Eye Consultants of Texas has always treated eye care as important as any other healthcare need. This may seem obvious, but LASIK, for example, tends to be marketed these days like a retail product. In other words, like the deal of the week with an amazingly low price, which often only applies to a small percentage of patients.

Whether it’s LASIK, cataracts with premium lens implants, or a more complex procedure, Dr. Labor, and his team of doctors and staff, treat post-surgery follow-up very seriously. At Eye Consultants of Texas, our follow-up actually begins before surgery. This is when we tell our patients what they will need to do, things they can and can’t do, and which medications to use. They know what to expect and when everything needs to happen.

Eye surgery isn’t different than any other surgery. There is a healing process involved, and sticking to a well-planned post-surgery routine can certainly yield the best outcomes.

We’re proud to announce that Phillips Kirk Labor, MD has been nominated by the U.S. Section of the International College of Surgeons (USICS) to serve as Vice President. Dr. Labor is one of 15 surgeons in the U.S. to receive this distinguished honor and will serve throughout 2013.

The International College of Surgeons (ICS) is a global organization that promotes surgical excellence worldwide. It is made up of surgeons who are regarded by their colleagues as having leading expertise in their field of specialty. In 2010, Dr. Labor was named an ICS Fellow, reserved only for physicians with superior credentials and with a well-established international reputation. And it was through ICS sponsorships that allowed his medical missions to Northern Iraq in 2009 and 2011.

In notifying him of his nomination, the ICS stated, “…the Committee is grateful for your dedication, and your nomination serves as reinforcement of the high personal and professional regard with which you are held.”

“I am forever grateful for this honor, and will serve to the absolute best of my ability,” Dr. Labor said. I also have to thank my staff at Eye Consultants of Texas for their dedication to our Dallas – Fort Worth patients, which always contributes to achieving this type of recognition.”

In 2003, Eye Consultants of Texas founder Phillips Kirk Labor, MD opened his Ophthalmology practice with a goal to serve Southlake/Grapevine and surrounding areas. True to any new business, it was humble beginnings. But there was something bigger going on.

Initially, Dr. Labor envisioned a practice that never stopped offering the most advanced eye care in the world so local residents didn’t have to drive to Dallas, Fort Worth or anywhere else. This pioneering spirit was something he always had, and he was further motivated by like-minded surgeons he trained under more than 20 years ago.

“I worked under some very brilliant, highly innovative surgeons in the early days, and I was very, very fortunate in that respect,” he says. “The welfare of my patients always comes first, but with new technology, so many surgeons are doing faster procedures, yet sacrificing personal care. My mentors helped me understand how advancements and old fashioned care can coexist.”

When he opened Eye Consultants of Texas, Dr. Labor was already putting advanced eye care technologies and techniques into practice unlike few local ophthalmologists.

Over the years, he made good on this commitment in several ways. He has been the first in Texas or the Metroplex to perform other advanced procedures related to premium lenses for cataract patients. He was also the first to implant a Verisyse™ implantable (or permanent) contact lens. More recently, he was the first Dallas/Fort Worth surgeon to use ORange® (later updated to ORA System™), the only technology that can measure cataract surgery results in real time. Major companies like Bausch & Lomb have selected Dr. Labor as one of only a few U.S. eye surgeons to evaluate new technologies and address national conferences. Internationally, he is known for his pioneering work in refractive surgery (LASIK), and he has spoken to symposiums in Europe as an expert on advanced, blade-free LASIK.

Of all his achievements, however, the Eye Consultants of Texas founder is most proud of his medical mission to Iraq. In 2009, and again in 2011, he traveled to Duhok, Kurdistan where he was the first U.S. Ophthalmologist local Kurds had ever seen.

To further his devotion to innovative eye care, Dr. Labor made a historic decision to build a new state-of-the-art facility unlike any other. August 2010, after years of planning and development, the practice moved into a 15,000 sq ft Grapevine home with an adjacent Ambulatory Surgery Center. LoneStar Ambulatory Surgery Center is uniquely convenient in that cataract surgery and other important eye surgeries can be performed just across the hall. In this way, a patient doesn’t have to go anywhere else for exams, testing, LASIK or  various other procedures.

Throughout all this, Eye Consultants of Texas still remains connected and fully dedicated locally. For years, residents of Southlake, Grapevine, Keller, Colleyville, and surrounding areas have made the short drive to Grapevine for the highest level of total eye care. Dr. Labor can now see patients in Fort Worth, and the practice is drawing more patients from the Dallas area, and northward towards Denton.

Regardless of where a patient comes from, the expertise, resources and dedication Eye Consultants of Texas offers today equals or surpasses any metro area practice.

