Missouri Eye Consultants

Wearing Contacts for the first time!

Our latest YouTube video goes over everything you want to know.

Will I put on contacts that day?
Is it done at my regular exam?
Dailies vs Monthlies?
How will I learn to put them in?
Can I try them before I order them?

Watch the full video here to learn more about trying contacts for the first time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8QESll668k&t=4s

Dilating the eyes involves a combination of drops that enlarge the pupil, a window to the inside of eye. The larger this window, the more we can see inside.

Dilation gives us a better look at conditions like cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and retinal tears or detachments.

Earlier this month Dr. Wilkerson had the pleasure of awarding the David Whitson Memorial Scholarship to Moberly High School senior Hazel Myles.

This scholarship is in honor of Dr. David Whitson, the founder of MEC’s Moberly location, who passed away in 2020. It is awarded to a local senior who plans to pursue a degree or career in healthcare and has an interest in nature and the outdoors, a pastime that was near to Dr. Whitson’s heart.

Sleeping overnight in your contacts makes you 5x more likely to get an eye infection than if you take take them out to sleep!

Airborne pollutants that get on your contacts during the day + less oxygen getting to your eye through the contact and your closed eyelids + the lack of eye and lid movement during sleep create an environment where bacterial infection is most likely to occur.

Just take your lenses out to sleep. Your future self will thank you.

Join us in welcoming Dr. Maggie Cardonell, M.D. to Missouri Eye Consultants!

Fun Facts about Dr. Cardonell:
- She's an ophthalmologist with a focus on cataract surgery and pediatric ophthalmology
- Her passion for travel + eye care have blended seamlessly resulting in medical mission work in Asia, Africa, Central, and South America (including in Guatemala with MEC's own KindSight 2020 program!)
- Her husband is also in medicine (he's a anesthesiologist at MU) and they have three beautiful kiddos (Caroline, 8, and James and Eloise, 3)
- Outside of work she enjoys exploring new places, spending time at the lake, and creating memories with family and their dog, Cookie

Dr. Cardonell will add her expertise as a skilled cataract surgeon to our team and is available for your cataract surgery, along with Dr. Hesemann, when you need it.

We have the best staff and had a great time celebrating them at Midway Golf and Games Friday night!

Which is better, 1 or 2? This part of the exam, known as the refraction, can sometimes cause patients more stress than necessary. But don't worry, we won't let you lead yourself astray. In fact, if one and two look about the same, that's a perfectly fine answer! When they start to look pretty similar, that's actually not a bad thing! It means just about at your right prescription.

Try these tips next time you're in for the exam to reduce your anxiety.

Did you know that when you purchase a pair of glasses from Missouri Eye Consultants $7 of that purchase goes towards providing eye care to people in need world wide?

We call it our "KindSight 20/20" initiative and it helps provide glasses, eye exams, and cataract surgery to the people of Chichicastenango, Guatemala. Our doctors take quarterly trips to the region and have provided over 4,000 exams, 6,300 pairs of glasses, and 400 cataract surgeries since the program began over 20 years ago.

Learn more about this mission at https://moeyes.com/kindsight2020/

Missouri Eye Consultants is proud to sponsor Molly's Miles for a great cause! We’ll be out there tomorrow!

Team MEC was back at the Food Bank this morning. We appreciate you donating your time to help our community!

A lot of patients whose near vision is starting to get blurry don’t try over the counter (OTC) readers for fear of messing up their eyes or not really knowing where to start.

It IS ok to try over the counter reading glasses to help that blurry near vision. This chart isn’t a hard and fast rule, but more of a general guideline.

Choosing a less than ideal power won’t do any permanent damage and wearing reading glasses won’t make your eyes more dependent on them in the long run. For a lot of people custom reading glasses from your optometrist will work even better than an over the counter pair, but until you get in for your exam or as a back up, give this chart a try!

We’re looking to hire for front desk, ophthalmic tech, and optician at both of our Columbia locations!

We offer competitive pay, no weekends, paid time off starting at 3 weeks a year, insurance benefits, scrubs, and more.

