Compass Vision Care is proud to offer progressive services ranging from comprehensive vision care to overall health and wellness. Our innovative practice uses the latest digital imaging technology to diagnose and treat both acute and chronic conditions.
We specialize in Comprehensive Eye Wellness Exams, Optomap Retinal Imaging, Pediatric Eye Exams, Dry Eye Treatment, Digital Eye Health, Anti-Aging Eye Care, and Eyeglasses & Contact Lenses.
Come see us!
Whether you are a new or returning patient, we’d love to see you. Schedule your next comprehensive eye exam or stop in to peruse our amazing collection of frames in the boutique.
▸ Request an Appointment
Comprehensive Eye Wellness Exams
At Compass Vision Care, we take pride in our comprehensive vision and eye health evaluations. Through state-of-the art computerized testing, and careful examination by our doctors, we assess each individual patient's visual system to determine what type of visual correction is best recommended. Visual correction may include glasses, contacts, or refractive surgery.
Further evaluation continues with what Compass Vision Care feels to be the most important part of the examination, the eye health evaluation. Glaucoma testing, dilated fundus examination, and diagnostic retinal imaging is performed to evaluate the health of the eye. At Compass Vision Care, we consider ourselves the primary gatekeeper for our patients, and we work very closely with area physicians and sub-specialists to ensure comprehensive care for all patients.
why get routine exams?
Aside from assessing your overall eye health, Comprehensive Eye Wellness Exams can detect common systemic conditions, including:
Diabetes
High Blood Pressure
High Cholesterol
Impending stroke and heart attack
Neurologic Disease
Autoimmune Disease
Optomap Retinal Imaging
We all want to protect our gift of sight. Annual eye examinations not only allow us to improve the quality of your vision by updating the prescription in your glasses or contact lenses, but also allow us to determine the overall health of your eyes from the front (the cornea) to the back of the eye (the retina).
Compass Vision Care is proud to offer the Optomap Retinal Exam to all of our patients. The Optomap allows us to see the retina in ways never seen before.
For more information, please call the office or visit Optomap’s website.
why optomap?
A wide field view of the retina is highly recommended by Dr. Fraser and is an important part of your comprehensive exam. There are many advantages to this type of exam:
Fast, Easy, Comfortable
No Blur, No Dilation, No Light Sensitivity, No Stinging Drops
Provides a permanent record to compare and track potential eye disease
Allows for an in-depth, multi-layered view of the retina to detect eye disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes
Pediatric Eye Exams
We value your trust in our ability to care for your children. Dr. Fraser has children of her own and will treat your child as if s/he was a member of the family. We rely strictly on peer-reviewed research and individually tailored solutions when prescribing glasses and treatment for young children. You can be confident that your child will receive a comprehensive evaluation and appropriate, personalized, timely treatment.
did you know?
The American Optometric Association recommends scheduling your infant's first eye exam at six months old, then around age three, and again when they reach age five or six (typically before the start of Kindergarten).
Dry Eye Treatment
Dry Eye Syndrome (DES), also known as Ocular Surface Disease (OSD), is the most common eye disorder, affecting about 20% of the population. It might sound like a simple condition, but it can be very complicated. It is caused when one or all of the components of the tear film are not in balance. Many things can influence dry eyes, such as health conditions, medications, computer usage, and exposure to air flow.
Many people have used artificial tears (or lubrication drops) for years but without relief. It is essential that the underlying cause of the dry eye be diagnosed in order to prescribe a specific and effective treatment that brings relief. We pride ourselves on our very advanced equipment specific to diagnosing dry eye.
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, Dr. Fraser will discuss all options with you and create a treatment plan for you, specific to your type of dry eye. Dry Eye is abnormal; patients should not be forced to accept this condition as a normal part of life. There are many treatments available. Some of which are simple and might include warm compresses, tear gels, or prescription drops. Other common but more involved treatments include punctal occlusion, blink exercises, oral prescriptions, and vitamins. Advanced treatments include meibomian gland treatment procedures, amniotic membrane treatments, and blood serum drops.
Our Dry Eye Equipment: Diagnosing the Cause
At Compass Vision Care, we use cutting edge equipment for the diagnosis of Dry Eye Disease. The Oculus 5M is used to help us diagnose why your eyes are dry. It allows us to take high-resolution images and videos of the front of the eye; we can also image the meibomian glands within the lid. The 5M also evaluates how quickly the tears break up between blinks. It shows any dry patches as they appear. At the completion of all individual tests, a comprehensive report will be printed to show you a description of each test and how your eyes performed. These are just a few of the benefits of this very specialized piece of equipment.
Our In Office Dry Eye Treatments
Tempsure Envi Radio Frequency treats dry eye by stimulating clogged tear glands. The oil producing tear glands reside along the upper and lower eyelids. These glands become blocked over time and lose their ability to produce the rich oil later of the tear film. When this happens the eyes start to feel dry, irritated, burning and red, especially upon waking. Over time these plugged glands can lead to atrophy (death of the glands), lid laxity, ocular surface disease and dry eye. As this condition worsens it can impact the ability to see clearly.
