See Clearly with Clarity Eye Center
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At Clarity Eye Center, patients will receive professional, cutting-edge eye care that is tailored to their needs. The physicians at Clarity Eye Center are the leading ophthalmic sub-specialists of Leander, Round Rock, Georgetown and the surrounding areas.
They first opened in September of 2008 with their first location located in Round Rock. They opened their second location in 2012 in Georgetown. They were most excited about opening their Leander location in October of 2020, just down the street from our neighborhood. Their mission is to provide personalized eye care with compassion in the execution of exams and surgeries. The Leander staff loves that they have met people of all ages and backgrounds in Crystal Falls and feel that they can truly make a difference in their eye care needs.
They care for whole families from children to adults and also seniors. With every location, they work hard to serve the needs of that particular community to the best of their abilities. Clarity offers a wide variety of services including routine medical eye exams, contact lenses, glasses, pediatric eye care, diabetic eye care, macular degeneration care, Cataract Surgery, Pterygium Surgery, Glaucoma Management & Surgery, and also Eyelid Surgery.
Meet Dr. Kalpana Jatla:
“We try very hard get involved with activities offered locally, whether it is a health fair, educational talk, farmer’s market, Trunk or Treat, or Chamber activity. Our entire team really wants to serve the community and get more involved. We want to be part of the growth and excitement of Leander!” says Dr. Kalpana Jatla MD and primary practice owner.
Quality eye care is essential. The way a patient feels while being served in each office is the top priority. Patients want to be heard and respected, receive compassion and feel at ease knowing they are in good hands. “So much of medicine now is becoming very fast-paced, and residents should know that we recognize this and that we take our time to provide quality care” Dr. Jatla continues. “We all truly love what we do. I think our patients can feel that when they walk into the office. We have created a brand of care which is about quality and compassion. Our surgical care includes cutting edge technology with superb techniques”.
Dr. Jatla specializes in the management of glaucoma. She performs glaucoma surgery (trabeculectomy, MIGS (Xen, Kahook, Istent), tube shunt, glaucoma lasers) and manages glaucoma with medical treatment. Dr. Jatla also specializes in laser assisted cataract surgery. She says “The best part of my job is that I know I got lucky getting the opportunity to work with people who love their work and share their passion of ophthalmology with me. I love our team! All employees at the Leander location also live in Leander”.
It is recommended to get an eye exam every year, and Clarity Eye Center is the first and only ophthalmology provider (medical eye care office) in Leander.
Meet Dr. Tran Nguyen:
Dr. Nguyen is a board-certified ophthalmologist, surgeon and glaucoma specialist. She was raised in Houston, Texas. After completing her ophthalmology and fellowship training in the Midwest, Dr. Nguyen is happy to return home to Texas. Her specialty includes glaucoma surgery (filtering, shunts and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery), cataracts, diabetic eye disease and macular degeneration.
“We offer everything from medical eye exams for glasses and contacts (children and adults) to eye surgeries. We have a topnotch LASIK and PRK surgeon. All of the providers are experts in cataract surgery with standard and advanced technology lenses. We are experts in laser assisted cataract surgery. We offer cornea medical and surgical care and providers who are specialize in glaucoma, lasers and surgeries”.
Dr. Nguyen is also interested in global eyecare. She volunteered with Kenya Relief during her residency training and plans to continue to participate in local community eyecare programs in the developing world. Outside from work, Dr. Nguyen is a gastronome and enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and cooking. She also speaks Vietnamese.
Meet Dr. Colleen Yard:
“As an ophthalmologist, I know it is my job to take care of our community members' eyes. However, I really want to offer exceptional care by being a practitioner that my patients not only enjoy coming to, but being a part of a team that offers superior care that’s not often found. We all value our patients. Many doctor's offices these days are corporately owned, large businesses. In contrast, we are a small, physician-owned practice. You can easily talk to a live person when you call our office and get appointments scheduled very quickly.We take our time to listen to them and to give them the best quality care. We are also comfortable caring for diverse ages and diseases”.
Dr. Colleen Yard is a comprehensive ophthalmologist certified to treat all common medical and surgical ocular issues. Born and raised in Texas, she left briefly to attend college at Washington University in St. Louis where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Biology and Spanish. Her practice includes comprehensive eye exams for adults and children, as well as the evaluation of cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, and glaucoma. Dr. Yard is fluent in Spanish and looks forward to taking care of the eye care needs of you and your loved ones. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, reading, and traveling.
Ask the Expert
What can I do daily to protect my eyes and eyesight?
In addition to getting your annual eye wellness exam, there are several easy things you can do daily to protect your eyes. Sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats that block UV light can protect both your eyes and eyelids from UV damage and can reduce the risk of skin malignancies on or around the eyes. If you are a smoker, tobacco cessation is recommended as tobacco use increases the risk of developing several eye diseases including cataracts and macular degeneration. Also, wearing protective eye wear when using tools or machinery and while participating in recreational activities that are high risk for eye trauma can help prevent eye injuries that cause vision loss.
What is dry eye?
Dry eye is a common, chronic condition caused by inadequate lubrication of the eye surface. Common symptoms include blurry or fluctuating vision, tearing, foreign body sensation, and eye pain. A good tear film on the surface of the eye is very important for good, clear vision. Dry eye is multifactorial and can often be exacerbated by other health issues, medications, and your activities and environment. A tailored treatment plan can often improve or relieve the symptoms of dry eye and improve associated vision issues.
How can an eye exam change my life?
Eye diseases are common and can go unnoticed for a long time. A comprehensive dilated eye exam by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) is necessary to find diseases in early stages when treatment to prevent vision loss is most effective. Early treatments can prevent common eye diseases from causing permanent vision loss or blindness such as cataracts (clouding of the lens), diabetic retinopathy (causes damage to blood vessels in the back of the eye), glaucoma (cause damage to the nerve of the eye) and age-related macular degeneration (damage for the light sensitive tissue of the eye). The signs and symptoms that would indicate a visit to an eye doctor could include decreased vision, draining or redness of the eye, eye pain, double vision, floaters, circles (halos) around lights, and flashes of light.
Is looking at a computer screen bad for my eyes?
Living in the age of information, we have all spent a lot of time in front of screens. While "screen time" won't cause blindness, it can cause a few changes in people's eyes. Looking at a computer screen is known to cause a decrease in blink reflex. Blinking less causes the eyes to dry out, which can cause eye strain and irritation. To avoid this, I tell my patients the "20-20-20 rule". The 20-20-20 rule is a way to help people relax their eyes. Every 20 minutes, we recommend that you look ~20 feet away, for about 20 seconds. This helps reset the eyes and can prevent excessive fatigue.
In children, increased screen time has been correlated to an increase in a eyeglass prescriptions. Clarity Eye Care, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend limiting screen time to less than 2 hours per day if possible.