The highly trained doctors and staff at Valley EyeCare Center are committed to treating their patients for life using state-of-the-art technology for the following:
REFERRALS If your insurance or HMO requires a referral to a specialist, you must bring this with you at the time of service. If another doctor has sent you to us, we will provide a written report to that referring doctor.
EMERGENCY CALLS If you have an eye emergency after hours, go to the emergency room at your local hospital, or call our answering service at 925-449-2486.
SURGICAL SERVICES To meet the needs of our patients, surgery will be performed at a local state of the art surgery center.
The surgery center is specially designed to accommodate all of the surgical procedures our surgeons perform:
Cataract Surgery at Valley EyeCare Center: Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision. In fact, it is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States, with over 1.5 million cataract surgeries done each year.
The Valley EyeCare Center is dedicated to excellence in both the consultation and treatment of all types of cataracts. Our cataract surgeons use state-of-the-art equipment and have experience with complicated cataract cases.
Some common questions about cataract surgery:
What is a cataract?
It is the clouding of the natural lens within the eye, behind the pupil.
How is cataract detected?
The only way to know for sure is having an eye examination.
What are its symptoms?
A cataract starts out small. You may notice that your vision is blurred, similar to looking through a cloudy piece of glass. A cataract may cause difficulty driving at night with glare from oncoming headlights.
How does Dr. Gagnon remove a cataract?
Dr. Gagnon uses topical anesthesia (eye drops) while the anesthesiologist gives you relaxing medication in your vein.
A small self-healing incision, 2.75 mm, is made and usually does not require a stitch. Phacoemulsification (ultra sound) breaks up the cataract and then vacuums it out.
The cataract is replaced with a prescription lens implant that provides focusing power. This new lens is folded and is injected through the tiny incision. Your visual needs will be discussed before the surgery so that the proper lens implant can be chosen to meet your expectations.
After surgery, the eye is patched, for the trip home. You will be seen by your surgeon the day after the surgery.
There are now options for improvement in both distance and near vision with a new generation of premium lens implants including Alcon Toric, Symfony, and PanOptix.
When will I see better?
Your vision usually returns to normal within a couple of weeks.
When should the cataract surgery be done?
You should consider cataract surgery when your daily life is affected by your impaired vision. If you find you are giving up things you enjoy or if you are having any safety issues, the time may be right.
Laser Surgery for medical conditions: Our Pleasanton office has an SLT laser for treatment of glaucoma. A laser is also available for eye conditions related to diabetes and retinal tears. Additionally, we have the YAG laser for use in treating secondary membranes after cataract surgery as well as narrow angle glaucoma and acute angle closure glaucoma.
Corneal Surgery:
Pterygium Surgery: A pterygium is a growth on the eye that occurs as a result of sunlight (UV radiation). It can grow over the cornea and in some cases cover the pupil.Mild cases can be treated with lubricant eye drops or mild steroid drops.Surgery is done to remove a pterygium when it is irritated, growing, or impairing vision. The pterygium is removed by peeling it off the surface of the eye and leaving a bare surface. If left bare the recurrence risk is over 50%.To reduce the risk of recurrence, Dr. Gagnon harvests a graft of conjunctival tissue from underneath the eyelid to repair the bare surface.Dr. Gagnon also uses tissue glue to secure the graft which helps to eliminate the irritation of sutures.
Corneal Transplant:Each year in the US, there are over 40,000 corneal transplants performed to restore vision to patients with corneal eye diseases such as Fuch’s corneal dystrophy, keratoconus, and corneal scarring.When Dr. Gagnon determines that a corneal transplant is required, your name will be placed on a list and when a donor becomes available, your surgery will be scheduled. The cornea is tested for disease before it is cleared for surgery.During the corneal transplant, the central cloudy cornea is removed, and a donor graft is sutured into its place.
Sutureless Corneal Transplant:Sutureless corneal transplantation or Descemet’s Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty(DSEK) is a new technique in corneal transplant surgery. In some cases only the inner layer of the cornea is responsible for the clouding of the cornea. This includes Fuch’s dystrophy and pseudophakic bullous keratopathy.Dr. Michael Gagnon has helped to pioneer this new procedure by assisting in the first sutureless corneal transplant in the state of Utah as well as being the first surgeon to perform this procedure in the Tri-Valley.The procedure has many benefits over traditional corneal transplants.
