ADVANCED EYECARE PROFESSIONALS TEAMS UP WITH IONIA COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL TO ADVANCE OPHTHALMIC EQUIPMENT IN THE ER
Dr. Michael Flohr, M.D. owner and head ophthalmologist of Advanced Eyecare Professionals located in Ionia is donating a slit lamp to the ICMH emergency room. Dr. Flohr who has been practicing for over 23 years currently does cataract surgery at ICM Hospital and as a staff member wanted to make sure that the emergency room had advanced technology to help ER personnel assess eye emergencies better.
The Zeiss slit lamp is an instrument consisting of a high-intensity light source that can be focused to shine as a slit. It is used in conjunction with a microscope. The lamp facilitates an examination, which looks at anterior segment, or frontal structures, of the human eye under high magnification. This includes the eyelid, the white part of the eye (sclera), the clear membrane that covers the sclera and lines the inside of the eyelid (conjunctiva), the lens, the colored part (iris), the elastic structure immediately behind the iris (natural crystalline lens), and the clear, outer covering (cornea).
The instrument’s name is derived from its adjustable light beam. By changing the width of the beam, the doctor can gather important details about each eye structure and in the emergency rooms case problems in the eye. This instrument, which is used in all ophthalmic eye exams, will greatly benefit the ICMH emergency room staff’s ability to see deeper into the eye so they can faster and better diagnose a real eye emergency.
The slight lamp will most commonly be used in the emergency room to:
· help detect infection or injury to the cornea, cataracts, conjunctivitis, or iris.
· check for a foreign body, such as a metal fragment, on or in the eye.
· monitor complications such as bleeding after an eye injury.
Dr. Flohr is also teaching the emergency room staff how to use the slit lamp and helpful tips in diagnosing severe emergencies that he or another ophthalmologist on call will have to see immediately or if they are issues that can be attended to during normal business hours.
Together both Advanced Eyecare Professionals and Ionia County Memorial Hospital are looking out for the community’s sight, and protecting it by sharing technology.