Bethany's Mission Trip to Mexico

     Hattiesburg Eye Clinic's own, Bethany Glass, recently returned from a mission trip in Matamoros, Mexico.  She traveled with Pinelake Church in Brandon, MS with a group of 25.  Bethany and Dr. Daniel Kim from the Jackson VA performed ophthalmology exams at a children's home.  The team saw 210 children.  Other members of the team, including dental students and several dentists, performed dental exams for the children of the home as well.

     Bethany was born in Flowood, MS, but she grew up in Star.  Her favorite things to do are spend time with her family and play the drums.  She loves to vacation in Disney World, and she graduated in May from William Carey University with her Masters in business administration.  Bethany's dad, Gary Glass is an electrical engineer at Entergy in Pearl, MS.  Her mom, Arlette Glass, is the business administrator for Star Baptist Church in Star, MS, and Bethany's younger sister, Katelyn Glass McNair, is married and lives in Starkville, MS where she just graduated from Mississippi State in May.

Thank you, Bethany, for sharing your trip with us!

Give the Gift of LASIK for Graduation

Celebrate with your graduate by giving the gift of sight!  iLASIK eye surgery is a gift that will make a positive impact that can last a lifetime.

Whether graduating from high school or college, students are embarking on a new, exciting chapter in life.  iLASIK will allow them to view their new world through clear vision with new found self confidence that can help them succeed in their professional life.

Many Mississippi students and recent graduates live very active lifestyles.  iLASIK surgery can help them to think "outside the box" and to pursue recreational activities that they may have otherwise avoided due to contact lenses, glasses or low self-confidence.

Years of upkeep for glasses and contact lenses can be very expensive for these graduates.  Purchasing glasses and conctact lenses is an expense that can be eliminated through iLASIK surgery.

Hattiesburg Eye Clinic offers the most advanced iLASIK technology, with bladeless flap creation and custom treatments unique to each patient's optical system.

iLASIK consultations are free and we are happy to discuss your options with you and your graduate.  iLASIK eye surgery may be the single most imporant gift you can give your graduate, to mark his/her milestone of achievement with the gift of sight.  Call us now to find out if your graduate is a candidate.

Healthy Vision Month

Did you know that May is National Healthy Vision Month?

Millions of people living in the United States have unnoticed vision problems, eye diseases, and conditions. By promoting the importance of early detection and treatment, as well as the use of proper eye safety practices in preventing vision loss and blindness, Healthy Vision Month is intended to promote vision as a health priority for the Nation.

One of the number one things people can do to protect their vision is to schedule a comprehensive dilated eye exam. This is a painless procedure where an eye care professional examines the eyes to look for common vision problems and eye diseases.  Many of these have no warning signs.  Early detection and treatment, however, can save your sight.  A comprehensive dilated eye exam can detect eye diseases and conditions in their early stages, before vision loss occurs.

Here are more helpful tips for keeping your vision healthy:

• Know your family's eye health history
• Talk to your family members about their eye health history. It’s important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with a disease or condition since many are hereditary. This information will help to determine if you are at higher risk for developing an eye disease or condition. 
• Eat right to protect your sight
• You’ve heard carrots are good for your eyes. But eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or collard greens, is important for keeping your eyes healthy, too.1 Research has also shown there are eye health benefits from eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut. 
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes and other systemic conditions, which can lead to vision loss, such as diabetic eye disease or glaucoma. If you are having trouble maintaining a healthy weight, talk to your doctor. 
• Wear protective eyewear
• Wear protective eyewear when playing sports or doing activities around the home. Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards specially designed to provide the correct protection for a certain activity. Most protective eyewear lenses are made of polycarbonate, which is 10 times stronger than other plastics. Many eye care providers sell protective eyewear, as do some sporting goods stores.
• Quit smoking or never start
• Smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body. Research has linked smoking to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and optic nerve damage, all of which can lead to blindness.
• Give your eyes a rest. 
• If you spend a lot of time at the computer or focusing on any one thing, you sometimes forget to blink and your eyes can get fatigued. Try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. This can help reduce eyestrain. 
• Clean your hands and your contact lenses properly
• To avoid the risk of infection, always wash your hands thoroughly before putting in or taking out your contact lenses. Make sure to disinfect contact lenses as instructed and replace them as appropriate.
•  Be cool and wear your shades
• Sunglasses are a great fashion accessory, but their most important job is to protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. When purchasing sunglasses, look for ones that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation. 

