mttamvisioncenter.com| Quality eye care in san anselmo, marin county

Featured Equipment

Mt Tam Vision Center is continually investing in state-of-the-art equipment and the newest diagnostic technologies. Our doctor and staff go through rigorous, ongoing training to ensure that we're doing everything we can to improve our patients' vision and quality of life. We are a referral center for other optometrists and ophthalmologists whose patients require specialized vision correction and for family physicians whose patients require primary eye care or diagnostic services.

Pachymeter It has recently been determined that the thickness of an individual's cornea can influence the pressure reading and lead to an under or over-estimate. For this reason, we now perform Ultrasound Corneal Pachymetry on all our patients to determine corneal thickness. Having this measurement allows us to get a better understanding of your eye pressure readings which is vital in the diagnosis of Glaucoma. It is also a very important piece of information for patients who are considering LASIK surgery (people with corneas that are too thin CANNOT have Lasik surgery), and to monitor the progression of certain corneal conditions such as Fuchs Endothelial dystrophy and Keratoconus. This test is simple, painless and takes a few seconds. Please let us know if you haven't had it done - it is very important for determining an accurate pressure.
		Air Puff Tonometer A tonometer is used to measure the pressure of the eye. This painless test is one of five we use to help detect the different types of Glaucoma. The small puff of air acts like a thumb when you press it into a ball to see how full it is. If the eyeball is firm, it has higher pressure, and if it is soft, then the pressure is lower
Auto Refractor/Keratometer An autorefractor is a machine used to quickly measure a person's refractive error and prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses. This is achieved by measuring how light is changed as it bounces off the back of a person's eye. The automated refraction technique is quick, simple and painless. The patient takes a seat and places their chin on a rest. Using one eye, they look into the machine at a picture of a balloon. The picture moves in and out of focus as the machine takes readings to determine when the image is on the retina. Several readings are taken which the machine averages to form a prescription. No feedback is required from the patient during this process. The keratometer is used to determine the shape of the cornea. It does this by looking at the reflection of light off of the cornea at sixteen different points. These measurements are used to diagnose conditions such as astigmatism , Keratoconus, corneal scarring and corneal distortion. A keratometer is commonly used to fit contact lenses as well. The accuracy of this combined instrument allows us to have a viable starting point in determining your spectacle and contact lens prescription.
		Computerized Visual Field Analyzers Glaucoma is a condition where nerve damage in the back of the eye leads to changes in the field of vision. By the time the central vision is affected, glaucoma is already far advanced with almost all peripheral vision permanently lost. That is why glaucoma is called the 'sneak thief of vision'. When we test vision on an eye-chart, only the central vision gets tested. So reading 20/20 on the eye-chart would mean you have great central vision, but no comments can be made about the peripheral field of vision. Mt Tam Vision Center uses an Octopus 123 to test your peripheral and central vision, what we call fields. This automated projection perimeter shines a spot of light onto the back of the eye at predetermined locations and intensities. You are asked to press a button when you see the stimulus. Your responses are analyzed statistically and compared with a database of people your age, both with and without various conditions. Besides Glaucoma, numerous conditions such as stroke, other vascular problems, and many neurological conditions can be quickly assessed through Visual Field Testing. Retinal disorders such as Retinitis Pigmentosa and Retinal Detachment can also be diagnosed and monitored by this technology.
Corneal Topographer Of all the technology currently available, corneal topography provides us with the most detailed information about the shape of the cornea. Using a very sophisticated computer and software, thousands of measurements are taken and analyzed in just seconds. Compare this to the sixteen measurements taken by most keratometers. Using these measurements, the computer generates a color coded, “3-D”, topographical map detailing the exact curvature and shape of the cornea. The doctor uses this information to evaluate and correct astigmatism, monitor corneal disease, and detect irregularities in the corneal shape. In addition, this helps the doctor determine if you are a good candidate for, and what options are available to you, if you are considering Contact Lenses, LASIK, Refractive Implants or CRT (Corneal Refractive Therapy).