No Suture-related complications
Faster visual recovery
Preserves the structural integrity of the Cornea
This procedure is performed through a small corneal incision approximately 4mm in size. The diseased innermost portion of the cornea is removed. Then a donor graft is folded and placed into the eye. It is opened and held in place with an air bubble. The cells will start pumping and hold the graft in place.
Laser Vision Correction: We offer excimer laser surgery for patients who are nearsighted, farsighted, both with and without astigmatism. LASIK surgery is performed off-site at Horizon Vision Center in Castro Valley.
CONTACT LENSES Our optometrists perform fittings and services. If you are a current contact lens wearer, our doctors will evaluate the fit of your lenses and update your current prescription at a nominal fee. This evaluation can be done during your vision exam. If you have never worn contact lenses, a lens fitting is required, as well as follow-up care to insure your lenses fit properly.
EYEGLASS PRESCRIPTIONS If prescription glasses are necessary, our doctors will prescribe them for you. The prescription can be filled accurately and in a timely manner at our on-site optical department. Our optical shop carries a complete line of designer frames and various lenses. We believe that our eyeglasses are competitively priced and we guarantee our frames and lenses.
FEES, INSURANCE, BILLING We make every effort to keep our fees reasonable for all patients. We request that payment for office visits, glasses, and contact lenses be made at the time of service. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cards, as well as cash and money orders. We will file all medical insurance claims for you for office visits, diagnostic services, and surgery. If you have vision care insurance coverage, and your doctor is a provider, we will submit claims for your vision exam, glasses and/or contact lens benefits. We are participating providers with most local HMOs. Please notify our staff of your insurance coverage when making an appointment. If a referral is required, please be sure to bring it with you for your visit. All co-pays will be collected at the time of service. Please be advised that it is the patient’s responsibility to submit all insurance information prior to their visit, and will be financially responsible for balance on their account.
- Comprehensive Adult & Pediatric Eye Examinations
- Diagnosis & Treatment of Ocular Disease
- Management of Ocular Disease
- Premium Lens Implants
- Dry Eye Clinic
- Laser & Surgery Treatment of Glaucoma
- Medical & Surgical Treatment of the Retina & Vitreous
- Laser Vision Correction – LASIK, Advanced Surface Ablation
- Corneal Transplant; DSEK
- Second Opinions and Consultations
- Contact Lens Evaluations, Fittings, Instructions, and Care
- Designer Fashion Frames
- Adult and Children’s Frames
- Sun, Sport and Safety Glasses
REFERRALS If your insurance or HMO requires a referral to a specialist, you must bring this with you at the time of service. If another doctor has sent you to us, we will provide a written report to that referring doctor.
EMERGENCY CALLS If you have an eye emergency after hours, go to the emergency room at your local hospital, or call our answering service at 925-449-2486.
SURGICAL SERVICES To meet the needs of our patients, surgery will be performed at a local state of the art surgery center.
The surgery center is specially designed to accommodate all of the surgical procedures our surgeons perform:
Cataract Surgery at Valley EyeCare Center: Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision. In fact, it is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States, with over 1.5 million cataract surgeries done each year.
The Valley EyeCare Center is dedicated to excellence in both the consultation and treatment of all types of cataracts. Our cataract surgeons use state-of-the-art equipment and have experience with complicated cataract cases.
Some common questions about cataract surgery:
What is a cataract?
It is the clouding of the natural lens within the eye, behind the pupil.
How is cataract detected?
The only way to know for sure is having an eye examination.
What are its symptoms?
A cataract starts out small. You may notice that your vision is blurred, similar to looking through a cloudy piece of glass. A cataract may cause difficulty driving at night with glare from oncoming headlights.
How does Dr. Gagnon remove a cataract?
Dr. Gagnon uses topical anesthesia (eye drops) while the anesthesiologist gives you relaxing medication in your vein.
A small self-healing incision, 2.75 mm, is made and usually does not require a stitch. Phacoemulsification (ultra sound) breaks up the cataract and then vacuums it out.
The cataract is replaced with a prescription lens implant that provides focusing power. This new lens is folded and is injected through the tiny incision. Your visual needs will be discussed before the surgery so that the proper lens implant can be chosen to meet your expectations.
