Services provided at our office include:
	Eye Health Evaluation		Contact Lenses Evaluation
	Optical Dispensing		About Laser Vision Correction (LASIK)
	Surgery Co-Management		Emergencies, Eye Infections, Eye Injuries
	Eye Diseases; Cataracts, Glaucoma, Diabetes		Low Vision Services
	Vision Therapy		Just For Kids / Parent Information

Our eye health evaluations are more than just vision correction!

Did you know that your eyes reveal insights regarding your overall health? In fact, your eyes provide early detection for many different diseases that can affect more than just your vision! That's why we routinely perform tests that look for signs and symptoms of many different diseases, not just eye diseases, during your regularly scheduled eye health evaluation.

Illnesses that may be discovered early on through signs in your eyes include high blood pressure, diabetes, and even heart disease. That's why it's so important to leave your total eyecare to professionals. We feel it's important to review your family history then monitor and watch for signs of possibly inherited diseases or illnesses as another precaution.

Here's what we are checking during your routine eye health evaluation:

We start by checking your eyesight to ensure that you have the best possible vision you can. If a change in lenses is indicated, we have a fully staffed optical department that can help you with the latest styles and fashions of eyewear available.

We also check your intraocular pressures in each eye. Increased ocular pressures are a sign of glaucoma. Early detection of glaucoma is crucial to prevent the loss of sight.

During the exam we also evaluate your external eye health, checking for any growths, infections, drooping of eyelids, or excessive watering. We also evaluate your eye muscle mobility to make sure that both eyes are working together and your binocular visual field to check your peripheral vision.

When the doctor performs the slit lamp examination, he is examining your cornea (the transparent front segment of the eye that covers the iris and pupil), the anterior chamber (fluid filled space between the iris and innermost corneal surface), the conjunctiva (thin transparent mucous membrane that covers the eye and the inner surfaces of the eyelids) and the lens (which does the focusing). This part of the examination can reveal cataracts, dry eye syndrome, allergies, infection, and many other conditions.

Dilation of the pupils may be necessary to check for retinal disorders, diabetic eye disease, macular degeneration, and more. With our new retinal camera we are able to take a digital image of the interior of the retina, nerves and blood vessles at the back of the eye. If the doctor thinks this image is healthy, dialation may not be needed. If laser treatment is indicated, we can refer you to a specialist in the area.

Few things affect the quality of your life more than your eyes. Please don't put them at risk! Start off right by seeing an eye care professional who provides full-service care in assessing your medical needs, your lifestyle, and the highest quality contact lenses available to meet your needs, and proper training to ensure great vision.

It is important to remember that contact lenses are prescription medical devices. Various brands are designed and manufactured differently. The selection of a particular contact lens needs to be based on your vision problems, prescription, eye health, comfort requirements, lifestyle, age and physiological factors like tear flow. We'll discuss the different lens types and brands with you and advise you about the lens choices that are best for your eyes. Because everyone's eyes and vision needs are different, contact lenses are available with varying schedules for removal and replacement. We'll teach you how to properly clean and wear your new contact lenses to maximize vision and minimize potential risks.

At Nebraska Eye Institute we make sure that vision correction not only helps you see better, but also helps you feel better. Contact lenses aren't right for everyone, but they may be right for you. Even if you have astigmatism or need bifocal lenses, we may have a solution. Your evaluation will include:

• A look at your vision history


• An examination of your corneas


• A consultation session with Dr. Rienks, including recommendations and options


• Contact lens check


• Pair of trial contact lenses

Dr. Rienks specializes in contact lens care, with special emphasis on hard-to-fit cases and solving problems current contact lens patients may be experiencing.

Call us today for a contact lens evaluation. Enjoy the freedom contact lenses provide!

Our optical laboratory has the latest in equipment to not only fabricate your glasses, but to maintain and repair them should they become broken or damaged. We are able to provide you with any frame or lens design available. Our highly qualified optician and staff are able to adjust and fit your glasses to you for extended comfort and vision.