For more information on healthy vision, call or visit your local Hattiesburg Eye Clinic.

April: Women's Eye Health & Safety Month

Did you know that more women suffer from vision problems than men?

Nearly two-thirds of those affected by vision loss, worldwide, are women.  The reason for this is likely to be because women tend to live longer than men, according to the National Eye Institute and National Institutes of Health.  This makes women more susceptible to age-related eye disease.

Studies have shown that more women suffer from age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, the four leading eye diseases in the United States than men. Women are also at higher risk to develop sight-threatening autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

To help stop vision loss, Prevent Blindness America recommend that women age 40 and older have a dilated eye exam to help prevent vision loss. They should also have a dilated eye exam any time a change in vision is detected. 

We recommend the following things to help maintain good vision:

• Monitor your vision: Check it often, and check it one eye at a time. If you notice a change in your vision, please notify your eye doctor right away.

• Do not smoke: Smoking significantly increases the risk of complications with certain eye diseases, especially in women.

• Eat a well-balanced diet: Eat leafy green vegetables, oily fish, and fruits. Vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids are helpful in slowing down the progression of many eye diseases. If you choose to take vitamin supplements, please make sure to consult your doctor.

• Exercise: This will aid in maintaining a healthy weight and good cardiovascular health. Obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can lead to specific vision complications.

• Control your diabetes: Uncontrolled diabetes can cause permanent damage to eye structures.

• Wear sunglasses with UV protection: This can slow down the progression rate of cataracts.

• Educate yourself: About the possibility of a family history of eye disease and about eye diseases associated with your general health issues.

• See your general medical doctor regularly: Routine physicals can lead to early diagnosis of potentially sight threatening diseases.

Information found at:  News-Press.com  A Gannett Company

Welcome to Hattiesburg Eye Clinic

About Us
Hattiesburg Eye Clinic is regarded as one of the leading eye care centers in the United States. Our surgeons have helped thousands of people enjoy better vision. We are committed to excellence because the world turns to us for answers, and our patients turn to us for the best eye care treatment available.

Our Culture
Every member of our Hattiesburg Eye Clinic team is dedicated to providing excellent patient care. Our company motto is "Patient Care First", and we will work hard to make you feel like you are our priority throughout every step of your care with us at Hattiesburg Eye Clinic.

Why Choose Hattiesburg Eye Clinic?
Hattiesburg Eye Clinic with locations also in Laurel and Columbia, Mississippi, offers patients the highest quality surgery and eye care available.  From eye exams to surgery you can trust our board-certified surgeons and highly skilled staff to provide leading edge technology with compassion and individualized care.

Leading Edge Technology & Procedures:

The Hattiesburg Eye Clinic surgery team was the first in the area to perform a Corneal Transplant, Small Incision/No Stitch Cataract Surgery, ReStor Bifocal Lens Implants, and Blade-Free Custom iLASIK.  Our clinic is ranked among the TOP 50 LaserVision practices in the nation.  Our surgeons and assistants are always training and learning the newest technology and procedures so that our patients will have the very best eye care experience.

Our Physicians:
Board-certified ophthalmologists Stoney Williamson, MD, David Richardson, MD, and Todd Williamson, DO, have 67 years combined experience in cataract and refractive (LASIK) surgery.  Our  surgeons are ranked among the TOP 100 LaserVision surgeons in the nation. 

Dedicated Surgery Center:
Hattiesburg Eye Clinic provides patients a state-of-the-art, dedicated surgery center.  We perform:

• Cataract Surgery - Small Incision, No Stitch, No Patch

• Blepharoplasty

• Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty - For Glaucoma

• Pterygium Removal

• Pterygium Removal with Ocular Surface Reconstruction

• Plastic Surgery of Eye & Eyelids

• YAG Laser Surgery

We also provide transportation to and from the surgery center, if needed, for our patients.

For more information, visit our website, Facebook, and Twitter.