After surgery, the eye is patched, for the trip home. You will be seen by your surgeon the day after the surgery.
There are now options for improvement in both distance and near vision with a new generation of premium lens implants including Alcon Toric, Symfony, and PanOptix.
When will I see better?
Your vision usually returns to normal within a couple of weeks.
When should the cataract surgery be done?
You should consider cataract surgery when your daily life is affected by your impaired vision. If you find you are giving up things you enjoy or if you are having any safety issues, the time may be right.
Laser Surgery for medical conditions: Our Pleasanton office has an SLT laser for treatment of glaucoma. A laser is also available for eye conditions related to diabetes and retinal tears. Additionally, we have the YAG laser for use in treating secondary membranes after cataract surgery as well as narrow angle glaucoma and acute angle closure glaucoma.
Corneal Surgery:
Pterygium Surgery: A pterygium is a growth on the eye that occurs as a result of sunlight (UV radiation). It can grow over the cornea and in some cases cover the pupil.Mild cases can be treated with lubricant eye drops or mild steroid drops.Surgery is done to remove a pterygium when it is irritated, growing, or impairing vision. The pterygium is removed by peeling it off the surface of the eye and leaving a bare surface. If left bare the recurrence risk is over 50%.To reduce the risk of recurrence, Dr. Gagnon harvests a graft of conjunctival tissue from underneath the eyelid to repair the bare surface.Dr. Gagnon also uses tissue glue to secure the graft which helps to eliminate the irritation of sutures.
Corneal Transplant:Each year in the US, there are over 40,000 corneal transplants performed to restore vision to patients with corneal eye diseases such as Fuch’s corneal dystrophy, keratoconus, and corneal scarring.When Dr. Gagnon determines that a corneal transplant is required, your name will be placed on a list and when a donor becomes available, your surgery will be scheduled. The cornea is tested for disease before it is cleared for surgery.During the corneal transplant, the central cloudy cornea is removed, and a donor graft is sutured into its place.
Sutureless Corneal Transplant:Sutureless corneal transplantation or Descemet’s Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty(DSEK) is a new technique in corneal transplant surgery. In some cases only the inner layer of the cornea is responsible for the clouding of the cornea. This includes Fuch’s dystrophy and pseudophakic bullous keratopathy.Dr. Michael Gagnon has helped to pioneer this new procedure by assisting in the first sutureless corneal transplant in the state of Utah as well as being the first surgeon to perform this procedure in the Tri-Valley.The procedure has many benefits over traditional corneal transplants.
No Suture-related complications
Faster visual recovery
Preserves the structural integrity of the Cornea
This procedure is performed through a small corneal incision approximately 4mm in size. The diseased innermost portion of the cornea is removed. Then a donor graft is folded and placed into the eye. It is opened and held in place with an air bubble. The cells will start pumping and hold the graft in place.
Laser Vision Correction: We offer excimer laser surgery for patients who are nearsighted, farsighted, both with and without astigmatism. LASIK surgery is performed off-site at Horizon Vision Center in Castro Valley.
CONTACT LENSES Our optometrists perform fittings and services. If you are a current contact lens wearer, our doctors will evaluate the fit of your lenses and update your current prescription at a nominal fee. This evaluation can be done during your vision exam. If you have never worn contact lenses, a lens fitting is required, as well as follow-up care to insure your lenses fit properly.
EYEGLASS PRESCRIPTIONS If prescription glasses are necessary, our doctors will prescribe them for you. The prescription can be filled accurately and in a timely manner at our on-site optical department. Our optical shop carries a complete line of designer frames and various lenses. We believe that our eyeglasses are competitively priced and we guarantee our frames and lenses.
FEES, INSURANCE, BILLING We make every effort to keep our fees reasonable for all patients. We request that payment for office visits, glasses, and contact lenses be made at the time of service. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cards, as well as cash and money orders. We will file all medical insurance claims for you for office visits, diagnostic services, and surgery. If you have vision care insurance coverage, and your doctor is a provider, we will submit claims for your vision exam, glasses and/or contact lens benefits. We are participating providers with most local HMOs. Please notify our staff of your insurance coverage when making an appointment. If a referral is required, please be sure to bring it with you for your visit. All co-pays will be collected at the time of service. Please be advised that it is the patient’s responsibility to submit all insurance information prior to their visit, and will be financially responsible for balance on their account.