Every patient at Western Laser Eye Associates has a health care story behind their visit and Dr. Ellen Anderson Penno and her team make sure patients are heard and the best solutions are made available — all in one clinic.
A Mayo Clinic trained MD and ophthalmologist, Dr. Anderson Penno has performed thousands of laser eye surgeries in the past 28 years. She’s also an author with four books on eye health and now, a new memoir. Counting Bones: Anatomy of Love Lost and Found is a touching story of grief and recovery for a woman who lost her first love in a tragic mountaineering accident just weeks before she started med school. Writing the book and the training it took to learn that skill opened Dr. Anderson Penno’s eyes to the world of narrative medicine.
“The concept of narrative medicine is to harness the power of listening carefully to patient stories to improve the quality of health care,” she says. “We try to connect with people about other things that may be going on in their lives that are affecting their health.”
Sometimes the answers to eye health issues lie in laser surgery, sometimes a pair of glasses is required. Total eye health is always considered to determine if other issues, such as diabetes, macular degeneration, glaucoma, allergies or the dry Alberta climate are having an impact on clear vision and overall eye health. Whatever the concern, there’s an all-star lineup ready to act. The Western Laser Eye team includes:
- Dr. Ugo Dodd: Ophthalmologist and surgeon
- Dr. Regan Nowlan: Head of optometry — diagnosis of ocular disease and dry eye.
- Dr. Nana Boadi: Optometrist — eye muscle disorders, including pediatrics.
- Dr. Vaneet Kaloti: Optometrist — contact lens solutions for athletes.
A rising trend in eye health is the number of near-sighted young people coming to the clinic for care. Rising screen time on phones, computers and game consoles combines with less exposure to natural light and it’s having an impact on school age children’s eye health.
“We recommend spending at least two hours per day outdoors in natural light,” says Dr. Anderson Penno. “There is a catchy 20-20-20 rule that says every 20 minutes, look away 20 feet from your screen and blink 20 times.”
And if eye health is your concern, you can feel confident in telling your story to the doctors at Western Laser Eye.
Photography by Graham McKerrell
Western Laser Eye Associates
6427 Bowness Rd. NW
Calgary, AB T3B 0E6
Laser Vision Correction
403-547-9775
Website: westernlasereye.com | Facebook: Western Laser Eye Associates
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