OTHER EYECARE

Consultative Care & Second Opinions
If you are a patient and would like a second opinion about any aspect of your eye care, you can be certain your consultation will be completely confidential and will be based on sound, objective advice. Dr. Leach is frequently asked to provide second opinions on a variety of medical and surgical eye conditions by patients and doctors alike. Request your second opinion consultation when you call toll free: 1-877-881-4662.

Retinal Fluorescein Angiography
Here at the ClearView Eye Clinic, specialized diagnostic testing known as fluorescein angiography is performed on patients with serious retinal conditions. Conditions like macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy. This sensitive and effective test first involves placing a small amount of dye into a small arm vein. Once the dye reaches and is circulating within the retinal blood vessels of the eye, a series of specialized retinal photographs are taken. The entire process takes about 10-25 minutes. Dr. Leach provides this specialized testing in the comfort of the ClearView Eye Clinic to help guide his diagnosis and treatment of otherwise blinding eye conditions.

On-site Laser Surgery
An amazing array of on-site laser technology is available at the ClearView Eye Clinic. For instance, a "YAG" (Yttrium Aluminum Garnet) laser is located in one of ClearView's Laser Suites and is used almost on a daily basis by Dr. Leach. This type of laser surgery may be required months or years after cataract surgery. The reason for this is that occasionally the lens implanted during cataract surgery can develop a thin, cloudy membrane on its back surface.

Years ago, this condition required a second surgery in the operating room using needles and sharp instruments. Today, a YAG laser is used to painlessly and permanently restore lens implant clarity in a just a matter of minutes.

If you have had cataract surgery and have experienced a recent change in your vision, a clouding of your lens implant may very well be the cause. To determine if this lens clouding is present, contact Dr. Leach to schedule a FREE consultation at 882-4662. You can also reach him toll free at 1-877-881-4662.

Argon laser surgery may be necessary in conditions of diabetic retinopathy, clogged veins in the retina or retinal tears. It is also in some types of glaucoma during a 5-10 minute procedure called a "trabeculoplasty". At the ClearView Eye Clinic, the latest in available technology is utilized. To date, Dr. Leach owns the only solid-state green laser system (by Laserex) in northern Idaho.

Excimer laser surgery-- LASIK and PRK --is performed  in Dr. Leach's Laser Center.

Minor Procedures

The ClearView Eye Clinic also has a state-of-the-art Minor Operating Suite. Equipped with an operating microscope, it is very convenient for delicate procedures, like removal of eyelid cysts or cosmetic eyelid surgery. When compared to performing minor procedures in an ambulatory surgery center or a hospital, this safe alternative reduces the costs of elective procedures, like cosmetic eyelid surgery, by as much as 50%.

Diabetes

It may surprise you to know that people with diabetes are 25 times more likely to develop blindness than the general population. Diabetes can affect and damage a person's eyes without them even knowing it because it usually causes no symptoms in its early stages. What's more, it is during these early stages that diabetic retinopathy is most treatable. That is why Dr. Leach and the American Association of Ophthalmology recommend that diabetics have their eyes dilated and examined every year. If diabetes is discovered to be affecting your eyes, Dr. Leach will be able to provide you with the latest recommended treatments in order to preserve your vision. So, if you are diabetic you should consider annual dilated examinations an important part of your yearly routine. Dr. Leach suggests to his patients that a simple way of remembering this important exam is to schedule one each year around the time of your birthday. If you are diabetic and it has been over a year since your last dilated eye exam, now is the time to call 882-4662 to schedule this important evaluation. Remember, it's your sight for life!

