TAKING VISION CORRECTION TO THE NEXT LEVEL

At Bagan Strinden Vision, new technology gives almost everyone the opportunity to see better without eyeglasses

Tom Strinden, MD, and Steve Bagan, MD

are having a great time! Both Fargo eye surgeons have decades of experience in all kinds of complex eye surgeries, but recent advances in vision correction technology are bringing more excitement and possibilities than ever. Clients who in earlier years would have had no choice but to wear strong eyeglasses or uncomfortable hard contact lenses, now have new procedures available to them.

Astigmatism correction is a big thing at Bagan Strinden Vision. Most people have at least some astigmatism, but few people know what it is, and most assume that it can’t be corrected. Astigmatism means that the eyeball is not perfectly round, or spherical, like a basketball; it is somewhat oval-shaped, like a football. This isn’t apparent grossly, but when measurements are taken in the eye doctor’s office, the distortion is apparent. Bagan and Strinden have several ways to correct all degrees of astigmatism, including the region’s first Ziemer femtosecond laser for astigmatism, the only such technology in the Dakotas and Minnesota.

You might think that after thousands and thousands of Lasik laser vision correction procedures, the fun might wear off for these seasoned surgeons. On the contrary, according to Dr. Bagan, “With the all-laser, bladeless vision correction, we can now fix eyes that previously had to be turned away. Dr. Strinden and I have wide experience in all kinds of eye surgeries, and that gives us the ability to do cases that are turned down by other centers.”

Dr. Strinden said “We love the tough cases, the people with lots of astigmatism or the really thick glasses who can’t even get out of bed without finding their glasses first, or can’t even read the shampoo bottle in the shower. Many times they’ve been told elsewhere that there was nothing that can be done for them, but we have options that other centers just don’t have.”

“I have been wearing eye glasses since I was 13 months old and was told there was nothing that could be done to correct my vision. I was turned down by another facility and advised not to look any further. However being in the medical field myself, I sought a second opinion at Bagan Strinden Vision. The doctors at Bagan Strinden Vision used their many years of experience and the cutting edge technology at their finger tips to correct my vision in both eyes to 20/20. I am extremely pleased with my outcome and the care and concern I received from the team at Bagan Strinden Vision.”

-Michael Bishop, Physician Assistant

Strinden and Bagan are also the only surgeons in North Dakota certified to perform cornea cross-linking, a new experimental treatment for keratoconus. Keratoconus is a progressive warpage of the cornea, the clear tissue that lies over your iris and pupil, resulting in severe astigmatism, often leading to a cornea transplant surgery. With this new procedure, the disease can be arrested, preventing it from worsening to the stage that a transplant is needed. “It’s very gratifying to be able to perform this procedure right here in our office, and keep these unfortunate patients from gradually losing more and more vision” said Dr. Strinden.

This commitment to cutting-edge technology doesn’t affect the ambiance and kindness you feel when you meet the staff at Bagan Strinden Vision. Their office in south Fargo is warm and comfortable, and the front desk staff greet you with a smile and get you checked in promptly and easily.

Technology is great, but it needs to be paired with experience, and a caring, professional attitude. Bagan Strinden Vision’s doctors, including Dr. Sarah Swanholm, are third-generation North Dakotans, and the office has been established in Fargo since 1980. As a private practice, freestanding and not attached to any hospital or large clinic, they are free to provide the best in personal service. Patients can call for an appointment without a referral, and see the doctors without having to go through a maze of registrations and lab tests. The doctors take great pride in being personally involved in each client’s care plan and follow-up, in contrast to other Lasik centers that have a surgeon fly in from out of state.

Bagan and Strinden are also busy cataract surgeons, and have both taken many trips to impoverished countries to perform free surgery, usually in conditions that would not measure up to the strict standards we enjoy here. In Fargo, both doctors perform hundreds of standard and complex cataract surgeries, as well as many other types of surgery for glaucoma and other eye diseases.

The latest in technology - experienced, caring doctors - and a warm, personal office setting where you feel like you are the most important person there – quite a winning combination at Bagan Strinden Vision!

To learn more, visit www.baganstrindenvision.com or call 701-293-8242.

More importantly, MSUM is working cross departmentally to “cultivate a campus-wide awakening to creativity, innovation and design,” said Kennan Meyer, a professor who teaches entrepreneurship classes. “We want to accomplish something that hasn’t been seen at other universities.”

He says the entrepreneurial spirit is thriving among universities nationwide, but more of the effort must be directed to individual departments. MSUM’s program is designed to be flexible in order to meet the varying demands of a multi-disciplinary environment.