Frequently Asked Questions

Cataracts often form slowly with increasing age. A cataract occurs as the eye lens becomes more cloudy or opaque. You may be at greater risk for cataracts if you have diabetes, smoke, or are obese. You are also at greater risk if you have a family history of cataracts or have had an eye injury, inflammation, or eye surgery. Cataract symptoms include blurred vision, sensitivity to light, difficulty seeing at night, and faded colors.

The best and most long-lasting treatment for cataracts is surgery. There is no other way to cure this condition except for cataract removal by surgery. Early cataract symptoms can be treated with eyeglasses or medication, but no medication eliminates existing cataracts. New eyewear and ideal lighting conditions can mitigate effects, but this can be insufficient.

You can help prevent cataracts by living a healthy lifestyle that includes eye-healthy food choices, not smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight. Protect your eyes from injury and sun damage. Wear sunglasses and a hat with a brim when you are outside in the sun. Wear eye protection when there is a risk of injury from certain sports, work, and leisure activities.

Doctors generally suggest cataract surgery when vision loss impacts everyday activities such as driving, reading, or watching television. If your vision loss impedes your quality of life, consult your eye doctor.

Doctors generally suggest cataract surgery when vision loss impacts everyday activities such as driving, reading, or watching television. If your vision loss impedes your quality of life, consult your eye doctor.

Doctors generally suggest cataract surgery when vision loss impacts everyday activities such as driving, reading, or watching television. If your vision loss impedes your quality of life, consult your eye doctor.

Symptoms of dry eye vary from person-to-person. It’s common for people to experience a multitude of sensations in their eye including burning, scratchy, and an overall coarse feeling. One symptom people don’t often expect is watery eyes. This symptom is your body’s natural response to the lack of lubrication your eye is experiencing.

Dry eyes may not sound like a serious problem, and people sometimes push through the discomfort experienced from the dry eye. However, a dry eye is able to affect a person’s vision quality, since excessive dryness can cause corneal damage that can result in vision loss.

In most cases, dry eye can’t be fully “cured,” but it can be effectively managed. Think of it like allergies. With the right treatment, symptoms can dramatically improve, and many people go about their daily lives with little to no discomfort. The key is pinpointing the root cause and creating a personalized treatment plan that works for your lifestyle.

At Excel Eye Center, our optometrists and ophthalmologists are both eye care specialists able to diagnose and treat dry eye. Our doctors can also help identify if there is an underlying medical condition causing the dry eye and offer treatment options with our cornea specialists and oculoplastic surgeons if needed. Our goal is to build a targeted strategy to bring you relief.

There are many options to treat dry eyes. Some treatments, like lubricating eye drops or prescription medications, work quickly. Others, like heat-based therapies or lifestyle changes, take more time but offer longer-lasting relief. Our job is to guide you through each phase, so you know what to expect and when to expect it. For most people, it takes a few weeks to a few months to notice full improvement.

Doctors generally suggest cataract surgery when vision loss impacts everyday activities such as driving, reading, or watching television. If your vision loss impedes your quality of life, consult your eye doctor.

Yes, and it’s more common than you think. Staring at screens reduces how often we blink by more than half. That’s a problem because blinking helps keep your eyes hydrated and your tear film balanced. Add in Utah’s dry climate, and it’s a recipe for digital eye strain.

It is. As we age, our tear production naturally slows down, and hormone changes especially during menopause can increase the risk of chronic dry eye.

The good news? No matter your age, there’s effective treatments for dry eye available and we at Excel Eye Center are here to help find the right treatment plan for you.

LASIK eye surgery is a permanent laser vision correction; the effects will last your lifetime, with few exceptions. Most LASIK patients enjoy at least ten to twenty years of perfect vision. However, your eyesight may change due to age and other factors unrelated to your surgery, usually occurring around age 40 or later.

PRK eye surgery is a permanent laser vision correction that will last your lifetime with few exceptions. Most PRK patients enjoy at least ten to twenty years of perfect vision with no side effects or signs that surgery has ever been completed. However, your eyesight may change due to age and other factors unrelated to your surgery, usually occurring around age 40 or later.

Your eyes begin healing as soon as surgery ends, and most patients report being able to see and perform routine tasks 24 hours after surgery. It takes most eyes between 1 to 6 months to heal completely. You may experience minor, temporary side effects, including dry eyes, glare, halos, and temporary visual problems during healing. Long-term complications and risks from surgery are rare.

PRK has a longer recovery time but a quicker healing time. Your eyes begin healing as soon as surgery ends, and pain and pressure in the eye(s) usually last a few days after surgery. Most patients report being able to see and perform routine tasks 30 days after surgery. It takes most eyes about one month to heal entirely and about one to three months for your vision to stabilize after surgery. During healing, you may experience temporary side effects, including dry eyes, glare, halos, and temporary visual problems. Long-term complications and risks from surgery are rare.

You will need to take it easy the first few days after surgery. You will have a follow-up visit within the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery to check your eye health and vision. Your aftercare routine will include:

• Eye drops for inflammation or infection
• Artificial tears
• Regular follow-up visits
• Avoiding non-contact sports the first 1-3 days
• Avoiding lotions, creams, or make-up around the eye for the first two weeks
• Avoiding swimming and hot tubs or whirlpools for 1-2 months
• Avoiding strenuous contact sports such as boxing, football, karate, etc., for at least four weeks

You need to protect your eyes while they heal from anything that might get in them or from being hit or bumped. Let your doctor know immediately if you experience severe pain or worsening symptoms.

