Vision Care in Sight: VA Eye Clinic Features Advanced Equipment and Services in Lincoln
LINCOLN, Neb. – Lincoln area Veterans now have more choices regarding their vision. That’s because VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System’s Lincoln VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) has expanded services for Veterans.
The clinic boasts a range of technologically advanced instruments like visual field test devices, fundus cameras, and more to provide outstanding ocular management.
The team moved to the new CBOC more than two years ago, where, with added exam rooms and upgraded equipment, they improved access and ensured excellence in clinical care. The changes are in keeping with the VA's commitment to providing superior health care to veterans while continuously improving their services.
Dr. Vanessa Saltzgaber, an optometrist at the Lincoln VA CBOC, said she and her staff are thrilled about the improved VA Lincoln Eye Clinic.
“Historically, Veterans in need of a low vision evaluation [for subnormal vision] were referred to a non-VA provider,” Saltzgaber explained. “We are excited to start this eye specialty clinic and offer this service at the Lincoln CBOC.”
The Lincoln VA CBOC, located at 420 Victory Park Drive in Lincoln, offers comprehensive services and top-notch technology eyecare, according to Saltzgaber. “We use current technology to help monitor ocular diseases,” she said. “Some of our most used instruments are a visual field test for monitoring peripheral vision, fundus camera to take photos of the retina, and an OCT, which is a non-invasive scan that allows the provider to visualize the retina’s distinctive layers and fibers of the optic nerve.”
Born and raised in Columbus, Nebraska, Saltzgaber completed her studies at the Pacific University, Oregon, following up with a residency at a VA in Missouri. Driven by a passion for serving veterans, Saltzgaber found her calling at the VA because of the culture, camaraderie, and patient-driven approach that emphasizes whole healthcare. This approach is reflected in the new VA Lincoln Eye Clinic as it will house various services under one roof, including comprehensive eye care, ocular disease management, emergency eye care, and a low vision clinic.
Alongside colleagues Dr. Shannon Boone and Dr. Allison Guidon, she's eager to bring exceptional optometry services to Lincoln-area Veterans. “Eye care is available to nearly all enrolled Veterans allowing us to demonstrate the ICARE values for a large number of Veterans,” she explained. “We pride ourselves on being a frontline healthcare for Veterans and strive to provide the highest quality of care that all Veterans deserve.”
The clinic embodies the Veterans' whole healthcare concept by making patient care more comprehensive and convenient. It manages common eye diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy, among many others, to veterans enrolled in VA healthcare. Appointments are available via direct access without the need for referrals at 402-486-7881.