What is a Vision Screening?

A Vision Screening is a quick, limited test to identify people who have common vision problems. Screenings are performed by a school nurse or volunteer, doctor’s assistant, or a DMV employee. A vision screening isn’t a suitable substitute for an eye exam.  

School vision screenings are great and catch many basic conditions!  And I’m grateful that our local schools perform them because in my state of Wisconsin, we do not have a law requiring students to have verified good vision in every grade.  We know that one out of four school-aged children have vision problems that can affect their confidence, learning, and personality.

Children Grow Fast, and Their Vision Will Change as They Grow

Vision screenings in general are usually well designed to alert people of vision problems that are easy to screen for, but they do not capture the very important details of related vision, eye health and teaming issues of the brain’s vision system.  

Why Do I Need a Eye Exam with an Eye Doctor?

Only an eye care professional can perform a Comprehensive Eye Exam to diagnose and treat eye and vision problems in adults and children.  Even with all of the awesome technology we have, still there is no substitute for a knowledgeable and caring person to put it all together for you.

Yearly Routine Eye Exams Begin at Age 3

Studies show that up to 11% of children who pass a vision screening have a vision problem that was missed and needs treatment.  That’s why even if your child passes her vision screening at school, she should still have an annual eye exam with an optometrist or ophthalmologist who is great with kids.  

Kids don’t always know when something is wrong.  I’ve seen countless times the guilt and surprise on parents faces when a newly found vision problems was undiagnosed. 

Making sure the eyes are healthy and seeing properly and working together as a team is what make an eye exam comprehensive.  Just because your son tells you that he can see something small at a far distance doesn’t mean all is well!

Sometimes additional testing of the refractive, accommodative, or convergence system is needed.  A referral to a vision therapy center may be recommended for non routine eye problems which can impede efficient reading and learning.  

There is a Difference Between Seeing, and Seeing Well

To better understand functional vision, your eye doctor may ask how you or your child is doing in school, grades, reading habits, favorite subjects, sports played, and amount of screen time.  Any headaches, eye strain, doubling of vision?

With a comprehensive eye exam at Petrou Eye Care, you can expect a thorough and detailed dilated pupil eye health and vision system evaluation with explanations of specific situation and needs, such how posture and closeness to computer screens can affect the eye’s focusing system, or the importance of hydration, sleep, and exercise on the brain and eye’s ability to work together for reading, concentration and alertness.

To contact one of our knowledgeable team members with questions, or to schedule an appointment, please contact us by phone at 414-247-2020 or by email at info@petroueyecare.com.

Best wishes for a lifetime of healthy eyes and great vision!

~Christina Petrou, OD

Vision Services at Petrou Eye Care

Comprehensive Eye and Vision Exam with Routine Eye Health Screenings:

• All Ages – First Annual Routine Exam at age 3
• Glasses for near, computer, and far 
• Contact Lenses for driving, middle, or reading
• Myopia, Hyperopia, Astigmatism, Presbyopia
• Computer Vision and Ergonomic Consultation
• Eye Nutrition Consultation
• Eye Disease Preventive Care and Education
• Eye Strain
• Red Eye
• Dry Eye
• Eye Irritation
• Blurry Vision
• Pupil Testing
• Eye Muscle Movements
• Strabismus and Amblyopia
• Visual Field Testing 
• Dilated Pupil Fundus Viewing
• Glaucoma – Eye Pressure, Optic Nerve
• Cataracts 
• Macular Degeneration 
• Retinal Holes, Tears, or Detachment

Medical Eye Services at Petrou Eye Care

Comprehensive Medical Eye Exam with Management, Evaluation, Referral, and/or Treatments:

• Glaucoma
• Cataracts
• Macular Degeneration
• Auto-Immune Related Eye Problems
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Retinal Detachment, Holes, or Tears
• Vitreous Eye Floaters
• Loss of Vision
• Blurry Vision
• Itchy Eyes
• Swollen Eyes
• Painful Eye
• Red Eye 
• Pink Eye
• Allergic Conjunctivitis
• Dry Eye – Rx and OTC Drops, Punctal Plugs
• Eye Strain
• Double Vision – Prism 
• Foreign Body Removal
• Eye Injury 
• Concussion Syndrome 
• Headache – Brain Tumor
• Visual Field Testing – Threshold
• Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography 
• Strabismus – Crossed Eye
• Amblyopia – Lazy Eye

