October Blog

Wednesday, 14 October 2009 02:14

Well, it has finally begun.  Today we switched over to our new Electronic Medical Records (EMH) software.  Let's just say it wasn't exactly a smooth transition.  When you're used to writing on paper instead of doing mouse clicks, that piece of paper becomes a friend.  Most of the day today I kept recording data on paper with the intention of later translating that into mouse click.  It's twice as much work but somehow seemed easier.  This will get better with more practice.

I still am amazed about how well our new retinal camera is improving our level of care.  I have been an optometrist for 33 years but I am now seeing details inside eyes that I have never seen before.  We are finding eye diseases at a very early stage and the sooner you detect a problem the better the final outcome will be. 

On the Yoga side of things, things are great.  My Sunday morning yoga class is a-rocking.  Attendance has been a consistent 10-14 students.  There is a core group of about 10 that come almost every week.  Great fun and we all our becoming stronger!  I'm looking forward to attending the "Ojai Yoga Crib" later this month.  It's 12 hours of yoga classes over a three-day weekend.  The teachers are some of the best on the west coast.  I always meet some really nice people (people that do yoga on a regular basis tend to be very nice people - yoga really does change people).  This is my 6th Crib.

September Blog

Monday, 21 September 2009 19:18

The office is moving closer to being paperless.  The hardware is ready to go.  The software is now installed.  Training on using the new electronic medical record software begins this week.  I hope to begin using the software by October 1.  Going completely paper-free will take a few more months at best.

I spent the weekend in Santa Barbara attending a Retinal Eye Disease conference.  There are new medical treatments for many retinal diseases. Some facts I picked up:  One out of three patients over 80 have Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and ten percent will become  legally blind;  Having cataract surgery may double the chance of AMD getting worse; The anual incidence of retinal detachment in the U.S. is 36,000;  There is a new genetic test to determine your chance of developing macular degeneration.

You can now instant message with us through our web site.  If you have a question ask.

I have always sent report letters to the patients physician when they have diabetes.  Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness and the patients physician will want to know the status of their eyes.   We now can e-mail those reports to the physician with a copy of their retinal photographs attached to it, so they can see the retina themselves.

August Blog

Saturday, 01 August 2009 21:37

If you have Medi-Cal insurance, there is some bad news.  The state has discontinued funding for optometric services for adults.  They will not cover eye examinations, glasses. or medical care. If you have a medical condition you must now go to your general physician for care.  Coverage continues for minors under 18 and those that live in institutional settings. 

We have installed a new computer in the frame styling area that allows you to see how a new frame looks on your face.  You can take pictures of yourself wearing different frames.  It really is a great tool in picking a frame that's just right for you.  You can even e-mail the picture to your spouse, friends or family.  Technology is changing so fast it truely is amazing.

On a personal note, the Sunday morning yoga class that I teach has been rocking lately.  Attendence has been really good.  There is a core group of students that are seeing real changes in their strength and flexibility levels.  Plus it's fun.  Try it.

Our new retinal camera has really been a help to me.  I can enlarge the digital image to more than 10 times its normal size.   After 33 years of practicing optometry, I'm seeing retinal details that I have never seen before.  There have been approximately 12 cases already where I have found early eye disease with the camera that was not visible with our traditional examination instruments.  

The new web-site (this one) is about done.  There is a Guest Book section and if you want to note any comments please do.

I plan to continue posting notes here as an ongoing Blog about what's happening in the office and in eye-care in general. I also have an on-going Blog of Interesting Cases that highlights some of the more non-routine cases I deal with in the office.  If you're interested, look in the "Media/Interesting Cases" area on this site.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me or stop by the ofice.

Economic Stimulus Plan

Sunday, 05 July 2009 22:43

In an effort to do our part for the lagging economy, we are pleased to offer "The Dr. Steensma Economic Stimulus Plan".  If you buy a second or third pair of glasses at the same time, the second and third pair are 50% off.  Most advertised BOGO (Buy One Get One) offerings should be called BOGCO (Buy One Get a Cheap One) because they involve inferior materials.  We don't do that.  Our offer extends to all of our frames.  You can get a Kate Spade, Calvin Klein or Coach frame with lenses at half price. 

The only requirement is that you order two or more complete pair of glasses (frame and lenses with scratch protection) at the same time.