Your Visit to our Office
Your initial examination will be very thorough and time consuming and may take up
to three hours to perform. During the initial visit, we will ask you questions about
your eyes, your general health, and any medications that you take. We will examine
your eyes thoroughly and dilate your eyes to allow close examination of the retina.
Please bring a companion to drive you home after the dilated eye exam.
Diagnostic photography procedures that provide crucial information about the retina
include color fundus photography, digital fluorescein angiography and digital ICG
angiography. Digital imaging uses a computerized camera to instantaneously produce
a picture of the retinal circulation. This new technology allows your physician
to recommend treatment during your initial visit.
If lab tests are necessary for your care we will call you with the results.
If surgery is necessary, your physician may want to perform it in the office or
hospital. The most common surgical procedures are laser retinal surgery, pneumatic
retinopexy, scleral buckling, vitrectomy, cryotherapy, and macular hole surgery.
If your condition requires admittance to the hospital for treatment or surgery,
your doctor or doctor's assistant will tell you what to expect during your stay
in the hospital.
Telephone Calls
During office hours, we encourage you to call with any questions you have about
your medical condition. Our trained staff can help you with your problems when you
clearly state the nature of your call. Please understand that the doctor and the
doctor's assistant may be with a patient or in surgery. Your call is important to
us. If your problem is not an emergency, please leave a message with the receptionist,
and the doctor or the doctor's assistant will return your call.
After office hours, call any Southeastern Retina Associates office and our on-call
physician will return your call. A doctor is on call 24 hours a day for emergencies,
telephone consultations, and visits.
Prescriptions
Your physician will prescribe medication at his discretion. To have a prescription
renewed, call during office hours and your doctor will review your medical record
and call in your prescription if appropriate. Prescriptions are not given on weekends.
Our physicians are specially trained medical doctors as well as skilled surgeons
in the field of retinal and vitreous ophthalmology. They have met all of the stringent
requirements for medical school, internship, ophthalmology residency, vitreoretinal
fellowship, and state licensure. All are board certified or board eligible by the
American Board of Ophthalmology. Their credentials include academic achievements,
faculty positions, and clinical professorships.
Our doctors are members of numerous professional societies, including the American
Medical Association, The Tennessee Medical Association, and the American Academy
of Ophthalmology. Individually, they actively belong to additional community and
professional groups.
Please bring your insurance card and a list of all medications you are currently
taking.