Most people with vision correction issues are wanting to know more about LASIK and whether it is right for them. Here is a brief description of the procedure;

A flap is surgically cut in the cornea and gently folded back. An Excimer Laser is used to reshape the cornea into a flatter shape (this is much like a contact lens corrects vision by forming a new shape on the cornea). The flap is then put back in place, acting like a natural bandage. The healing process is quick and the discomfort level is quite low.

People will often say that they did not feel anything, and could see well the very first day. Most people have improved vision in 24-48 hours. but it must be noted that each person will heal at a different rate. Vision, although greatly improved immediately after surgery, often continues to improve for some weeks, even months.

LASIK is not for everyone. People's eyes are different so even though you may have had a friend who has had LASIK, it may not be the best course of treatment for you. If you are interested in laser vision correction, we will be happy to guide you in picking the right surgeon, procedure and laser appropriate for you.

After the procedure, our unsurpassed post-op care involves monitoring your eyes and adjust your medication for the best possible results.

Our office provides working arrangements with eye surgeons and more specialized eye care doctors to provide many of the surgical services such as Cataract surgery, Laser surgery, Refractive surgery and Strabismic surgery, retinal detachments, retinal tears and hemorrhages. You can be assured that your eyes will be comprehensivel

Our office provides emergency services for eye infections and eye injuries. Please call our office at 402-435-1166 during office hours or our emergency number; 402-328-0123 after hours or on weekends. Our staff will work with you to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. State of the art microscopes allow us to examine the front surface of the eye and facial areas around the eye for infection or injury. After assessing the extent of the injury or infection a treatment plan will be formulated and explained to you. Treatment may include medications and supportive care. Follow-up visits to monitor your recovery will be scheduled as needed.

If you have special eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, or complications from diabetes, you will require special attention to your eye care. We can effectively manage these conditions and prescribe the appropriate medications or, when necessary, arrange for surgery. We co-manage with surgeons and hospitals to assure your best overall care. If you would like information on any of these eye diseases, be sure to visit our EyeCyclopedia™ for detailed information and photographs that may help you to better understand your eye condition.

People who have lost eyesight due to injuries or eye disease need special types of products to help them function as independently as possible. We offer a full range of these products through our office. Our paraoptometric staff is trained to demonstrate the use of some of these devices. They range all the way from a simple hand magnifier to a closed circuit TV system.

In addition, we can direct those who have low vision problems to products that will help them carry on the day-to-day tasks that they need to perform. In some cases we can set up a program for the low vision patient with the National Library of Congress to receive "books on tapes", which is a service for the blind.

Some visual conditions cannot be treated adequately with just glasses, contact lenses and/or patching, and are best resolved through a program of Vision Therapy.

What is Vision Therapy?

Vision Therapy is an individualized, supervised, treatment program designed to correct visual-motor and/or perceptual-cognitive deficiencies. Vision Therapy sessions include procedures designed to enhance the brain's ability to control:

• eye alignment,


• eye teaming,


• eye focusing abilities,


• eye movements, and/or


• visual processing.

Children's Vision

Children with uncorrected vision conditions or eye health problems face many barriers in life, academically, socially, and athletically. High-quality eye care can break down these barriers and help enable your children to reach their highest potential! As a parent, make sure you are giving your children the eye care they need. Presented are guidelines from the American Optometric Association.

Infants Vision

Your baby has a whole lifetime to see and learn. But did you know your baby also has to learn to see? As a parent, there are many things that you can do to help your baby's vision develop.

At about age six months, you should take your baby to your doctor of optometry for his or her first thorough eye examination. Things that the optometrist will test for include excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism and eye movement ability as well as eye health problems. These problems are not common, but it is important to identify children who have them at this stage. Vision development and eye health problems can be more easily corrected if treatment is begun early.

Unless you notice a need, or your doctor of optometry advises you otherwise, your child's next examination should be around age three, and then again before he or she enters school.

