New Protocols:

Please Bring Your Mask

Your Appointment Begins at Your Car:

When you arrive in the parking lot please call 719-495-5904 and we will notify you when we are ready for you to come in.

• Online Check-In / Patient Registration Forms: We need to have all patients fill out an updated patient history and intake form online before entering the office. This reduces the number of items you have to touch within our office. Just text us if you need help with it. If it is not completed before you arrive, we will ask you to go to your car to get the forms done before entering the office.

• Temperature Monitoring: Every person (patients and staff) entering our office will have a quick temperature check performed​.

• Wearing Masks at All Times: Everyone (staff and patients) is required to wear a mask at all times when entering the building. If you need a special accommodation for this due to a disability, please call us so we can talk through how to address this while staying in compliance with current guidelines. We are able to conduct some services via Telemedicine.​

• No Visitors: We are only allowing on duty-staff and patients with appointments inside the practice. Unfortunately, we are not able to allow anyone in without an appointment (this includes bringing friends and children who do not have appointments). We realize that some patients will need a caregiver to accompany them and we will work to safely accommodate these cases.

• Increased Cleaning: We are increasing cleaning at opening, closing, and between patients.

• Allowing for Social Distancing: We have restructured our office to make sure staff and patients can easily observe social distancing at all times. We have also expanded our appointment times to reduce the number of staff and patients inside of our clinic.​

• We will also have a different process for trying on glasses. Our staff will need to take charge of the selection process as we are trying to reduce the amount of items you have touch with in our office. Of course, you will need to keep your mask on until the final selection process. Before your final decision, the optician will move to a safer distance and location and then you can remove your mask to see how the glasses look without your mask on. We are trying to keep your time in our office as short as possible to reduce risk. Please keep that in mind during the frame selection process.

We are doing our best to keep our staff and our patients safe but also still take care of your eyecare needs. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we work through this! We are happy to be getting back to work to be able to take care of all of you!

The RidgeView Optometry Team​

Eye Care & Eye Exams in Colorado Springs, Colorado

A scratch on the cornea (or corneal abrasion) is one of the most common eye injuries. It can happen without anyone noticing because it doesn’t take a major accident to scrape or scratch the cornea.

If you suspect your child may have scratched his or her eye, seek the help of an eye care professional near you immediately. A corneal abrasion can quickly get worse and lead to serious eye infections unless it receives professional treatment. An experienced and qualified optometrist such as Dr. Matt Buchanan in Colorado Springs, Colorado can offer effective treatment.

Symptoms of a Scratched Eye

Is your child rubbing its eye and complaining that there’s something in it? Make sure he/she stops rubbing and washes out the eye with clean water. If the feeling prevails, there’s a good chance he or she may have scratched the eyeball.

Check for additional symptoms:

• Tearing
• High sensitivity to light
• A red spot or red line in the white part of the eye
• General redness of the eye
• Blurry or decreased vision
• Headaches
• Sometimes even nausea

These are signs of a possible corneal abrasion, a scratch on the outer protective layer of the cornea (the round dome covering the front of the eyeball). This layer is called the corneal epithelium.

What Can Cause a Scratch on the Cornea?

This is the tricky part. Almost anything can scratch an eyeball, from a fingernail to a piece of paper, from a branch to sand or dust. In many cases, the child will not feel anything when it happens, but develop symptoms a few hours later.

When a child plays outside, it may fall and get some dirt on his face and a tiny sharp rock or wooden splinter into the eye. This is enough to scratch the sensitive cover on the eyeball.

A sudden blow of strong wind can carry sand and dust particles, which sometimes are sharp enough to cause a scratch on the cornea. Such dirt and sand particles may also hide in a pile of snow your child is using to build a snowman.

If your child is playing with others or with a pet, a fingernail can accidentally get into the eye, even for a brief moment without causing any pain.

How to Treat a Scratched Cornea

There is nothing you can do to treat a scratched eye by yourself. An eye care professional needs to diagnose the severity of the damage and prescribe treatment.

