Photos by Downtown Short Pump
Are you wondering if your child needs an eye exam? Are you facing a potential eye surgery for yourself or a child and are apprehensive about what to expect?
Then you’ll be glad to know that the Short Pump Virginia Eye Institute location is open for business effective February 20, 2012. This makes it convenient and accessible for everyone. Richmondmom.com was invited for a preview and tour of the center on Wednesday, and it is definitely a state-of-the-art facility that makes you feel welcome, comfortable, and confident – exactly what the doctors ordered!
One thing was clear from our visit with the doctors – VEI pays special attention to the needs of children. They know that children and parents may be anxious about eye exams or procedures involving the eyes. They have created a special waiting area just for children, complete with a big screen television and welcoming environment. The doctors at VEI are especially sensitive to the concerns and fears of parents when their children require any type of services or procedures too. They recognize that parents who are well-informed and know what to expect will be much more confident and relaxed throughout the process, so they spend as much time as needed to listen and answer questions.
From the spacious lobby and exam rooms (which the industry refers to as lanes), to the impressive optical laboratory and high-tech cameras, VEI is truly a top-notch facility. With 10 facilities around the city, it’s comforting to know that their electronic medical record system (EMR) makes it easy and convenient to visit any VEI location — knowing that your records are easily accessible and confidentially maintained. The new facility has 12 well-equipped exam lanes for patients, making it a good option for people located near Short Pump or from other locations in the greater Richmond area.
Dr. Amanda Kelley of VEI explains, “Our goal is to create a positive experience for our patients and provide them with optimal eye care in a comfortable environment. We make it easy for them to use our optical shop for convenience. Patients can easily have prescriptions filled by pharmacies or other providers because we can quickly and easily forward their prescription electronically to their choice of providers. No more paper prescriptions for medications are needed.”
Dr. Kelley continues, “We’re proud to staff our offices with opticians for our patients. Many optical locations have only one licensed optician on staff and they use sales consultants for much of the work with patients. But we use opticians 100% of the time because they are highly skilled and trained in the use of style, size, color and other features to help patients make the best selections in eyewear for their personal needs.”
Dr. Amanda Kelley and Mark Johnson, VEI Director of Optical Services
Dr. Kelley also provided us with some great tips for moms and caregivers:
- Children should typically get their first eye exam around the age of 5, as they enter kindergarten — unless their are concerns or issues before then.
- Eye safety is important for all children. Wearing safety goggles is highly recommended for all children who play contact sports of any kind including soccer, football, and basketball. Most parents don’t think about this unless their children wear eyeglasses, but it’s an important safety measure whether your child wears glasses/contacts or not.
- If you see your child squinting, holding books close up for reading, or tilting her head from side to side, it may be a good idea to have her eyes examined or discuss it with your physician.
- Children should wear protection against the sun just like adults and that includes protection for the eyes. Sunglasses and brimmed hats are important safety precautions for all ages.
- Make sure children take frequent breaks when using computers or other electronics. The ’20-20-20 rule’ is important – rest eyes every 20 minutes for at least 20 seconds by looking 20 feet away. No matter your age, this is a good rule to follow.
There are lots of great things happening at VEI and we’ll cover them here on Richmondmom.com to keep our readers up to date. Advice on eye care during pregnancy, choosing the best lenses for your personality and physical characteristics, and choosing the best optical provider will be included in upcoming articles so stay tuned. You don’t want to miss any of the great happenings at VEI!
If you have specific questions you’d like addressed, let us know and we’ll include information and responses here from the doctors at VEI.
Welcome to Short Pump, VEI – Richmondmom.com is excited with the new office and state-of-the-art services!
Check out the video about the opening!
VEI is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com