During the first four months of life, your baby should begin to follow moving objects with the eyes and reach for things, first by chance and later more accurately, as hand-eye coordination and depth perception begin to develop.

To help, use a nightlight or other dim lamp in your baby's room; change the crib's position frequently and your child's position in it; keep reach-and-touch toys within your baby's focus, about eight to twelve inches; talk to your baby as you walk around the room; alternate right and left sides with each feeding; and hang a mobile above and outside the crib.

Between four and eight months, your baby should begin to turn from side to side and use his or her arms and legs. Eye movement and eye/body coordination skills should develop further and both eyes should focus equally.

Enable your baby to explore different shapes and textures with his or her fingers; give your baby the freedom to crawl and explore; hang objects across the crib; and play "patty cake" and "peek-a-boo" with your baby.

From eight to twelve months, your baby should be mobile now, crawling and pulling himself or herself up. He or she will begin to use both eyes together and judge distances and grasp and throw objects with greater precision. To support development don't encourage early walking - crawling is important in developing eye-hand-foot-body coordination; give your baby stacking and take-apart toys; and provide objects your baby can touch, hold and see at the same time.

From one to two years, your child's eye-hand coordination and depth perception will continue to develop and he or she will begin to understand abstract terms. Things you can do are encourage walking; provide building blocks, simple puzzles and balls; and provide opportunities to climb and explore indoors and out.

There are many other affectionate and loving ways in which you can aid your baby's vision development. Use your creativity and imagination. Ask your doctor of optometry to suggest other specific activities.

Pre-School Vision

During the infant and toddler years, your child has been developing many vision skills and has been learning how to see. In the preschool years, this process continues, as your child develops visually guided eye-hand-body coordination, fine motor skills and the visual motor skills necessary to learn to read.

As a parent, you should watch for signs that may indicate a vision development problem, including a short attention span for the child's age; difficulty with eye-hand-body coordination in ball play and bike riding; avoidance of coloring and puzzles and other detailed activities.

There are everyday things that you can do at home to help your preschooler's vision develop, as it should.

These activities include reading aloud to your child and letting him or her see what you are reading; providing a chalkboard, finger paints and different shaped blocks and showing your child how to use them in imaginative play; providing safe opportunities to use playground equipment like a jungle gym and balance beam; and allowing time for interacting with other children and for playing independently.

By age three, your child should have a thorough optometric eye examination to make sure your preschooler's vision is developing properly and there is no evidence of eye disease. If needed, your doctor can prescribe treatment including glasses and/or vision therapy to correct a vision development problem.

Here are several tips to make your child's optometric examination a positive experience:

• Make an appointment early in the day. Allow about one hour.


• Talk about the examination in advance and encourage your child's questions.


• Explain the examination in your child's terms, comparing the E chart to puzzle and the instruments to tiny flashlights and a kaleidoscope.

• Loses their place while reading


• Avoids close work


• Holds reading material closer than normal


• Tends to rub their eyes


• Has headaches


• Turns or tilts head to use one eye only


• Makes frequent reversals when reading or writing

Uses finger to maintain place when reading

• Omits or confuses small words when reading


• Consistently performs below potential

Remember, a school vision or pediatrician's screening is not a substitute for a thorough eye examination.

Protective Eyewear

Please don't overlook the importance of safety eyewear when playing sports. Each year, hundreds of men, women, and children are injured when playing sports. To help prevent sports eye injuries, athletes should use protective athletic eyewear whether or not prescription eyewear is needed. One choice is a sports frame with prescription or non-prescription polycarbonate lenses is another choice. Baseball or softball players who are hit in or near the eye, or suffer a blow to the head, should seek immediate care at a hospital emergency room or from an eye care professional.

Children & Contact Lenses

The important thing for parents and their children who wear contact lenses to remember is that contacts are prescribed medical devices. Contact lenses are not a cosmetic accessory. While the wearer may be happy about his or her new look, it's extremely important that the lenses be properly cleaned and worn according to the instruction of the optometrist.