New tribal eye clinic is something to see

Tribal Health Family Optometrist Clint Hoxie conducts eye exam for patient Ellen Big Sam. (Lailani Upham photo)

POLSON — Last week the doors opened at the new Tribal Health eye clinic on the top floor in Polson.

The clinic got their feet wet by servicing the employees first on Monday and taking outside patients on Tuesday, according to Raelena Whitesell, Tribal Health optical technician.

The clinic has a waiting list but the wait is not long. "It's been crazy busy, we are getting more and more phone calls but we're getting through the waiting list pretty quick," Whitesell said.

The new optical clinic offers state of the art equipment, according to Clint Hoxie, Tribal Health Family Optometrist. "We have a new machine that takes pictures of the back of the eye to test for glaucoma, without having to dilate the eye," he said. Which is a rare find in most optical offices.

The new clinic is not only designed to save money in Tribal Health dollars but for the patient as well. For every patient that is seen at the new Polson Tribal Health Eye Clinic, money is saved through the cost that would go to a provider on top of glasses and lenses for a patient, Hoxie said.

Designer Nike eye frames, displayed at the Tribal Health Eye Clinic in Polson, are geared to service toward the younger tribal health patients. (Lailani Upham photo)

However, patients are not mandated to utilize the Tribal Health Eye Clinic but for every patient that does opt to use the clinic money is saved.

At the Tribal Health Eye Clinic eyeglass frames are purchased and sold to the patient at cost, Hoxie said. The clinic offers popular designer frames to target all ages. The main designer and the highest selection of frames come from the Nike name, according to Whitesell.

Patients of all ages and two categories are offered assistance. Students from pre-school to college can receive $100 off a frame and lens package through Indian Health Service. Diabetic patients can receive $100 off from IHS and an additional $100 off from the Tribal Health Diabetic program. Anything over that amount, the patient is responsible for. All glasses are warranted for one year, according to Whitesell.

For prices offered at the eye clinic along with the assistance, seeing clearly can be affordable for all. "One patient (diabetic) got it all, frame, lens and coating and didn't have to pay a dollar," Whitesell said.

The one thing not offered at the clinic is contact lens fitting, but THHS has their sights set on the possibilities, according to Hoxie. When? Is not yet known.

Diabetic patients are urged to come in and get checked. Early detection for retinopathy is found through broken blood vessels in the back of the eye that can be seen through an eye exam. Retinopathy is a serious eye disease caused by having high blood sugar for long periods of time and it can lead to blindness. People with diabetes are at high risk. "A patient might feel fine and not even know it. A little bit of preventive care can save them a whole lot of hurt," Hoxie said.