June 1, 2015

WHY SHOULD DR. HAYTER BE YOUR OPTOMETRIST?

By: Josh Russell and Josey Hernandez

Getting a yearly eye examination can seem like a chore. Just another appointment to renew a prescription that seems like it doesn’t change. However, the yearly examination of your eyes is intended not only to ensure that you are seeing as clearly as possible, but also to check on the health of the eyes. Diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetes can cause irreversible damage to a patient’s vision if not treated promptly. Injuries such as retinal tears and detachments can occur at any age, potentially causing lifelong blindness in the affected eye. For these reasons, the eye doctor must stay up to date on new techniques and have the latest equipment to accurately and effectively determine the state of your eye health.

This is just one of many areas that Dr. Paul G. Hayter continues to excel. Having acquired the Optos retinal imaging system, Dr. Hayter can have a high quality image of the patient’s retina without the need to dilate their eyes and expose them to the uncomfortable side effects. This can help the doctor diagnose a range of conditions, while also leaving a digital image that can be referred to later. Dr. Hayter also has many other newly available tests that aid in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases. These include Optical

Coherence Tomography (OCT) which allows the doctor to view the thickness of the retina, cornea and optic nerve to insure that there are no signs of problems that can present themselves in the future. Another newly added machine, from Diopsys, which preforms tests called Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) and Electroretinography (ERG). These two tests allow us to check the entire visual pathway for any problems, including not only the eyes but also the hardware between the eye and the brain that carries information to the visual cortex. These tests can accurately determine problems years in advance, so that treatment can be started before irreversible vision loss occurs. While the doctor doesn't recommend all of these tests for all patients every year, these extra tests are always at his disposal in the case of any abnormalities during your visit.

Dr. Hayter has always been dedicated to his patient’s eye health. He is always continuing his education in medical conditions of the eyes as well as refractive correction, to ensure that every patient can see as well as possible. Dr. Hayter is one of the few optometrists in Irving, TX that is board certified by the American Board of Optometry. He has been praised for his superior bedside manner as well as his consistency in ensuring all

questions have been answered before each patient leaves. If a patient has any problems with their new prescription, he tirelessly works with the patient until every need is satisfied. He is well versed in all lens types, from glasses to contacts, progressive to bifocal and computer glasses. He is always on top of new technology in contact lens wear, so that his patients always have the latest and greatest lenses on the market. In addition he allows for flexible appointment times seven days a week to best fit the patient’s schedule, and it has always been in his policy to never charge for late or rescheduled appointments. All of this contributes to Dr. Hayter’s goal of running the best optometrist office in DFW.

PAUL G. HAYTER, OD, PC

THE EYE TIMES