Nov. 8, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by Vance Thompson Vision.

Vance Thompson Vision will expand its surgical treatment specialties to the whole eye, with the addition of retinal care specialist and surgeon Dr. Jed Assam.

Surgical eye care can be divided into two areas. The first is called the anterior segment and focuses on the front of the eye. If the eye were a camera, the anterior segment would be the camera’s lens. Care for the cornea, laser vision correction, and cataract surgery are included in the anterior segment, along with glaucoma surgery. The second is the posterior segment, to include the retina or the back of the eye that functions as the “film” in the eye’s camera.

For decades, Vance Thompson Vision has been an industry leader in vision correction and treating conditions in the front of the eye and is now excited to offer advanced retina care to help meet the immense need in the Sioux Falls region region.

The retina is an important tissue in the eye that converts light into an image for the brain. It helps generate the colors and detail we see, helping us to fully enjoy the visual world around us. There are many conditions affecting the retina that can cause a reduction and even permanent vision loss.

Having retina care at Vance Thompson Vision allows for treatment of conditions that include macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, retinal detachments, and so many more that threaten our patients’ most precious resource, their eyesight.

Expanding to offer retinal care is another example of  Vance Thompson Vision’s commitment to providing world-class surgical care to patients in our community.

“At Vance Thompson Vision, we see patients’ need for treatment of retina conditions,” Dr. Vance Thompson said. “Adding this service will allow us to care for both the front and the back of the eye to really round out our offering so we can take the best care of all patients.”

 Assam is a fellowship-trained ophthalmologist treating medical and surgical disorders of the retina along with performing retina research. He earned a master’s degree in Human Clinical Anatomy at Creighton University and a medical degree at The University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. He completed a residency in ophthalmology at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, TX, where he was chief resident. He completed an advanced fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio which gave him the opportunity to learn from leading experts in the field.

Retinal care provided by Assam and his team will support Vance Thompson Vision’s commitment to meeting each patient’s needs with specialized treatment.“I care deeply about my patients’ well-being and quality of vision,” Assam said.

“I know being diagnosed with a condition of the retina can be scary.  It is important to me that my patients know that I am with them every step of the way and together we will find the best treatment for their eyes.”

Dr. Assam is committed to the collaborative care of patients in Sioux Falls. Anyone experiencing a change or loss in vision, especially sudden changes, should contact their local vision care provider immediately.

To learn more about retina care at Vance Thompson Vision, click here.