You may experience discomfort and pain the first one to three days after surgery and will need to take it easy the first few days. You will have a follow-up visit within the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery to check your eye health and vision and another one a week later to remove your bandage contact lens. Your aftercare routine will include:

• Eye drops regimen for inflammation and infection
• Eye drops to keep your eyes moist
• Regular follow-up visits
• Avoiding non-contact sports the first 1-3 days
• Avoiding lotions, creams, or make-up around the eye for the first two weeks
• Avoiding swimming and hot tubs or whirlpools for 1-2 months
• Avoiding driving for 1-3 weeks, depending on your vision

You need to protect your eyes while they heal from anything that might get in them and from being hit or bumped. Full recovery takes about a month, and your vision may not fully stabilize until one to three months later. It is common for your vision to be blurry or unclear for one to three months after PRK. Let your doctor know immediately if you experience severe pain or worsening symptoms.

LASIK eye surgery generally takes less than 30 minutes to complete, usually around 10 minutes per eye. You will remain conscious, with your eyes open, during the entire procedure. You will receive numbing drops so your eyes will not feel any pain. If you are receiving LASIK surgery for both eyes, your surgeon will complete both eyes during the same session. On the day of the surgery, you will need someone to drive you home from your appointment.

PRK eye surgery generally takes less than 30 minutes to complete, usually around 10 minutes per eye. You will remain conscious during the entire procedure and receive numbing drops so your eyes will not feel any pain. If you are receiving PRK surgery for both eyes, your surgeon will complete both eyes during the same session. On the day of the surgery, you will need someone to drive you home from your appointment.

There are two main reasons dilated eye exams are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Ophthalmology: first, to evaluate the overall health of the eye; and second, to obtain an accurate glasses prescription. A dilated exam is the best way for our doctors to look at the health of the eye including the optic nerve and retina, as well as screen for abnormalities or growths. Checking for a glasses prescription in kids requires relaxing the focusing muscles in the eye. This is accomplished by dilating the pupil and helps us get the most accurate glasses prescription for each child.

A new patient eye exam usually consists of an initial history and exam, dilation, and final examination with an eye-glasses check.

After arriving and checking in at the front desk, you will be called to one of our exam rooms by a technician. The technician will obtain a brief history and complete vision and preliminary testing. Then the doctor will do a quick vision and eye alignment check prior to dilation.

Dilation drops will be placed in the child’s eyes and the patient and family will return to the waiting area (with the movie and toys) until the eyes are fully dilated.

After dilation is complete (usually 30 minutes) the patient will be taken to the exam rooms where the doctor will complete a dilated eye exam, check for any eyeglass prescription, and provide treatment recommendations. Overall, the appointment usually lasts approximately 60-90 minutes.

Checking for glasses in children requires the use a specific technique called retinoscopy to determine the correct prescription without significant patient cooperation. This technique requires that the child has dilated pupils. The doctor then uses a small light and different combinations of lenses to determine which lenses will help focus the light entering the eye. As the only fellowship-trained pediatric ophthalmologists in Utah County, our doctors are uniquely trained to obtain the most accurate and reliable pediatric glasses and contact lens prescriptions for each child.

Yes. Our doctors are pediatric ophthalmologists and medical doctors (MDs), and as such each visit is considered a medical visit. This is similar to seeing any other type of medical specialist. Many medical plans cover one preventative ophthalmology visit every year at no cost, while others will cover the visit in a similar way to a medical office visit. If you have any questions about coverage, please feel free to reach out to our office directly.

Yes! Our physicians always do a complete evaluation and provide non-surgical options if possible. There are some forms of eye misalignment that respond better to conservative therapies (sometimes referred to as vision therapy) such as patching, glasses, or eye exercises.) We always emphasize the use of these non-invasive treatments when possible. If surgery is needed, our doctors are the only board-certified pediatric ophthalmologists in Utah County, and can help your child have the best experience possible.

All children with suspected or confirmed learning differences (including dyslexia) should have a complete eye exam. Studies have shown that the majority of patients with dyslexia do not have significant problems with vision. However, each child should be evaluated for the need of glasses, eye movement issues, and eye alignment. Any of these issues should be corrected to help aid with the learning process. If the eye exam is normal, then obtaining the best educational support (often with individual education plans (IEP) and tutoring) has been shown to be the most successful approach for children with dyslexia.

Eye screenings should be completed by a pediatrician, family medicine doctor, or other primary care provider at birth and at least annually throughout childhood. Many primary care offices are now using photoscreening devices that can detect children that may need glasses, have eye misalignment or other conditions. For most children, these screenings are sufficient. However, if there is family history of pediatric eye disease (including family members needing glasses from a young age), or if your child shows any signs of having vision problems (blurred vision, holding objects very close to their face, or crossing or wandering eyes) then a full exam is recommended. Many schools will also require an eye exam prior to the start of the school year.

Our doctors are specially trained to examine and care for children with developmental delay. As pediatric specialists, our doctors are adept at obtaining information about vision, glasses prescriptions, and the overall health of the eye in patients with developmental delays. Our doctors are kind, patient, and caring for all of their patients, especially those with delays.

Our doctors are credentialed with all major hospital systems in the area including intermountain Health Care (IHC), Primary Children’s (Lehi), and Mountain Star networks. Our surgeons only operate where the best pediatric sedation services are offered including IHC hospitals, Utah Valley Hospital, and outpatient surgical centers (Central Utah and Riverwoods Surgical Centers).