.
Feedback

Patch Picks: The Eyes Have It

Every Thursday, Mercer Island Patch will run a feature called Patch Picks, highlighting editor and reader picks of great local businesses, destinations, services, organizations, ways to spend a day off, and more.

During the fall, when leaves start to change color and beauty is all around us, it's even more important to take care of your vision so you can share in the wonder of the harvest season.

has optometrists and opticians on staff to help you with any eye problems you may be having.

also has Board Certified Ophthalmologists (Eye MDs) to provide routine exams, glasses and contact lenses as well as medical and surgical treatment of all eye diseases.

Has a wide variety of eyeglasses and frames, in addition to an optician on staff to help you get the right glasses.

and have a variety of eye drops and reading glasses for temporary relief of squinting at print that has become suddenly too small to read.

The was founded on April 29, 1955, as a charter part of the world's largest service organization, Lions Club International, which was founded in 1917 when Helen Keller charged club members to be "knights of the blind to challenge the darkness."That started the Lions Club mission of collecting used eyeglasses and refurbishing them for those who need them in Third World countries. "We've been collecting over 800 pair of eyeglasses a month," said Craig Fetters, Lions Club treasurer.

(Ed. Note: In an earlier verision of this article, we incorrectly stated the is staffed by optometrists. There is a significant difference between ophthalmologists and optometrists, according to Dr. James Rizen, a practicing ophthalmologist at Eye Clinic of Mercer Island: "Ophthalmologists go to medical school for four years and then do a hospital based medical internship for one year followed by a three-year residency in ophthalmology and eye surgery (and sometimes an additional one to two year fellowship). Optometrists (ODs) are not Medical Doctors. They do not go to medical school. They are not physicians (despite the misuse of the term "optometric physicians" in this state). They are not licensed to perform surgery on the eye.")

Newsletter & Alerts

Get the best stories each day and important breaking news

Subscribe

Not from Mercer Island Patch? Find your Local Patch »

Loading comments ...
Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
William Kratz May 20, 2013 at 05:36 pm
I'll be a bit more direct than Jerry. The new site is a mess. Visually it's extremely cluttered.Read More It's slow, very slow. There appear to be no RSS feeds, a major negative. Following a few links sometimes sends you to a different community's Patch site. And what happened with the editing staff. Unless I missed something, suddenly there are new editors without any warning. No matter what the circumstances, normally such a move would be accompanied by an announcement of some sort. Venice may be the greatest editor ever, but it looks like she is splitting her time among several Patch sites, so the odds are stacked against her. Her "latest activities" list even suggests that she is editing a Patch site down in the San Francisco Bay area. With all due respect, Patch sites should be hyper-local, and the best route to that is a local (i.e. Mercer Islander) editor.
Jerry Gropp Architect AIA May 15, 2013 at 02:07 pm
The Jury is still out. I liked the "Old Patch". J
MIHS Baseball April 25, 2013 at 01:58 am
Thanks for your support tonight! See everyone on Friday for Senior Night!!