Patient care

During these challenging times we’d like to remind patients that insurance policies can be quite complex and coverages can vary, greatly. With deductibles, copays, medication tiers, and coverage limitations, disappointments can happen. We suggest reviewing your policies periodically, so that you better understand your coverages, and limit the possibility of any surprises. If you are confused about your coverages, simply reach-out and ask us for help. We have staff members who are able to assist you.

While we continue in our rigorous adherence to protocols for safely accommodating those who may be at high-risk for COVID-19, some patients have expressed concerns about potential risk in traveling to their necessary appointments. If you have a friend, neighbor, or family member who can drive you, and you trust has been extra careful with their own exposure, this would be a better option than public transportation or ride-share. Don’t be embarrassed or shy in asking about their potential exposure, and what measures they’ve taken to stay isolated, or in asking them to wear a mask. If you have to travel on public transportation take along Lysol, bleach or alcohol wipes to wipe down areas within arm’s reach of where you are sitting or standing. Again, this does not take the place of washing your hands frequently while in public but it will make your immediate public spaces safer for you and others. Your health, and the health of our patients and staff during this difficult time remains our ultimate concern.

April is Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month. Did you know that more women suffer from visual impairments than men? According to Prevent Blindness, women make up the majority of Americans age 40 and older who are visually impaired or blind, and they represent 65% of the population affected by Age-related Macular Degeneration. In addition to making sure to schedule an annual eye exam, learn about other tips to ensure the health of your eyes and vision at
http://bit.ly/2OkQo1v

Some of our patients who suffer from Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and receive monthly eye injections, and who may also be in a high-risk group, have asked about their upcoming appointments. During the expanding Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, we have adjusted our “flu-like illness” patient protocols to be more in-line with CDC COVID-19 recommendations. The purpose of these changes is to protect our patients and staff and to streamline the evaluation and management for those people with a flu-like illness.
Please do not assume that because we have implemented these new protocols, that an appointment should be skipped. Based on how long you’ve been receiving injections and how stable your vision is, we may recommend stretching the time between injections, but that determination must be made on a case-by-case basis. If you have questions as to whether or not you should come in, please call us to discuss. At High Country Macula, we remain committed to performing the essential care you need to help you preserve your sight.

Retinoblastoma is a rare type of eye cancer that usually develops in early childhood, typically before age 5. This form of cancer develops in the Retina, and typically affects only one eye, although one out of three children with Retinoblastoma eventually develop the cancer in both eyes. The most common first sign of Retinoblastoma is a visible white spot in the pupil, also called a “cat’s eye reflex,” that is noticeable in dim light or in photographs taken with a flash. Other symptoms of Retinoblastoma include crossed eyes, or eyes that don’t point in the same direction. Retinoblastoma is often curable when diagnosed early, but if not treated promptly it can spread beyond the eye to other parts of the body. Learn how one mother’s intuition saved her son’s eye, and his life at http://bit.ly/39V3Wun.

Has your Ophthalmologist or Optometrist talked with you about Drusen? Drusen, German for “rock” or “pebble,” can be a sign of Macular Degeneration. These small fatty deposits under the Retina often have no symptoms, but represent a risk for some degree of vision loss in the future. People with more or lager Drusen are at higher risk for developing Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) than those with fewer or smaller Drusen. It’s not known whether Drusen causes AMD, or if they are just a sign that the Retina is not functioning properly. If you have been diagnosed with Drusen, be sure to see your High Country Macula Retinologist for regularly scheduled exams.

In the spirit of the expanding Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, High Country Macula is adjusting our “flu-like illness” patient protocols to be more in-line with CDC COVID-19 recommendations. The purpose of these changes is to protect our patients and staff and to streamline the evaluation and management for those people with a flu-like illness. We have posted these new protocols to our website at:
http://hcm.mobiussites.com/…/our-practice/flu-like-illn…/

Please read these new protocols prior to your scheduled appointment at High Country Macula. We appreciate your understanding.

In the spirit of the expanding Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, High Country Macula is adjusting our “flu-like illness” patient protocols to be more in-line with CDC COVID-19 recommendations. The purpose of these changes is to protect our patients and staff and to streamline evaluation and management for those people with a flu-like illness.

Over the next days, we’ll be posting these new procedures to our website at
http://hcm.mobiussites.com.

More than 2 million Americans suffer from Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness among white Americans over 40, and the leading cause of irreversible vision loss throughout the world. Although there is no treatment for the more common form of the disease, Dry AMD, there are promising new treatments for Wet AMD, which is currently treated with injections of anti-VEGF drugs into the eye on a regular basis. New treatments that are creating hope with Wet AMD sufferers include gene therapy that provides a “one-and-done” treatment to help the eye produce its own anti-VEGF medicine, and a tiny refillable device smaller than a grain of rice that stores anti-VEGF medicine, and can be implanted into the wall of the eye. Learn more about new developments for treating both Wet and Dry AMD at http://bit.ly/2VfwBWQ, and be sure to share with friends or loved ones who suffer from AMD.