Eye Consultants of Texas asks every patient to anonymously complete a Patient Satisfaction Survey to let us know what they think, and how we’re doing. The review of our Dallas Ophthalmologist practice covers a wide range of categories, such as registration, our facility, and how a patient feels he or she was treated before, during, and after a procedure. Standard to many surveys, patients have the opportunity to give a score of 1 through 5, with 1 being “very poor,” and 5 being “excellent.”

Patients also have the opportunity to provide comments about their experience. The numbers always are important. But it’s some of the comments we get that are very helpful and motivating. Lately, we’re proud to have gotten several very positive ones. Here are just a few:

• “No complaints, everyone is just so friendly, which is hard to find.”
• “My husband and I think you have outstanding staff – wonderful experience. We have already recommended your facility to our friend.”

• “They certainly made me feel special. Love the Dr.’s.”
• Then there was one survey where a patient noted “The best” next to the category “Friendliness/courtesy of the physician,” referring to founder Phillips Kirk Labor, MD.

Every survey and review filled out by our patients is an opportunity for us to learn, and every score helps us do better. Even when we get all 5’s, we know what we’re doing right and want to build on that. We want to sincerely thank every patient for taking the time out of their busy day to put down any response they feel is appropriate.

According to a story posted on amednews.com, published by the American Medical Association, America’s 78 million baby boomers began turning 65 in 2011 at a rate of one every 10 seconds. Baby boomers are those born between 1946 and 1964, and, as the story also reports, “…are the best-educated, richest and healthiest seniors the country has ever seen…”

The reality that aging boomers are healthier, wealthier and wiser is good news, yet the health conditions that follow with age are also a reality. Among the conditions boomers and their doctors will need to address, developing cataracts is a part of aging that can’t be overlooked. This isn’t limited simply to vision quality. Vision health can reflect overall health. For instance, diabetes, a growing disease among aging Americans, increases the chances of developing cataracts.

Eye Consultants of Texas has consistently been at the forefront of bringing the latest cataract surgery technology to Dallas/Fort Worth. Founder Phillips Kirk Labor, MD, a renowned cataract specialist, has years of experience performing no-stitch cataract surgery, which uses ultrasound to gently remove the cataract with no discomfort. Further, in 2011, we were the first DFW practice to offer ORange®, the world’s first technology that measures cataract surgery results in real time. As we posted in our blog recently, ORange has been enhanced and is now called ORA System™. Once again, we are proud to have been the first Fort Worth or Dallas practice to perform an ORA procedure.

“Today’s baby boomers have extraordinary advancements on their side,” Dr. Labor said. “At this stage in life, it’s crucial to get regular eye checkups, as well as a cataract screening. If it’s simply a vision problem, my cataract surgery patients discover that clear vision allows them to do so much more and feel better about themselves, which can affect their overall physical health as well.”

If you’re over 55 and experience blurred or clouded vision, call our office at 817-410-2030 to schedule a cataract screening or to learn more.

Eye Consultants of Texas advances revolutionary Orange® cataract surgery technology

We introduced ORange® technology to Dallas/Fort Worth in August 2011. It’s the world’s first technology that can assess cataract surgery results in real time, during the procedure. And Eye Consultants of Texas founder Phillips Kirk Labor, MD, was the first Dallas/Fort Worth eye surgeon to use it.

WaveTec Vision, inventor of ORange®, has introduced a more advanced version now called ORA System™. Once again, Eye Consultants of Texas is the first DFW practice to implement this new advancement.

As with ORange, ORA uses the world’s first Intraoperative Wavefront Aberrometer, or diagnostic device, that provides real-time measurements of the eye during cataract surgery. Previously, any surgeon had to wait sometimes weeks until after surgery to determine accuracy. Dr. Labor can instantly analyze every imperfection caused by the cataract, make adjustments on the spot, and customize the procedure to each patient’s eye. The new ORA System enhances precision and consistency to further improve post-surgery vision quality. In addition, ORA is designed to further improve artificial lens implantation accuracy (a normal part of the cataract procedure), regardless of the type of lens selected.

“The ability to accurately measure results at any point during the procedure is a true breakthrough,” Dr. Labor said. “The new ORA System advances this in ways that will continue to transform cataract surgery, and further improve post-surgery vision quality.”

Since it was introduced, Eye Consultants of Texas has grown to become one of the top providers of this technology in the U.S. Cataracts is a clouding of the eye’s lens most people experience after age 55, and more commonly in their 60’s or 70’s. If you suspect you have cataracts, please call our office at 817-410-2030 to schedule a free cataract screening, and learn more about the new ORA System. Or email us at info@eyecontx.com.

Eye Consultants of Texas Refractive Coordinator, Sabrena Markgraf, has received the Eagle Award as the most outstanding employee for 2011. Sabrena was presented with a beautiful crystal eagle with her name engraved on the award at a recent luncheon to mark the occasion.