Make sure you or your child do

• NOT rub the eye
• NOT use eye drops to relieve redness
• NOT patch or bandage the eye

To minimize discomfort and risk do

• Rinse the eye with a sterile saline solution or multipurpose contact lens solution
• Encourage the child to blink frequently to ensure sufficient moisture
• Let the child wear sunglasses

What Will the Optometrist Do?

The eye doctor will examine the eye to determine the severity of the injury and assess treatment. Lubricating drops may be used to support the eye’s natural healing process. In many cases, the doctor will prescribe antibiotic drops as a preventive measure against infections.

A scratched cornea will heal within a few days. Typically, it takes less time to heal than a cut to the skin would. If you are not sure about whether your child has injured its cornea, consult Dr. Matt Buchanan at Colorado Springs, Colorado now.

Contact Lenses & Eye Care in Colorado Springs, Colorado

For those who need vision correction but don’t want to wear glasses or undergo LASIK surgery, contact lenses are a great option. Yes, there are many types of contact lenses to choose from. The list below will take the guesswork out of navigating the various options. Speak with Dr. Matt Buchanan and the friendly staff at Ridgeview Optometry to select the best contact lenses for your eyes.

4 Contact Lens Categories

• Soft lenses are made from hydrogels (water-containing plastic) that are very thin, soft, pliable, and easily hug the surface of the eye.
• Silicone hydrogel lenses resemble regular soft lenses, though they’re more porous, allowing for more oxygen to reach the eye. These are by far the most commonly prescribed contact lenses in the United States and Canada.
• Gas permeable (GP) lenses are rigid lenses. They allow for the passage of oxygen, rendering them more comfortable than regular hard contacts. These lenses tend to be as comfortable as soft lenses (after the initial adjustment period) and often provide better optics.
• Hybrid contact lenses have a rigid center with a flexible outer rim that tend to provide the same sharp vision offered by GP lenses, but with the comfort of soft lenses.

Apart from their material composition, contact lenses can also be categorized by wear-time and other features.

Contact Lens Wear Time and Replacement Frequency

Contact lenses are often selected according to preferred wear time and replacement frequency.

Daily contact lenses are removed at night, while the extended-wear contacts are worn day and night without removal, usually for a period of 7-30 days.

All contact lenses require proper hygienic care and need to be replaced periodically to avoid irritation or infection.

• Daily disposable lenses are worn during the day and discarded before bedtime. A new pair is inserted the next day.
• Weekly/ Monthly disposable lenses are to be replaced every two weeks at the latest. Others can be replaced every month or quarter.
• Traditional/reusable lenses are discarded every six months.

Contact Lenses For Every Eye Type

Contact lenses come in several design features that accommodate almost every eye condition.

• Certain contact lenses, such as scleral lenses, can help treat dry eye syndrome (DES) and benefit those with corneal irregularities, all the while providing comfort and sharp vision.
• Those with astigmatism or farsightedness (presbyopia) may choose bifocal contact lenses.
• Multifocal contacts help to slow the progression of myopia (nearsightedness) in children.
• Prescription colored contact lenses are great for those who wish to experiment with different eye colors.
• Spherical contacts are used to treat hyperopia, myopia, and presbyopia.
• Toric lenses can also benefit patients with astigmatism and provide clearer vision than standard contact lenses.
• Varifocal lenses can also be worn by those that are farsighted, thus eliminating the need for reading glasses.
• Monovision lenses are used to treat presbyopia by strengthening the eye-brain connection.

Schedule a contact lenses eye exam and fitting to achieve clear and comfortable vision with contact lenses. Our eye doctor and professional eye care staff at Ridgeview Optometry in Colorado Springs will happily help you choose comfortable contact lenses that best suit your eyes and lifestyle.

Visit Ridgeview Optometry in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Our office is located at 8540 Scarborough Drive, #240 Colorado Springs, CO 80920. Please enter your zip code or city, state below for door-to-door directions.

