General Practitioners

• Arthritis
• Emergency Care
  If you experience any of the following, seek immediate care from Mattax Neu Prater Eye Center or your local hospital emergency department.

Ophthalmologists

• Glaucoma
  More than three million Americans have glaucoma, but only half are actually aware that this “silent thief” is slowly stealing away their vision, sometimes without any symptoms.
• Ophthalmology
  Dr. Jacob Thomas graduated from Drury University in Springfield before graduating from University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine. He completed a residency in ophthalmology and a Fellowship in cornea and external diseases of the eye at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
• Macular Degeneration
  Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects the area of the retina called the macula. This small area is responsible for producing sharp, central vision required for "straight ahead" activities such as driving, reading, recognizing faces, and performing close-up work.
• Laser Eye Surgery
  Orbscan® topography measures the shape, contour and thickness of your cornea to help your surgeon decide if LASIK is appropriate for you.
• Cataracts
  The eye’s lens is responsible for helping to focus light on the retina in the back of the eye. Cataracts occur when proteins within the lens begin to cluster together, causing the lens to cloud. If the lens is cloudy, it cannot properly focus the image on the retina. This makes vision blurry and colors indistinct. When your lifestyle is compromised by cataracts, it is time to consult a surgeon at Mattax Neu Prater Eye Center about your options.
• Cataract Surgery
  Intraocular lenses (IOLs) are tiny, clear lenses that replace the clouded lens to restore focus after cataract surgery. By implanting a standard monofocal IOL, the eye can focus clearly at one distance (usually far) and will require glasses for clear near vision. Most people who select this particular IOL are very happy with their decision. For those looking for less dependence on glasses after surgery, implantable lifestyle lenses may be an option. These include multifocal and toric IOLs.
• Eye Exam
  A thorough eye exam can detect narrow angles that are at risk of closure. Laser treatment to the iris can usually prevent angle-closure glaucoma.

Internists

• Internal Medicine
  Dr. Benjamin Haden is a comprehensive ophthalmologist, specializing in cataract surgery as well as the management of glaucoma and macular degeneration. His education began at Baylor University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Dr. Haden participated in the Anatomy Certification Program at Tulane Medical School Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, before earning a Doctor of Medicine degree from Tulane University School of Medicine. While there, Dr. Haden served as a Laboratory Teaching Assistant during Anatomy and Histology for medical students. He went on to serve one year in internal medicine at Ochsner Health Systems and completed his ophthalmic residency at University of Texas – Southwestern.
• Nephrology
  Dr. Thomas and Giselle Kohler from Springfield Nephrology spoke at the Surgical Technologist meeting in Joplin over the weekend.

Endocrinologist

• Diabetic Retinopathy
  Diabetes affects the blood vessels throughout the body, particularly in the kidney and in the eye. Diabetic retinopathy is the name we give to diabetes’ adverse affects on the blood vessels in the eye. In the United States, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among adults. Risk of developing diabetic retinopathy increases over time. An adult who has had diabetes for 15 years or longer stands an 80 percent chance of experiencing damage to retinal blood vessels.

Plastic Surgeons

• Blepharoplasty
  Drs. Kenneth Neu, Thomas Prater, and Jacob Thomas perform blepharoplasty on upper lids to correct this condition in Mattax Neu Prater’s on-site outpatient surgery center.