One Hour Lab Service

Dr. Bell's Family Eye Care provides the only full service one-hour lab in the area. Our lab manager, Bruce Hanning, is able to take a patient's prescription and fabricate new lenses within an hour.

• Single vision
• Line bifocals
• Progressive no-line multi-focals
• Trifocals and polarized sunglasses

Whether you have broken or lost your glasses, just had cataract surgery, needing new sunglasses or computer glasses, or just needing to update your prescription...how awesome is it to come in and pick out your frames, go run an errand or get a bite to eat, and come back and have your new glasses ready on the same day!

Contact Lenses

Our professionals can help fit you into a pair of lenses that is just right for you. We are experts in fitting contact lenses and can handle the most specialized needs.Whether rigid or soft lenses, we are experienced in handling the most difficult of prescriptions.

If you have allergies, then you know allergies can be particularly annoying to contact lens wearers. In the past many people had to quit wearing their lenses during the allergy season. However, new lens materials and allergy medications have made it possible for these people to eliminate the burning itchy eyes associated with allergies. Prescription medications such as Patanol and Alocril are amazingly effective and safe even in children as young as three. Let us know when you come in for your appointment if you have special allergy needs and we will be happy to help you.

Optical Dispensing

Our optical laboratory has the latest in equipment to not only fabricate your glasses, but to maintain and repair them should they become broken or damaged. We are able to:

• Tint
• Coat
• Harden
• Edge
• Provide you with any frame or lens design available
• Adjust and fit your glasses to you for extended comfort and vision.

Laser Vision Correction

Most people with vision correction issues are wanting to know more about LASIK and whether it is right for them. Here is a brief description of the procedure:

A flap is surgically cut in the cornea and gently folded back. An Excimer Laser is used to reshape the cornea into a flatter shape (this is much like a contact lens corrects vision by forming a new shape on the cornea). The flap is then put back in place, acting like a natural bandage. The healing process is quick and the discomfort level is quite low.

People will often say that they did not feel anything, and could see well the very first day. Most people have improved vision in 24-48 hours. but it must be noted that each person will heal at a different rate. Vision, although greatly improved immediately after surgery, often continues to improve for some weeks, even months.

LASIK is not for everyone. People's eyes are different so even though you may have had a friend who has had LASIK, it may not be the best course of treatment for you. If you are interested in laser vision correction, we will be happy to guide you in picking the right surgeon, procedure and laser appropriate for you.

After the procedure, our unsurpassed post-op care involves monitoring your eyes and adjust your medication for the best possible results.

Surgery Co-Management

Our office provides many of the surgical services such as Cataract surgery, Laser surgery, Refractive surgery and Strabismic surgery. We offer this in conjunction with the hospital and local eye surgeons.

Additionally, we have working arrangements established with other specialized eye care doctors to manage such things are retinal detachments, retinal tears and hemorrhages.

Eye Infections, Eye Injuries, Dry Eyes

Our office provides emergency services for eye infections and eye injuries. Please call our office at 573-785-5500 during office hours or our emergency number; 573-429-7561 after hours or on weekends. Our staff will work with you to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. State of the art
microscopes allow us to examine the front surface of the eye and facial areas around the eye for infection or injury. After assessing the extent of the injury or infection a treatment plan will be formulated and explained to you. Treatment may include medications and supportive care. Follow-up visits to monitor your recovery will be scheduled as needed.

Dry Eye Symptoms include:

• Scratchy eyes
• Burning
• Mild redness and gritty feeling eye.

Oral medications, reading, computer tasks and dry environments may aggravate marginally dry eyes. Dry eyes can be diagnosed by using dyes to observe tear patterns, evaluation of the amount of tears on the front of the eye and from review of your symptoms. Treatment may include artificial tears; eye drops for treating allergies; and/or punctal plugs inserted in the tear drainage canals.

Eye Diseases; Cataracts, Glaucoma, Diabetes

• Cataracts: The natural lens in the eye gradually becomes less clear as we get older. When opacities develop in the lens and the lens gets too hazy, vision will be impaired. Our office can diagnose and manage cataract care. When the cataract affects the vision to the extent that you cannot read or see distant objects comfortably, we will recommend cataract surgery. Our office co-manages with cataract specialists that are proven experts in cataract surgery. Cataract surgery can provide you with a bright new world of vision.
  
  
• Glaucoma: Glaucoma gradually destroys the optic nerve tissue in the back of the eye. The greatest danger of glaucoma stems from the fact that the disease is painless and without obvious symptoms until significant damage has occurred. The most common cause is from pressure being too high inside the eye, but vascular disease and other diseases can also cause glaucoma. We always monitor for glaucoma during routine eye examinations. Tests include checking the pressure of the eye, screening for peripheral vision defects and analyzing the appearance of the optic nerve. If you are diagnosed with glaucoma, we typically prescribe medications that lower the eye pressure. Most forms of glaucoma are successfully treated with eye drops. Laser treatments and eye surgery are secondary treatments that offer alternative ways to treat more advanced glaucoma.
  
  
• Diabetes: Diabetic patients should have a dilated retinal examination each year. Laser treatments have proven to slow the progression of retinal eye disease for many patients. Diabetes often stimulates the growth of new blood vessels in the back of the eye, which ultimately leak and damage the retina. If this condition is discovered early, laser treatment can destroy these vessels. We have the latest instruments used to detect changes in the back of the eye. If we discover advancing diabetic eye disease that can be treated or needs further evaluation, we will refer you for consultation and further testing to a board certified retinal specialist.

Vision Therapy

Seeing clearly is not enough. For many people, reading and hand-eye coordination tasks can be very difficult. The act of sight not only includes one's eyes, but it also includes the neurological activity that processes the visual information. Throwing a ball or skiing down a hill is a learned activity; to do either well takes practice. Those who do it best are those who started learning at the earliest age.

Sight plays an important role in the learning of these activities. Sight is the steering mechanism; it is the main activity that provides feedback regarding what really is happening. We provide Vision Therapy to help individuals learn how to process visual information and develop better hand-eye coordination skills.