Contact Lens Services at Petrou Eye Care

• Contact Lens Evaluation and Fittings
• Contact Lens Prescription Update
• Adults and Children of All Ages
• Soft, Rigid, Multifocal, Monovision, All Brands
• Contact Lens Insertion and Removal Training Classes or Refreshers
• For Full Time, Part Time, or Occasional Wear

Optical Consultation at Petrou Eye Care

Complimentary Consultations and Optician Services:

• Eyewear Styling
• Sunglass Lenses
• Image Consulting
• Contact Lens Insertion and Removal
• Sports Protective Eyewear
• Eyewear Repair 

Louie’s Last Regatta, the final local sailboat race of the 2017 season, has raised well over $1,000,000 for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin since 1998.  This fabulous event is open to the public by registering online, or just showing up at Milwaukee Ale House after the race.

Come join Petrou Eye Care to support, donate, and cheer on the hundreds of boats and thousands of sailing fans as they celebrate the end of the season and raise funds for this very worthy cause.

This year’s big sailing event will begin at high noon Saturday, September 23, and held off the Milwaukee shoreline in the waters of Lake Michigan.  To raise additional funds for Children’s Hospital, after the race has ended around 2pm, a raffle and silent auction will be at Milwaukee Ale House!  Trophies are awarded for most funds raised, first place, and to keep it fun, awards are given for best costumes and ugliest spinnaker.  It’s fun for all!

Even sanctioned bribery is allowed during the post-race party as a pirate-worthy fund raising challenge.  This is an opportunity for boat crews, their shore teams and general party participants to buy their way to a better race position!  All bribe proceeds are, of course, given to Children’s Hospital.

This year, they have produced a fantastic video showcasing the impact of the event as well as the community and camaraderie it fosters.  Check it out!

[vimeo_video] 192156399 [/vimeo_video]

You sail!  You pledge!  The kids win!

Petrou Eye Care is proud to be a sponsor and supporter Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and Milwaukee’s boating community again this year.

There are many other ways to give and raise funds.  To learn more, go to http://www.louieslast.org.

Healio (8/2, Sutton) reports a new retrospective study of 275 pediatric patients in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s subspecialty concussion program published in Optometry and Vision Science “determined that the Post Concussion Symptom Scale may be limited in identifying pediatric patients with vision problems after concussion.” In light of their conclusions, researchers said doctors caring for children suffering from a concussion should recognize near point of convergence as a “diagnostic entity and understand its implications for return-to-learn to best support children as they re-enter the academic setting after a concussion.”

Near point of convergence, or NPC, is part of a comprehensive pediatric eye exam.  Remember to share any new or previous eye trauma or head injury information with your eye doctor.  Don’t wait until your annual eye exam to have this looked at!  An immediate dilated pupil exam is recommended after any eye or head injury to not only measure vision function, but also to ensure that internal eye injuries, such as a retinal tear, haven’t occurred.  If you or your child has suffered from an injury and a reduced NPC is found, further evaluation and treatment can be done.

Wear your sports glasses!  Protective impact resistant sports eye wear can reduce the incidence of eye injuries by 90%.  Fashion frames can break on impact and allow injuries to the eye.  Ask your optometrist or optician for eye wear recommendations for your sports and activity level, because polycarbonate lenses alone do not prevent all injuries.

We do this by providing extraordinary patient care – one person at a time. We enhance our patients’ quality of life by utilizing only the best lens designs, materials, contact lenses, and technology in eyewear and in eye exam techniques to manage and maintain our patient’s eye health for life.

Here’s more on how we do it:

Our Doctor – Wellness is her top priority. Dr. Christina Petrou strives to meet the visual needs of every patient with the long-term goal in mind of healthier eyes for a lifetime. She is committed to excellence in eye care, and is known for providing detailed and thorough examinations. She believes that great patient care begins with active listening, effective communication and education. Dr. Petrou works closely with, and refers to, other local eye specialists to ensure you receive the finest care in the area if you need surgery, visual therapy, or advanced medical eye care.