		Digital Anterior Segment Imaging This technology allows us to capture real time color images of the front of the eye and the surrounding structures. These high resolution digital images can then be enlarged or enhanced to better diagnose and document the treatment of such conditions as keratitis, corneal ulcers, corneal abrasion, irititis, uveitis and cataracts.
OPTOMAP In our continual search for innovative diagnostic equipment, we were so impressed with what OPTOMAP could do, that Mt Tam Vision Center became one of the first fifty sites in the United States and hundred in the world to offer this revolutionary retinal imaging system. OPTOMAP is a high resolution scanning imagery system which details the retina out to 180 degrees and can be done without dilation. Any routine eye exam should always include a careful assessment of the retina to screen for abnormalities or disease. Of particular concern to the doctor are retinal problems like macular degeneration, retinal holes or detachments ; and systemic diseases like diabetes, arteriosclerosis, and hypertension. These conditions, which often develop without warning or symptoms, are progressive and can lead to serious health and eye problems including partial loss of vision or blindness. Early detection of any retinal abnormality is thus crucial. The ability to pull images from previous years to be placed side-by-side on the computer screen for comparison with that day’s retinal image is invaluable. In this way the doctor can check on the development of a condition or follow how effective the treatment is. We have also found it to be an invaluable tool for patient education. There is nothing better than being able to point at an image of the patient’s eye and say “This is what concerns us and, this is what we are going to do about it”.
		Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph (HRT) The Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph (HRT) set the standard for analyzing 3D structural change to the retina, especially in examining the optic nerve head. The secret of treating Glaucoma is catching it early when it is manageable. These 3D images and the associated software lets us at Mt Tam Vision Center better predict the development of Glaucoma and when to start treatment. The Heidelberg HRT also allows us to evaluate structural changes associated with other retinal conditions such as retinal edema, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration as well as many neurological problems such as brain tumors and Multiple sclerosis.
Marco Epic-2100 Refraction System When you visit Mt Tam Vison Center for a routine examination or for a new prescription, you want to be confident that the results from your eye test are 100 percent accurate. The EPIC-2100, from Marco Technologies, is an integrated digital refraction system that exceeds our expectation for consistency and accuracy. It is an example of the new "smart technology" on the market today. The EPIC-2100 has the capability of allowing us to make an immediate comparison between your current refractive error, your old prescription, and your new prescription. In this way you can actually see the improvement in vision that your new glasses or contacts will provide, before we make them for you. Best of all, the process is completed quickly, saving you time - a precious commodity in today's fast paced world. When you are satisfied, the results of your testing are downloaded automatically into our secure electronic medical record.
		Retinoscopy Retinoscopy is an old standby, but still one of our favorites. With this technique we bounce a beam of light off the back of the eye and look at the “reflex”. Most people would recognize the reflex as the red eye that is seen in a person’s picture when they were looking at the flash. By looking at the reflex through different power lenses, it is possible for the doctor to determine the patient’s glasses prescription. This technique is invaluable when working with very young children (as little as six months), or with patients who are finding it difficult to deal with subjective component of the exam.
Lensometer Lensometers have evolved into computerized instruments we use to determine the power of a lens. They are very handy to have around because we can determine the Rx of your old glasses, even if you don’t have your old records. We also use our lensometers to double check your new glasses when they come in to make sure they meet our stringent criteria. The way a lensometer works is that it shines a pattern through the lens. Each Rx will distort that pattern in its own particular way. The computer inside then matches the resulting distortion to the correct Rx and provides a written copy of what your glasses are.
		Pupilometer A pupilometer is an instrument which measures the distance between the center of the bridge of your nose and the center of each pupil. This is important to know for two reasons. First, it tells us where to position the instruments when we are checking your binocular vision. If the instruments are misaligned, the results will be wrong which will result in an unsatisfactory set of glasses. Secondly, if the lenses of the glasses are not aligned correctly, it will result in headaches and glasses that don’t work the way they should. This is especially true in the new progressive or free form design lenses that have become available recently.