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Eye Care and Optical Store in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Whether you wear eyeglasses on a daily basis, reach for them on occasion, or simply throw on a pair for a little extra fun, the frames you choose ultimately dictate how the world sees you — and more crucially, how you see yourself.

When choosing a pair of eyeglasses, frame shape, color, and style all come into play. So if you’re interested in altering your look, it’s helpful to know your face shape. That way you’ll have a clearer notion of what you’re seeking— which will simplify the shopping process.

But first, a few basic guidelines:

• The top of your glasses frame should follow the line of your eyebrows. Avoid having too much eyebrow above or below the frames. Sunglasses, however, should always cover your eyebrows.

• Your eyes should be situated at the center of each frame.

• Keep in mind that the facial shape is one of many factors that determine which frame looks best on you. When picking a design, take your hairstyle and color, dressing style, eye color, and skin color into account, as they all play an important role.

So without further ado, let’s delve into the absolute best fit for your face!

You likely have one of the following face shapes: oval, round, square, heart, or diamond. Simply look at a mirror, and assess which shape matches yours!

Which eyeglass frames suit OVAL faces?

Those with oval faces are in luck and can pull off almost any style. Since their faces are perfectly proportional (they have higher and slightly wider cheekbones that typically narrow towards the forehead) they can enjoy countless frame possibilities! So go bold with playful color, texture or shape! No matter the optical design – square, wayfarer, tortoise, or rectangular – rest assured that they will flatter your face and bring your best features into frame.

Make sure to look for designs that are as wide as (or wider than) the broadest part of the face, and avoid designs that are overly large and cover up more than half your face, as they will throw your features off-balance.

Which eyeglass frames suit SQUARE faces?

Square faces are all about the angular features, which are typically characterized by a prominent jawline and wider forehead. If you’d like to draw focus to your strongest attributes, select frames that are thin, curved and circular. Consider rimless and semi-rimless frames, as the round design will soften and add contrast to your square shape. A classic cat-eye frame can also look great, with the strong geometry of a square face complemented by the thick framing on the upper half of the glasses.

Which eyeglass frames best suit ROUND faces?

Round face shapes have curved lines, no angles, and are proportionally similar in length and width. Many optical designs look great on those with round shapes, particularly rectangular frames, as they elongate your face, adding balance to the round features. Stay away from rimless, small and circular frames, as they may make your round face look even rounder.

Which eyeglass frames best suit HEART-shaped faces?

Heart-shaped faces are characterized by high cheekbones, sharply tapered jawline, a long chin, and a wider forehead. Luckily, many frames flatter the heart-shaped visages — particularly those that balance the width of the forehead with the narrowness of the chin.

Aim to draw attention to the top of the face and add balance to the width of your face by looking for frames that are slightly wider than your forehead. To look your very best, choose round or oval-shaped frames that are thin and lightly shaded.

Another excellent design that flatters heart faces is cat-eye glasses, as they “sweep up the face” by highlighting prominent cheekbones yet balancing out the rest of the face. Just make sure to avoid frame styles or colors that draw attention to the forehead, such as frames with decorative temples or embellished tops.

Which frames best suit DIAMOND-shaped faces?

Diamond-shaped faces, characterized by their full cheeks, narrow forehead and jawline, are the least common face shapes. The most flattering look for the diamond-shaped face is a rimless, oval or cat-shaped design, which will accentuate your cheekbones and delicate features.

Make sure to avoid frames that are rectangular or narrow, as they draw attention to your narrow features rather than enhancing them.

Every style has different options — so it’s simply a matter of trying out the design and shape you like. If you absolutely love aviator or cat-eye frames but are afraid they won’t sit well on your face, try different pairs of the same style. Some are larger, smaller, rounder, more angular — there’s virtually a match for every face! Come to Ridgeview Optometry in Colorado Springs and our friendly staff will be happy to help you find the best design for your unique attributes.