Pediatric Eye Care
Children, especially very young children, require extra-special care. If you are concerned about any aspect of your child's eyes or vision, then it is important you receive expert advice. Dr. Leach realizes that some pediatric eye problems need to be treated as early as possible to ensure that the child's vision develops properly and reaches its full potential. Dr. Leach recommends that a child be evaluated within his/her first 2 years and again in preschool. From these foundational examinations, Dr. Leach will be able to tailor follow-up recommendations based on your child's specific needs. With five active children of his own, Dr. Leach is able to quickly establish a special rapport with his pediatric patients, setting them at ease and allowing their eyes to be thoroughly evaluated in a gentle, caring manner.

"Lazy" Eye
The term "lazy" eye means different things to different people. Some consider an eye to be "lazy" when it is turned "in" or "out" (strabismus). Others regard a lazy eye to be one in which the vision never properly developed during childhood (amblyopia).

During the first 8-10 years or so of life, the visual system is developing. For this to happen properly, the eye needs to send clear images to the brain. Once the visual system is developed and the child is older than 8-10 years of age, the system is secure and stable. However, if the eye is not able to send clear pictures to the brain during these first 8-10 years of life-as in the case where glasses are needed or one eye has strabismus-the visual system may never fully develop. This is called "amblyopia" and the child's vision is permanently impaired. If this condition is discovered early-within the first 8 or so years of life, vision can often be recovered. Once the child is beyond this formative period and no corrective measures have been taken, the child's ability to reach "full" vision potential is lost. This is why it is crucial to have every child's eyes tested early in life. Early detection is simple and sight-saving. To learn more about AMBLYOPIA, request our free brochure when you call 882-4662.

Routine & Family Eye Examinations
Comprehensive eye examinations are performed daily at the ClearView Eye Clinic. During these exams our doctors will evaluate for serious eye diseases or simple refractive errors. All aspects of vision correction are evaluated and advice can be given on any conditions or concerns.

Near-sightedness ("Myopia")
When the eye is unable to focus on distant objects, but can see up close, it is said to be myopic or near-sighted. This usually becomes apparent early in the second decade of life and may progress until about the age of twenty. As we all know, spectacles and contact lenses have been used for many years to correct myopia. There have been great advances in contact lens and spectacle lens technology. The most exciting development for eliminating myopia is LASIK laser surgery.  Laser Vision Correction can be very effective for various levels of myopia and is one of the most common surgeries performed by Dr. Leach.

Far-sightedness (Hyperopia)
Hyperopia means that some of the eye's focusing system needs to be activated to see clearly both at distance and at near. The closer the object being looked at, the more focusing power is needed. Young people, with plenty of focusing power ability, often don't need corrective eyewear to achieve good vision. As a person with hyperopia reaches their forties, their natural focusing ability wanes and they eventually require glasses or contacts to see clearly. Young children with a large degree of hyperopia may develop a squint or turned eye (strabismus) as a result of using their focusing system attempting to overcome the blurred vision. This is why the doctor may prescribe glasses for a child with a turned eye. Many adults with hyperopia are enjoying the benefits of LASIK laser eye surgery.

Astigmatism
The front surface of the eye called the "cornea" is dome-shaped like a sphere. That is, its shape is like part of the surface of a basketball. In astigmatism, the surface of the eye is warped and out of round. It shape resembles something more like the surface of a football. Sometimes it can even be quite irregular. Regular astigmatism can be corrected with spectacles or contact lenses or with laser eye surgery. Irregular astigmatism can only be corrected with hard contact lenses or a special form of customized Laser Vision Correction. Astigmatism can be associated with myopia and hyperopia and is treatable with Dr. Leach's VISX S4 excimer laser.

Presbyopia
As a person approaches their mid-forties, the ability to maintain a comfortable focus up close diminishes. Eventually, this diminishes to the point that "reading" glasses or bifocals are needed for good near vision. This need increases until a person is 65-70 and then stabilizes. This is a normal phenomenon that is part of the human experience. Although Laser Vision Correction does NOT treat presbyopia, there are surgical techniques currently being studied and developed to reverse the effects of this condition. Until these techniques are both refined and deemed safe for common use, corrective eyewear remains the "presbyopia cure".