This non-invasive treatment utilizes radio frequency technology to safely and effectively treat dry eyes and dermatochalasis (droopy eyelids) for a smoother, healthier-looking appearance. Best of all, there is no surgery or down time!
ICON IPL (Intense Pulsed Light therapy) is an innovative treatment for ocular rosacea and dry eye. Initially found to be beneficial for treating facial rosacea for the past 20 years (learn more here) it has been more recently used in the dry eye field. Countless studies show its effectiveness at reducing fine ocular rosacea along the upper and lower lid margins.
Minimizing these pro-inflammatory vessels in the eyelids reduces the expression of toxic mediators that cause further destruction of the oil glands in the eyelids. Utilizing technology is a game changer in treating ocular surface disease and dry eye. Compass Vision Care is one of the only optometric practices in the Charleston area offering this cutting edge technology and seeing wonderful results.
Like Tempsure Envi, the ICON IPL does not have any downtime and is also non-invasive. The light therapy of the future is here at Compass Vision Care to help us see 20/20 and beyond!
what are the symptoms of dry eye?
Symptoms of dry eye can be misleading. Please schedule a consultation if you experience any of the following symptoms, especially if they worsen during reading or computer use:
Persistent scratchiness
Redness
Tearing
Light sensitivity
Burning
Digital Eye Health
With the advent and integration of digital devices (computers, laptops, tablets, smart phones) in our personal and work lives, digital eye health has become increasingly important. In order to maintain good vision throughout your life, we need to make sure that your retinas are protected against harmful light.
LEDs are commonly utilized as the primary light source in electronic devices, headlights, and overhead lighting in stores and workplaces. Studies on harmful blue-violet light have suggested that blue-violet light damages the macula and speeds up the process of macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is a devastating disease that causes loss of central vision.
Anti-reflective technology with blue light protection has been developed to decrease the amount of harmful blue-violet exposure in an effort to slow down the process of macular degeneration, thereby preserving vision.
We understand that digital devices are an important part of everyday life and encourages patients to learn about blue light and its impact on vision and health. Here are 5 tips for alleviating digital eye strain:
Power down before turning in. As hard as it may be, turn devices off at least one hour before bedtime as part of your evening routine. High-energy visible light can potentially upset normal circadian rhythms that lead to a good night's sleep by suppressing melatonin levels at the wrong time of day.
Mind the 20-20-20 rule. As a general rule of thumb, when working with digital devices for a prolonged period of time, it's appropriate to take a 20-20-20 break. In other words, take a 20-second break every 20 minutes to focus on something 20 feet away. These regular breaks can help alleviate digital eye strain.
Keep your distance. In addition to following the 20-20-20 rule, it's also appropriate to maintain a comfortable working distance from your digital device. Find a comfortable distance from your screen where text is easily readable, while your back, shoulders and head can maintain an upright posture. Generally, the preferred viewing distance is between 20 and 28 inches from eyes to screen.
Make adjustments. Found a comfortable position? Next, consider adjusting screen height or text size so you don't find yourself hunching forward. Keep computer screens about 4 to 5 inches below eye level from the screen's center. The AOA* recommends reducing the glare by adjusting device settings or using a glare filter to decrease the amount of blue light reflected from the screen. (The American Optometric Association*)
Keep those eyes healthy. Schedule regular comprehensive eye examinations to detect and address vision problems.
Blue light technology
At Compass Vision Care, we are proud to offer spectacle lenses with blue light filters that will help protect your eyes from harmful blue light and help reduce digital eyestrain.
Anti-Aging Eye Care
Having healthy eyes is important to ensure a lifetime of good vision. Seeing your optometrist for routine eye exams will help to keep your eyes seeing, looking, and feeling young. The skin around your eyes is equally as important. Since the skin around your eyes is delicate, taking care of of your skin will not only protect you against skin cancers, it will also help keep your skin looking vibrant and young for many years to come.
Vision
Presbyopia is a common vision condition that begins around the 4th decade of life and affects many people. Presbyopia occurs when the natural lens inside of the human eye begins to harden and lose elasticity. As the crystalline lens loses flexibility, the ability to change focus from far to near begins to deteriorate. Difficulty reading things up close and having to move reading material farther away in order to see are just some of the symptoms associated with presbyopia. If you are over the age of forty and are having difficulty reading small print, reading glasses are not your only option. Multifocal contact lenses may be the perfect solution to your visual needs.
Health
A youthful look does not end with the appearance of the skin. Having a healthy ocular surface is also important in maintaining beautiful and young eyes. Dry eyes, red eyes, crusty lashes, clogged eyelid glands all harm the ocular surface and the lids. Conditions that affect the health and beauty of your eyes include, allergies, Blepharitis, Dry Eye, Demodex, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, and Ocular Rosacea. Maintaining proper lid hygiene will give your eyes a fresh and youthful appearance.