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Our Team – You will enjoy being taken care of by our friendly team of optical professionals whose goal is to exceed your needs and make you happy. We want you to have the best experience possible, whether you’re here for a thorough and informative eye exam, or need help selecting fun new eyewear to invigorate your style. One of our team’s specialties is working with unique populations such as seeing children for exams and fitting them with eyewear after being referred by pediatric ophthalmologists, as well as people who have loss of vision (called low vision) sent by their medical eye doctors or retina surgeons.

Our Eyewear – To provide you with excellent vision and perfectly fit spectacles, our skilled opticians scour the globe looking for clearest lenses and the most innovative eyewear. In addition to attending the best continental showcase, New York’s International Vision Expo, our Milwaukee team meets with experts from all over the world to bring you the newest technology for eyes.

Our Patients – We love taking care of you! Because we want to know how we can make your experience better, we encourage you to fill out a survey after each annual exam. We read all of your comments and make changes to improve our service to you. The greatest compliment we receive is your referral of friends and family to us, and we sincerely thank you.

Our Specialty – We are known for integrating vision enhancements, whole body health, and eye care, because it’s all connected. Dr. Christina Petrou pays close attention to how your eyes function, and she is an expert at identifying causes of ocular discomfort and vision loss, whether due to binocular vision disorders, computer eyestrain, or eye disease. If you need glasses or contact lenses, she will prescribe specific lens systems for your vision requirements, and work with the Petrou Eye Care team of opticians to fit you with the best lens design for your eye condition.

Our Office – When you enter Petrou Eye Care, you will feel a sense of relaxation, comfort and trust knowing that you will receive superior service and individualized patient care.

Our Community – Our office is part of this community and a force for positive action. Petrou Eye Care gives back to the community we love in many ways: donating eye wear, eye care, time, and financial support to local organizations including Prevent Blindness Wisconsin, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Women’s Soccer Club of Wisconsin / Women’s Charities, Inc, and Walker’s Point Community Clinic.

Our World – To support vision and eye care worldwide for people who cannot afford or obtain such care, Petrou Eye Care donates eyewear to Lion’s Club International. We clean, package and catalog glasses for distance, near, and sun protection to be crated and shipped on missions benefiting others in need, often to South and Central America.

It’s no surprise that vision plays huge part in helping children learn their best.  After all, 80% of our first 12 years of life is learned through the eyes.  If a child’s vision system is not perfectly clear and comfortably focused, learning is slowed down.  And, for kids who suffer from other distractive conditions, that process of comprehension and connecting the intellectual dots is slowed down even more.

For 25 years, Dr. Christina Petrou has been a supporting member of the largest local non-profit organization to connect eye doctors to children, the Wisconsin Optometric Association (WOA).  Through the WOA’s work with nurses, teachers, and parents, the level of public awareness has been raised and the importance of early detection of eye problems has been made clearer.  Their goal is to help children see and succeed in life.  Click here for information on how to help kids see better: Teachers Guide to Vision, Letter to Parents, Kindergarten Eye Exam Health Report, and more.

School vision screenings are great, but they’re not a substitute for a comprehensive vision and eye health examination with an optometrist or pediatric ophthalmologist.  Too many kids begin the school year with undetected eye problems and miss out on important fundamentals.  The WOA’s Clear Vision, Bright Future program is resourcefully designed for parents and teachers to keep our kids on track.   Let’s all help out and get kids seeing their best and learning it right the first time they see something new!

Showing true dedication to continued education, Dr. Christina Petrou Haefs of Petrou Eye Care in Glendale recently attended the 2014 Wisconsin Optometric Association (WOA) Annual Convention and Meeting held on September 25-28. The event took place in Middleton, Wisconsin, attracting nearly 300 eye care professionals from Wisconsin and across the United States.

“Keeping current on optometric education is crucial to maintaining the quality care Wisconsin optometrists provide to their patients,” explained Dr. Petrou. “The Wisconsin Optometric Association has been providing such first-class education to its members for 114 years.”

