General Practitioners

• Primary Care
  Dr. Taylor Swanson is an Argyle, Minnesota native and graduated from Stephen/Argyle Central high school in 2009. He attended North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota and was awarded his Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology with minors in Chemistry and Business Management in 2013. He then went on to Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon and was awarded his Doctorate of Optometry degree in 2017. Dr. Swanson is a member of the American Optometric Association and his optometric interests include primary care, ocular disease and contact lenses. In his free time, Dr. Swanson enjoys fishing, hunting and spending time with his wife and dogs.
• Immunizations
  First grade means new friends, new teachers, and the beginning of a lifetime of learning. Up to date vaccinations, a physical by a primary care physician, a visit to the dentist, and a comprehensive eye exam should all be scheduled prior to that first day of school. Eyes can change quickly and children may not complain of problems because they do not realize how they should be seeing. Help your child reach their full learning potential by making an eye examination part of their back to school ritual.

Ophthalmologists

• Glaucoma
  Only 1 in 16 children receive an eye examination before they start school and only 60 percent before they graduate. Less than half of adults at risk for vision loss have had an exam through dilated pupils within the last year. Fifty percent of people with glaucoma do not know they have it. Only 60 percent of people with diabetes receive annual dilated eye examinations. If we value our vision so highly and if we can prevent many cases of vision loss, then why are we not getting our preventive eye examinations? Studies show it's not that we don't care, it's that we don't know.
• Macular Degeneration
  So when should you have an eye examination? A child's first eye examination should between ages 6-12 months. This first exam is known as an InfantSEE exam, which is free of charge. Thereafter, children should be seen at age 3, then before starting school, and lastly every 2 years until age 18. People between 18 and 40 should be seen every 2 years, unless otherwise indicated. Yearly exams after age 40 are recommended. People with diabetes, glaucoma, high blood pressure, age related macular degeneration, frequent prescription changes, or other risk factors may require even more frequent exams.
• Laser Eye Surgery
  Would you like to be less dependent on glasses and contact lenses? Everywhere you turn laser refractive eye surgery is in the news. Is it for you? Lasik is the most common excimer laser surgery. It is an outpatient surgical procedure that takes about 10 minutes to perform. A protective flap of cornea is created with a microkeratome. The exposed inner layers of the cornea are then reshaped with the excimer laser to duplicate your eyeglass or contact prescription. The flap is then closed and heals naturally and securely.
• Cataracts
  Eye examinations at Brainerd Eyecare Center utilize state-of-the-art ophthalmic equipment and personalized attention from the doctors and staff. Allow approximately one hour and plan on having your pupils dilated. Your examination will include visual acuity testing, blood pressure measurement, a computerized visual field test, eye muscle coordination testing and visual focusing tests. Your doctor will personally conduct the examination to determine your eyeglass and/or contact lens prescription. The outside of the eye will be examined with a slit lamp microscope and the inside of your eye through a dilated pupil to diagnose diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal degeneration conditions. Among the specialized tests available when indicated are retinal photography, corneal topography and optic nerve and retinal thickness scanning by a laser guided instrument. Your eye health is our utmost concern.
• Eye Exam
  Please print and complete the forms that apply to you before your eye examination at Brainerd Eyecare Center. This will help streamline your experience with our clinic.

Endocrinologist

• Diabetes Care
• Diabetic Retinopathy
  The staff at Brainerd Eye Care Center is here to serve all of your primary eye care needs. We not only provide comprehensive eye examinations, glasses and contact lenses, but also diagnose and treat eye diseases. Our doctors are board certified in the treatment and management of ocular disease and are authorized to prescribe topical and oral medications for the treatment of eye disease. We provide both pre and post-surgical care for patients referred for cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and refractive surgery. Our staff is trained to offer and educate you regarding the latest in refractive treatment options including laser eye surgery, contact lenses, and fashion eyewear. Whatever your primary eye care needs, we are here to serve you.

Dermatologists

• Skin Cancer
  Extended exposure to the sun can cause skin cancer, but did you know that it can harm the eyes? Damage ranging from temporary discomfort to cataracts and macular degeneration can occur. There are many options in protecting your eyes from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation (UV).