Ocular Aesthetics
About TempSure Envi
As we age, our bodies can’t generate collagen as fast as it used to. As a result, wrinkles and fine lines form leaving you with smile lines, crow’s feet, and other bothersome creases. TempSure Envi is a new radiofrequency treatment that minimizes wrinkles and fine lines, tightens skin* and improves the appearance of cellulite. It’s safe for all skin types and levels of sun exposure, so it fits perfectly into any beauty maintenance routine, any time of year! There’s no surgery, no needles and no downtime so you can immediately get back to what you were doing and look great doing it!
How TempSure Envi Works
TempSure Envi delivers radiofrequency to gently heat your skin. Increasing your skins’ temperature for a defined, therapeutic time will trigger your body’s natural reaction to produce new collagen. The new collagen fibers are tight and dense leaving you with beautiful, younger-looking skin!
What can I expect?
The TempSure Envi treatment is delivered using handpieces that have been carefully designed to safely deliver radiofrequency energy into delicate areas, where your skin has become thinner during the natural aging process. This includes (but is not limited to) forehead lines, frown lines, crow’s feet, smile lines, wrinkles and cellulite on the body. TempSure Envi has been known to give you an instant glow resulting in a smoother appearance and younger-looking skin.
TempSure Envi is a comfortable, safe treatment that doesn’t have any downtime. Patients have reported that it feels similar to a relaxing hot stone massage. You might have slight redness after the procedure which is caused by your skin’s elevated temperatures during the treatment, and will subside soon afterwards.
You will be able to return to your normal day-to-day activities immediately after your treatment.
There are many anti-aging procedures and products on the market that target eye wrinkles (crows feet) and under eye bags. How do you differentiate which ones actually work and which ones do not work? Dr. Fraser is passionate about skincare and can help guide you towards the right products and/or procedures for you.
anti-aging services
We are proud to offer three different categories of anti-aging eye care:
Vision
Health
Ocular Aesthetics
Eyeglasses & Contact Lenses
We believe in prescribing the best products on the market. This philosophy extends to the prescription of eyeglasses and contact lenses. You can be confident that you will be offered the latest and most appropriate lens technology for your specific needs. Each lens we prescribe is studied extensively and wear-tested by our doctors and staff to insure you will experience optimum comfort and vision.
Eyeglasses
At Compass Vision Care, we are passionate about providing you with quality service and an exemplary product. We have invested in a leading on-site laboratory and a large stock inventory of premium spectacle lenses to manufacture your complete pair of glasses in as little as fifteen minutes.
Unless your vision benefit plan dictates that we use their out-of-state laboratory, our lens-craft team will custom-create your eyeglass prescription using the finest optics and lens technologies available. Our lens stock includes polycarbonate lenses for children, high index or featherweight lenses, in addition to lenses for astigmatism.
We stock lenses with premium anti-reflective or anti-glare coatings that provide clear vision while providing lasting scratch protection. Because we have a large stock of lenses in our on-site lab, we can complete nearly 95% of our patients’ single vision prescriptions in 24 hours or less. Your new lenses will correctly match your frame, and will be true to the doctors' prescription and quality standards.
Daily Disposable Contact Lenses
Or "single use" contact lenses are our lenses of choice at Compass Vision Care. We feel that daily disposable lenses are the healthiest and safest way to wear a contact lens. Wear them once and simply toss! No need to worry about contact lens solution or cases. Daily disposable lenses are perfect for patients who suffer from Dry Eye Disease, Allergies, are new wearers, travelers, occasional wearers and even for those patients who want to wear their contact lenses everyday.
Children’s Contact Lenses
Contact lenses are safer and healthier than ever. With the advent of daily disposable contact lenses and custom silicone hydrogel lenses, children can now enjoy safe, comfortable, clear vision with the latest in contact lens technology. Our experienced doctors and staff will spend the time to insure your child has the experience and technique necessary to safely and comfortable wear contact lenses.
Young athletes depend on clear vision and a wide angle of view to maximize their performance. Contact lenses provide your young athlete with natural, clear vision by placing corrective optics on the front part of the eye without special distortion. Give your child every competitive advantage and call Compass Vision Care for a contact lens consultation for your child.
Multifocal Contact Lenses
Are you having trouble reading text on your phone? Is reading a menu in a dimly lit restaurant becoming problematic? If you are over the age of forty and are having difficulty reading small print, reading glasses are not your only option. Bifocal contact lenses may be the perfect solution to your visual needs. Bifocal or multifocal contact lenses have undergone dramatic design enhancements over the last decade.
In the past, monovision contact lenses were the only option to provide the presbyopic population with distance and near vision without glasses. We now have several options available that allow our patients to achieve functional distance, near, and computer vision with soft, hard, or hybrid bifocal contact lenses.
Brands We Carry