If you think you might be a good fit, apply on our website! We’d love to meet you.

https://moeyes.com/join-our-team/ -form

Introducing our newest platform for patient education: Our YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/

Questions pop up about vision and eye health, but most of us only see the eye doctor once a year. We want you to have a resource to hear directly from us about the most commonly asked questions we get.

Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss any eye related tips + make it easy to go back and reference when a question comes up!

Short Answer: Nope!

You only need to wear eclipse viewing glasses if you want to look at the sun during the eclipse. If you’re just outside walking around or you’re driving, your eyes are not at risk.

In Mid-Missouri the partial eclipse will begin around 12:40pm and end around 3:15pm. We won’t experience totality at all, but closest we’ll get will be about 95%, and maximum viewing for that will be at 1:57pm.

Do you have your protective solar eclipse viewing glasses yet? We've got eclipse viewers to give out at all of our offices. Stop by and grab one if you still need yours!

In Mid-Missouri, only a partial eclipse will be visible because we're off the path of totality, but as long as the skies are clear, it will still be worth the view!

A big thank you to our staff member, Missy Boehm, for painting us an awesome Mizzou Tiger for our Columbia-Keene Street office!

Looking directly at the sun during a solar eclipse is unsafe, except during a brief phase when the moon entirely blocks the sun's face. This won't happen AT ALL in Mid-Missouri during next week's eclipse, where we'll experience 94% of totality.

We hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!

We're here for you and our community, ready to provide the same prompt and attentive service whenever you need us.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day!

Spring is on the way, and it's the perfect time to refresh your look with a new pair of glasses! 🌷👓 At Missouri Eye Consultants, we have the latest spring styles waiting for you. Whether you're looking for something bold and colorful or sleek and subtle, find the perfect frames to match the season's new beginnings. Swing by today and spring into a fresh new look!

Today, we celebrate the remarkable women in optometry who have paved the way for a brighter, clearer future, including our very own Dr. Jaqueline Byrd and Dr. Melissa Liepins- Masek!

Your recommendation means the world to us. We can't wait to welcome you back for your next visit and continue providing the exceptional service you deserve. Thank you for choosing us for your eye care needs!

At MEC, as private practice optometrists, we’re passionate about keeping this mode of practice going strong.

We’re so excited to be part of a group doing something special for those seeking to transition into private practice optometry.

www.linkedin.com

Our team takes great pride in offering professional eye care and we're delighted to know that we've been able to consistently meet your expectations over the years.

Early detection of AMD can make all the difference. Our thorough eye exams are designed to catch the early signs, helping you take proactive steps for your eye health!

We’re looking to hire a tech for our Moberly office!

No previous experience required. Position entails taking medical history and performing basic vision tests to get the patient ready to see the doctor.

If you think you might be a good fit, please reach out! We’d love to meet you.

Don't forget, our Ashland office is now open on Mondays! Whether you need an eye exam or want to come in to select or pick up glasses, our Ashland location is open from 8 AM to 5 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

Don't miss out on crystal clear vision! 🌟 Schedule your eye exam today and ensure your eyes are in top shape. 👓 Whether it's your first check-up or a routine visit, our expert team is here to provide thorough and comfortable eye care.

Eyes are the windows to the world, and taking care of them is essential. Regular eye check-ups, protective eyewear, and a healthy lifestyle are the pillars of maintaining good eye health. Let Missouri Eye Consultants be your partner in seeing life's beautiful moments clearly!

Wishing all our patients and community a bright and vision-filled 2024! Let's prioritize eye health this year. 🎉👁️

Thank you for your kind words, testimonials like yours keep us going!

Happy holidays to all of our patients and followers!

🎄✨Closure Announcement ✨🎄
We'll be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day, but will maintain our regular hours the rest of the holiday season! 🌟

Wishing you all a very happy first day of winter! How are you looking forward to spending the cold season?

📣 Reminder: Missouri Eye Consultants - Ashland's New Schedule! 📣

Hey Ashland community! Just a friendly reminder you can now visit us on Mondays from 8 AM to 5 PM and will continue with our normal schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays but will no longer have open office hours on Fridays.

Your vision care is our top priority, and we're adjusting our schedule to make sure we're there when you need us the most.

We're more than happy to help! Thank you for your kind words, they brought a smile to our faces!