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Allow us to get to the bottom of your symptoms with our effective dry eye diagnostic testing and treatment plans.
Dry eye occurs when the tears are inadequate and there can be a number of different reasons why that is. Determining the cause of your dry eye symptoms is as important as diagnosing the problem’s existence in the first place. At our dry eye center, we consider this our primary task when patients come in seeking help and wanting to alleviate the symptoms they are experiencing. There are various methods of testing available in order to determine the cause, and afterwards a proper treatment plan can be offered.
Your appointment will begin with our doctor speaking to you about your eye health, overall health and dry eye symptoms in order to start the diagnostic process. The eye doctor will ask you specific questions about your symptoms such as the severity and frequency. You may also be asked to fill out a questionnaire to provide additional information about the symptoms you are experiencing in order to help the doctor better understand your situation and determine what course of treatment to pursue.
Certain things, such as the cause of your dry eye, require proper diagnostic techniques and equipment. There are several types of tests you can expect at your appointment:
A comprehensive eye exam is far more than just reading a vision chart. It includes a full thorough examination of your eye health and vision which can provide insight and vital information about your eyes and your dry eye condition.
Dry eye can occur if you are not producing a sufficient amount of tears, and there are a couple of different tests designed to check your tear production. One such test is the Schirmer test in which a strip of thin paper that has measurement markings like a ruler is placed under your eyelid to measure tear production. If you are sensitive to something touching your eye you can request a gentle numbing eyedrop. After 5 minutes, the amount of paper that has become wet is measured to check the tear volume and if only a small amount of paper has become wet, it is a sign of dry eyes.
Alternatively, there is the phenol red test, in which a thread with pH-sensitive dye, which will change to become red when exposed to tears, is placed over the lower eyelid. After 15 seconds, the length of the string that became wet with tears is measured and if only a small amount of the string turned red, it could be a sign of dry eyes.
Dry eye can also be caused by a problem with the quality of your tears. Is your tear film producing adequate tears to prevent you from having dry eyes? There are tests to check this, such as the osmolarity test, which measures the composition of your tears using advanced technology.
The doctor may also perform a test using a flueorescein dye to check for damage to the surface of the eye, which can cause dry eye. The optometrist will gently place some fluorescein on your eye and you will be asked to blink for a few seconds in order to help the dye spread around your cornea. Afterwards you will stop blinking and the eye doctor will evaluate and measure the time it takes for you to blink again in order to determine if you have dry eye.
Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is another common cause of dry eye, as it causes disruption in the production and secretion of oil that is a key component of the tear film. The doctor can physically check for signs of a problem using advanced imaging to scan the meibomian glands.
Following the diagnostic tests and discussion with you, the doctor will have a good idea of what the cause of your dry eye is, and will be able to recommend to you a treatment plan specifically tailored to your unique situation.
A careful evaluation will enable us to get to the bottom of the cause of your dry eye. Based on that information we will be able to provide the best treatment for you. Patients with dry eyes visit our clinic from all over California, and we are proud to be a leading provider of dry eye care for patients from Bellflower, Long Beach, Lakewood, and Los Angeles. If you have additional questions, or wish to schedule an appointment with Dr. Ikeda to determine the nature of your dry eye, you can contact Amplify EyeCare of Greater Long Beach at (562) 925-6591.
I haven't actually used the optometrist side, so my review is limited to the vision therapy offered. This office was recommended by my occupational therapist for the treatment of my double vision following a stroke.
Love this location. I had a brain injury accident from day one one. All the team make you feel you still important and hope in the horizon after when the medical system fell you miserably. Dr. Ikeda very professional and very understanding about your issue. Two tombs up.
My husband and I were immediately impressed with Dr Ikeda. I was hit by a car while cycling which caused broken bones and three brain injuries. The brain injuries caused double vision. Dr. Ikeda examined my eyes and got me started on vision therapy with his occupational therapist who specializes in vision therapy. She (Chris) is absolutely great. I am impressed with the array of tools used to help recover my binocular vision. I am doing things I never thought were possible (balance boards etc). Chris pushes me and keeps me motivated. I really enjoy my sessions with her. The office staff is always friendly and they have a wonderful appointment reminder tool that makes it easy to keep my calendar up to date. I am happy the rehab center at Little Co. of Mary recommended them!!
The Vision Therapy is handled in a separate office through a different door from the shared waiting room. Chris, the vision therapist, has a wide and varied assortment of tools, equipment and resources to best evaluate and treat most vision issues. After just a few visits, my double vision became easier to control, using exercises developed during the therapy process. It was time well-spent.
I have been coming here since I can remember. I love it here. The staff is so amazing and nice. They explain everything they gonna do and never make you feel rushed. Dr. Ikeda has always been my doctor and I would never want another one. He is the doctor for my whole family and is always asking how everyone is doing. I am also so crazy about picking out my frames and have to try so many and each person who helps me take the time and lets me try them all on. I would never want to go anywhere else! I definitely would recommend this office to anyone looking for a great eye doctor.
This is not for the eye exam but for the frames selection portion. I brought my prescription from Kaiser here with my VSP insurance. The reception staff was very polite and professional. Manny helped me to pick out frames and explain my coverage. Very helpful and patient not like the individual at the other place I rated here on Yelp. I was running late and he still helped me and was not bothered at all. I am so glad I came here ..........very pleased.
Very professional staff and pleasant.
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