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Ophthalmology

Expert eye care right in our community

Hocking Valley Community Hospital in collaboration with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center are now offering ophthalmology services in the HVCH Outpatient Clinic.

Eye Disorders

Our eye care doctors treat cataracts and other eye disorders to maintain your eye health, improve and protect your vision and prevent blindness.

  • Cataract
  • Corneal scarring
  • Infectious or inflammatory keratitis
  • Keratoconus
  • Corneal edema
  • Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy
  • Other corneal dystrophies
  • Salzmann’s nodular degeneration
  • Pterygium
  • Conjunctival melanoma
  • Ocular surface squamous neoplasia
  • Other conjunctival disorders
  • Dry eye​
  • Chalazion
Ophthalmologist measures the ocular tension

What is a cataract?

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in your eye. It affects your vision. Cataracts are very common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. A cataract can occur in either or both eyes. It cannot spread from one eye to the other.

Common symptoms are:

  • Blurry vision
  • Colors that seem faded
  • Glare – headlights, lamps or sunlight may seem too bright
  • Halo around lights
  • Not being able to see well at night
  • Double vision
  • Frequent prescription changes in your eyewear

Cataracts usually develop slowly. New glasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses or magnifying lenses can help at first. Surgery is also an option. It involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. Wearing sunglasses and a hat with a brim to block ultraviolet sunlight may help to delay cataracts.

How is a cataract detected?

Cataract is detected through a comprehensive eye exam that includes:

  1. Visual acuity test. This eye chart test measures how well you see at various distances.
  2. Dilated eye exam. Drops are placed in your eyes to widen, or dilate, the pupils. Your eye care professional uses a special magnifying lens to examine your retina and optic nerve for signs of damage and other eye problems. After the exam, your close-up vision may remain blurred for several hours.
  3. Tonometry. An instrument measures the pressure inside the eye. Numbing drops may be applied to your eye for this test.

Your eye care professional also may do other tests to learn more about the structure and health of your eye.

Source: NIH: National Eye Institute

Now accepting new patients.

A referral from an optometrist is required.

For more information, call 740-380-8129.

Hocking Valley provided excellent care – made my cataract surgery the easiest it could be.

Our Ophthalmologist

Tyler Oostra, M.D.
Tyler Oostra, M.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center