- Primary CareDo not cover routine eye exams. Please check with your insurance company(s) to verify “Vision Care” coverage. If you have only medical coverage, without a medical complaint or medical diagnosis, you will be responsible for your routine exam charge. Most of our consultations and second opinions are self referred but in some instances you will need a referral from your primary care clinic to receive insurance coverage. You do not need a referral from your regular eye doctor to schedule a second opinion with one of our surgeons. Our staff at Regional Eye will be happy to help you or your loved with the insurance submission.
- Emergency Care
- GlaucomaPRECAUTIONS: If the patient’s eye is unhealthy (including glaucoma), vision may not be good even after cataract removal; patients may not get full benefit of the TECNIS IOL. Before surgery, the eye doctor will check for any eye diseases. Patients’ vision with the TECNIS Symfony IOL may not be good enough to perform detailed ‘up-close’ work without glasses, and rarely, may make some types of retinal treatment (e.g., retinal tear repair) more difficult. Patients should take all prescribed medicines and apply eye drops as instructed to avoid inflammation and infection. Patients should avoid bending down and playing sports, which can harm the eye during recovery. The eye doctor will tell patients what activities to avoid.
- OphthalmologyDr. Merck graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the University of St. Thomas in 1982 and received his graduate M.D. degree from the University of Minnesota in 1986. He then completed 4 years of Ophthalmology residency training at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, and then became Board Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and co-founded Regional Eye Specialists, P.A. of Hutchinson, Minnesota and The Foundation for Saving Sight.
- Macular DegenerationIn many diseases, such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy for example, early detection and treatment can be of critical importance in preserving useful vision. Precision and accuracy in our doctors’ assessments make for happier patients, whether it is in the fitting of glasses or contact lenses or whether it is in the planning for laser vision correction or cataract surgery. Combined with attentive listening, problem-directed questioning and compassionate care, these technologies help our doctors at Regional Eye Center to assure that you and/or your loved one receives the highest quality eye exam.
- Laser Eye SurgeryRegional Eye Center is proud to offer our community local and comprehensive eye care, with its various aspects integrated under one roof. In addition to progressive professional and optical services, you’ll find on site a state-of-the-art outpatient eye surgery center, with space expertly designed and fully equipped to serve our patients requiring corrective eye procedures. You’ll find our staff to be committed to the utmost in personal attention and to the highest quality of surgical care.
- CataractsOur physicians have years of experience treating medical eye conditions and performing corrective eye surgical procedures around the state of Minnesota and in the developing world. Their work in Central America began in the early 1990’s and continues to today as they regularly visit San Lucas-Toliman, Guatemala, striving to provide eye care and restore vision to those blinded by cataract, to those who otherwise would have no hope for treatment. It is their great pleasure to be able to share their God-given skills and abilities with all their patients, whether in Minnesota or in Guatemala.
- Cataract SurgeryDr. Michael Merck is a Board-Certified Ophthalmologist, and within the general scope of his family eye care practice he brings many years of experience in utilizing lasers for the treatment of eye diseases, to advanced minimally invasive cataract surgery including laser assisted cataract surgery, as well as to the implantation of intraocular lenses that reduce or eliminate dependency on eyeglasses for far and near vision.
- Eye ExamDr. Nyquist is a primary eye care physician who enjoys patients of all ages, has an outgoing personality and a genuine concern for her patients. Dr. Nyquist is as comfortable with a child’s first eye exam and pair of glasses as she is monitoring a patient’s eye health at any stage of life.
- Diabetes Care
- Diabetic RetinopathyCareful management of your diabetes is the best way to prevent vision loss. If you have diabetes, see your eye doctor for a yearly dilated eye exam, even if your vision seems fine, because it’s important to detect diabetic retinopathy in the early stages. Depending on what type of diabetes you have, blood sugar monitoring, insulin, and oral medications may play a role in your treatment. But no matter what type of diabetes you have, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and monitoring your blood sugar levels, are key to managing your diabetes.
- Eyelid SurgeryRegional Eye Surgery Center provides its eye surgeons with the most technologically advanced instrumentation, supporting their firm commitment to deliver nothing less than state-of-the-art surgical care to their patients, whether it be no-stitch, no-bandage, small incision cataract surgery with visual results, “bifocal” lens implantation Crystalens AO and Trulign, glaucoma surgery, eyelid surgery, or laser treatments for various retinal diseases.