Optometry Services

Our optometrists perform routine eye exams to screen for common conditions such as glaucoma and vision problems. Some of these conditions have no signs or symptoms, which is why screening is so important. Catching the early signs of a problem can help preserve your vision.

In addition, our optometry services go beyond basic eye exams and glasses, helping you move forward from complex eye problems. Your care starts with a comprehensive eye exam, which includes testing your vision and examining structures inside your eyes.

Optometry Services: Why Choose Storm Eye Institute?

We offer a level of expertise that is uncommon in South Carolina, drawing people from across the state. We tailor treatments to meet your unique needs, helping you achieve the best possible results. For limited vision, we help you adapt, providing full support. For severe dry eye, we offer special contact lenses. These lenses may also provide an option for improving vision when standard models don’t work and can restore eye appearance after damage. You receive care from board-certified optometrists, meaning they passed rigorous exams of their knowledge and skills after completing optometry school.

Our team includes:

• Low-vision experts trained to meet the needs of people with partial but permanent vision loss. Our participation in research gives you access to new devices and technologies that are not widely available.
• Specialty contact lens experts with decades of experience, ensuring the best possible fit for lasting comfort and exceptional results

Low-Vision Services

Medical problems or serious injury may leave you with limited vision that treatments such as medications, prescription lenses and surgery can’t fix. While this low vision is permanent, it is not the same as blindness. You can still see, but often have a hard time with everyday tasks.

Our team helps you find new ways to perform daily activities, including driving, so you can live independently and safely navigate your world.

Our low-vision services include:

• Coordinated Care: Sometimes, low vision is due to a medical problem affecting your brain, such as stroke. To help you get the best care, our team works with other Storm Eye experts, including our neuro-ophthalmologist. Working together, we help you get the most effective treatment so you can move forward with your life.  Read more about neuro-ophthalmology.
• Low-Vision Therapy: We are the only program in South Carolina with a dedicated low-vision therapist. Our therapist teaches you new techniques for accomplishing tasks such as reading and safely navigating stairs.
• Devices: We may recommend assistive devices such as prism glasses and special magnifiers that make objects easier to see. Other devices including talking label readers to help you accurately identify everyday objects, including medication bottles.
• Accessibility Technology: We offer access to the latest technologies, including special (bioptic) eyeglasses. These glasses help you see color, road surfaces and faraway objects so you can safely drive again. Other technologies include special phone apps that scan barcodes on items and tell you the prices so you can shop independently.
• Support: Our low-vision therapist makes home visits, creating a safe living environment by eliminating fall hazards and showing how to adjust meal preparations. We also connect you with special services, including grants for accessibility technologies and community resources to help you achieve work and education goals.

Specialty Contact Lenses

Specialty contacts go beyond improving your vision. We offer a broad range of options to relieve discomfort and treat medical problems, with a fit that’s just right.

Our specialty contact lens services include:

• Cosmetic Contact Lenses: These lenses help you achieve a more natural appearance after severe eye problems, including illness, injuries, and congenital (present at birth) deformities. We custom-tint the lenses to match the appearance of your healthy eye, including a black center (pupil) when necessary.
• Custom Contact Lenses: If standard contact lenses don’t stay in place or are causing discomfort, custom contacts may be right for you. We design lenses based on your eye’s precise dimensions. The lenses hug the curve of your eye, helping them stay in place and provide a more comfortable fit.
• Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Lenses: RGP lenses are stiffer than standard contact lenses, allowing for sharper vision. RGP lenses may be right for you if soft contact lenses do not improve your vision. They can also help if abnormalities in the surface of your eye (cornea) are distorting your vision.  Find out more about corneal disease.
• Scleral Lenses: These large contact lenses cover the entire front surface of the eye, including the white outer layer of the eyeball (sclera). Scleral lenses seal in moisture, relieving the symptoms of severe dry eye.