Doctors had the opportunity to complete up to 22 hours of Wisconsin Optometry Examining Board (OEB)- approved continuing education delivered by a stellar lineup of professional speakers, including: WOA Third Party Director and PMI, LLC owner Dr. Charles Brownlow; UW-Madison Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Dr. Gregg Heatley; RevolutionEHR CEO and WOA Past President Dr. Scott Jens; Eye Care Center, Fridley, Maplewood, and Maple Grove, Minnesota Dr. Jordan Keith; UAB Professor of Optometry Dr. Leo Semes, Ophthalmic Consultants of Connecticut Co-Founder Dr. Jim Thimons, and Appleton optometrist and traumatic brain injury (TMI) specialist Dr. Linda Dejmek.

Dr. Petrou attended courses on topics such as glaucoma, anterior segment disease, posterior segment disease, systemic disease, practice management, neuro-optometry, oral pharmaceuticals, TMI, and general optometry. In addition, Dr. Petrou attended exhibit hall open house sessions and communicated with the event’s 60-plus exhibitors and 100-plus industry representatives in attendance in regards to the latest information, technology, and treatments available today.

“After attending outstanding lectures and networking with the top professionals in eye care, I am confident I can offer the best in vision and eye health to my patients,” affirmed Dr. Petrou. “Such certainty in one’s profession is invaluable.”

Continuing education is an important requirement for Wisconsin doctors of optometry to attain re-licensure, and such education is instrumental in maintaining the highest quality of vision and eye health care available to Wisconsin’s citizens. Wisconsin optometrists are required to complete 30 credit hours of continuing education every two years.

“The services we provide to our patients each day as doctors are rewarding and fulfilling,” acknowledged Dr. Petrou. “It’s an honor to be a part of the optometric profession and to serve with such a dedicated group of people.”

About the Wisconsin Optometric Association

The Wisconsin Optometric Association (WOA) is a nonprofit affiliation of licensed doctors of optometry and associated businesses dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the vision welfare of the people of Wisconsin. The WOA accomplishes its goals through: education and dissemination of information, organized governmental activity, legislation and regulation, mediation with consumer and public interest groups, and provision of collective benefits to its members. Approximately 640 doctors of optometry are currently members of the WOA, located in nearly every county in the state. All members must be certified and licensed to practice optometry by the State of Wisconsin. For more information, visit WOA’s website at www.woa-eyes.org.

This year’s big sailing event will be Saturday, September 27, held off the Milwaukee shoreline in the waters of Lake Michigan.  Power boats raise funds for the event with a poker run.  Post race raffle, award ceremony, and silent auction will be at Milwaukee Ale House!  Trophies are awarded for most funds raised, first place, best poker hand, and to keep it fun, for best costume and ugliest spinnaker.

Even sanctioned bribery is allowed during the post-race party as a pirate-worthy fund raising challenge.  This is an opportunity for boat crews, their shore teams and general party participants to buy their way to a better race position!  All bribes are, of course, given to Children’s Hospital.

You sail!  You pledge!  The kids win!

There are many other ways to give and raise funds.  To learn more, go to http://www.louieslast.org.

Our Annual Back to School Eyewear Sale is going on now through October 17th.

You can choose from a large selection of fun and trendy frames, and also get protective lenses of polycarbonate or Trivex materials, plus Transitions UV darkening treatment and/or no-glare no-scratch lenses, all at $120 off our regular prices!!

It’s our best sale of the year on kids and teens glasses.  With any glasses purchased from Petrou Eye Care, you will receive our custom optical fitting and precise measurements, free frame adjustments for the life of your frame, and our guarantee of the highest quality frame and lenses.

Call 414-247-2020 to make an appointment, and see one of our fabulous opticians for details!

Kids and Teens Eyewear on Sale Now through October 17th!

Please join Petrou Eye Care in their support of Prevent Blindness by generously donating to this worthy cause.  Without Prevent Blindness, many school children would be without proper school vision screenings, which, combined with an eye doctor’s comprehensive eye exam, can detect early vision and learning problems.