with many medical conditions, early detection is the key to successful treatment.

Learn more about corneal disease

Contact Vision Care Specialists Today!

Vision Care Specialists provide in-depth vision services to our patients in Denver, Aurora, Highlands Ranch, Lakewood and surrounding communities. Whether you are interested in LASIK refractive surgery, treatment for glaucoma, or an annual exam for eyeglasses or contact lens prescription, you can be sure that our knowledgeable staff will take care of you. Contact one of our offices today.

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