Optometry Cape Coral

The optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry, at Elmquist Eye Group in Cape Coral and Fort Myers specialize in understanding the human eye and the diseases and conditions that affect your vision, many of which have no obvious symptoms. We take pride in providing your family with the highest level of eye care and in building lasting relationships with our patients.

The Elmquist Eye Group team has over 40 years of experience in the optical field.  E. Trevor Elmquist, DO, is a skilled ophthalmologist who is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and specializes in general ophthalmology and cataract surgery. He is one of America’s Top Doctors, an honor bestowed on the top one percent of doctors in each medical field, both nationally and regionally, based on the nominations of other physicians.

His partner, Kate Wagner, OD, and his associate, Nina Burt, OD, are both board certified optometrists who provide complete eye care services. Together, the team at Elmquist Eye Group has the expertise to care for anyone in your family from children to seniors.

How Our Eyes Work

The eye has many parts that help to create vision. What we actually see consists of images produced by our brains, but our eyes are responsible for collecting visual information to make the process happen.

• When rays of light are reflected off an object, they pass through the cornea, the transparent dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye. The cornea bends or “refracts” the light rays as they pass through the pupil.

• The size of the pupil, which controls how much light enters the eye, is regulated by the colored part of the eye, called the iris. The iris makes the pupil bigger or smaller.

• Next, the rays of light pass through the lens which is located behind the pupil. This is a normally clear part of the eye which actually changes shape and bends the rays to focus light, or an image, onto the retina at the back of the eye.

• The retina is a delicate and thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye that contains millions of tiny light-sensing “photoreceptor” cells called rods and cones that convert light into electrical impulses.

• Cones are located in the center of the retina, called the macula, and they help detect colors and fine details and provide sharp central vision. Rods are located on the outer edge of the retina and provide our side, or peripheral, vision. They also help us detect motion and see in dim light.

• The electrical impulses converted by the retina are sent to the brain via the optic nerve, a bundle of about one million nerve fibers. The brain then produces the images we see.

As you might imagine, vision problems occur when something damages any of these amazing parts of our eyes. Millions of people have problems with their vision every year. Some conditions can cause permanent vision loss or blindness, but many common conditions can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

A dilated eye exam is the only way to detect and treat some common eye diseases such as diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration when they are in their earliest stages.

Elmquist Eye Group is at the forefront of optometry in Cape Coral and Fort Myers. We encourage you to schedule a comprehensive eye exam with us to maintain healthy eyes and the best possible vision. Call us today at (239) 936-2020 to make an appointment.