Last year’s recipient, Melanie Boyd, received the first Eagle Award for what Eye Consultants of Texas says will be an annual tradition. Each year, the recipient will be an employee selected by founder, Phillips Kirk Labor, MD and practice management who exhibits certain values, commitment, and leadership as outlined in the following:

The Eagle Award is given to the employee who, throughout the year, has shown excellence in leadership, above and beyond what is expected of them. This employee exhibits honesty, initiative, work ethic, compassion, and leadership qualities that have aided in the continued success of the practice and care of the patients. He or she should be an example to all other employees.

“The staff for any eye care practice or business is naturally huge in determining success. We’re fortunate to have a great staff here and are proud to recognize their efforts,” Dr. Labor said. Sabrena added, “I was truly touched and am honored to be selected among such a wonderful group of people I get to work with every day!”

Recently, Dr. Labor published a new article in What Doctors Know, the new national healthcare publication available on Barnes & Noble’s NOOK reader. The article, “Vivid Results For Cataract Surgery Like Never Before,” discusses the advanced ORange® technology, and how it has dramatically changed the accuracy of measuring cataract surgery results.

The Eye Consultants of Texas founder is well qualified to speak on the subject. Dr. Labor was the first Dallas/Fort Worth eye surgeon to use this technology, which is growing in popularity nationwide. As he states in the article, “Without question, technology has reduced the time it takes to perform a cataract procedure. But until recently, one critical component was missing: Surgeons were not able to evaluate surgery results in the operating room, during the procedure.”

ORange is the first “Intraoperative Wavefront Aberrometer” that provides real-time measurements of the eye during cataract surgery. In detail, Dr. Labor describes what this is and how it works, in a way the average person can understand. As always, he advises how important it is have a thorough evaluation before any surgical procedure, “to provide a clearer picture of your overall health.”

Find out more about the NOOK, so you can access What Doctors Know.

Please Note: WaveTec Vision, developer of this technology, announced that ORange will change to ORA, with planned enhancements designed to further benefit the patient. Eye Consultants of Texas will update its website and patient information as soon as possible.

At Eye Consultants of Texas, our Forth Worth and Grapevine eye care practice is firmly committed to 100% satisfaction for every patient. Each of our staff and doctors genuinely want to create a completely positive experience from the very first visit. While no practice is perfect, we’re always striving to improve in every way possible. In fact, we ask each patient to fill out a special form to tell us how we did, and we take every response very seriously.

That’s why we’re extremely grateful when our patients go the extra mile to tell us about their positive experience – sometimes in great detail. We’ve even added a special section on our website titled Patient Experiences. Here are just a few excerpts:

LASIK patient, Dr. Whitney Johannessen said: “I’m a firm believer in open, ongoing communication; Sabrena and Dr. Labor both provided reassurance and information during the entire procedure. This made a huge difference because I didn’t have to guess at what was going on around me.”

Cataract patient, Connie Peterson said: “Dr. Labor and his staff were very responsive to my concerns by being informative and extremely kind. I finally decided to go with Crystalens. The entire process was easy and painless.”

LASIK patient, Courtney Standerfer said: “Eye Consultants of Texas did a fantastic job and I could not be happier with the results…my eyes feel totally normal and my friends and co-workers keep complimenting (me) on how good my eyes look.”

Cataract patient, Jack Reynolds said: “Who knew after 80 you could see clearly again? Dr. Labor suggested that I go with Crystalens in my cataract surgery, and I can now see like I am young again. I am very happy I chose Dr. Labor as my eye surgeon!”

Click on our Patient Experiences page to read much more. If you like what you see and want to know more about us, please call our office at 817-410-2030.

Eye Consultants of Texas recently hosted the first of a series of free seminars specifically for Optometrists (also referred to as “ODs”). Founder Phillips Kirk Labor, MD and several of our staff served as hosts to approximately 25 area OD’s who attended.

The seminar focused primarily on technology related to the new ORange®, the world’s first instrument that measures vision quality during cataract surgery, which has been heralded as a breakthrough for improving cataract surgery accuracy and results. To demonstrate its abilities, attendees watched as Dr. Labor performed a procedure using ORange, describing each step in detail.

As the first eye surgeon in Dallas/Fort Worth to adopt and use ORange technology, Dr. Labor served as host speaker. Two special guest speakers were also featured: Michael Breen, OD, who is Vice President, Clinical Outcomes and Professional Relations for WaveTec Vision – which created ORange technology; and Richard Baker, OD, a leader in LASIK training who co-directs LASIK certification courses for doctors across the U.S.

To add an element of fun, several staff members dressed in orange colored surgical scrubs. In fact, one of our technicians went a step further by dressing up like an actual orange. In addition, attendees arrived to find real oranges in their chairs.

“We’re so excited we had such a great turnout, and the feedback was very positive. We’re happy to do this to help OD’s grow what they can offer their patients,” Dr. Labor said.