About Crown City Eye Center:
Article for Coronado Eagle-Journal
December 11, 2006
OPHTHALMOLOGISTS WILLIAM BIGHAM AND GEORGE ULRICH
OFFER HIGH QUALITY SERVICE IN CORONADO OFFICE
William Bigham, MD, and George Ulrich, MD, offer state-of-the-art evaluation and treatment in their ophthalmology offices at the Crown City Eye Center (located across the street from the post office).
With combined specialties in cataract surgery, oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery, as well as the treatment of glaucoma, Drs. Bigham and Ulrich offer a full array of comprehensive ophthalmology services.
Says Dr. Bigham, “We are fortunate today that most surgical eye procedures can be done in-office or in an outpatient surgery setting, simply, easily and routinely.” Dr. Ulrich concurs, “We have the high-tech diagnostic equipment, as well as a surgical setting to handle everything from evaluation and surgical preparation for cataract surgery to eyelid surgery.
Dr. Ulrich, who earned his medical degree from the University of Colorado, completed his internship in internal medicine at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Oakland, followed by his residency in ophthalmology at the San Diego Naval Hospital and a fellowship in glaucoma at Duke University.
Says Dr. Ulrich, “Glaucoma is a good example of a progressive eye condition that can be identified in the earlier stages and effectively treated. Early detection is the key to minimizing vision loss.” By using both an optic nerve analyzer (which takes special photographs of the optic nerve and its fibers) and a visual field analyzer (which can detect “blind spots” before any glaucoma symptoms are present), Dr. Ulrich can diagnose – and treat – glaucoma at its earliest stages.
Dr. Bigham, who earned his medical degree from the University of Virginia, completed his internship in surgery at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, followed by his residency in ophthalmology at the San Diego Naval Hospital and a fellowship in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.
Says Dr. Bigham, “Oculoplastic surgery is a very specialized field within plastic and reconstructive surgery emphasizing the eyebrows, eyelids, eye sockets and mid-face.” Dr. Bigham provides treatment for a wide-range of conditions, from cosmetic to reconstructive surgery. Cosmetic procedures – surgery to the upper and lower eyelids – can give a person a more youthful, well-rested appearance. Reconstructive surgery addresses diseases such as skin cancer or injuries associated with the eyes or mid-face. In addition, ophthalmic plastic surgeons have special training in the treatment of conditions affecting the tear ducts. Many of these procedures can be done in-office or in surgical suites on a same-day, outpatient basis.
Both doctors also treat cataracts, caused by a gradual clouding of the lens, which reduces a person’s ability to see under certain circumstances (for instance, at night). In the earliest stages, a cataract can sometimes be treated with a change in eyeglass prescription. In more advanced cases, a thirty-minute outpatient surgery is required (evaluation and follow-up care is provided in-office).
Macular degeneration, a disease that affects the macula (which is the part of the eye that ensures visual sharpness), can be evaluated in-office. If cataracts are involved in conjunction with macular degeneration, outpatient surgery to take care of the cataracts may also be helpful.
For surgical procedures that require outpatient facilities, Drs. Bigham and Ulrich are affiliated with San Diego’s premier eye centers, including Scripps Memorial Hospital and Mericos Eye Institute in La Jolla, Scripps Mercy Eye Surgery Center in Hillcrest, and Sharp Memorial Hospital Vision Laser Center in San Diego.
Both Dr. Bigham and Dr. Ulrich also perform refractive surgery, laser procedures that correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. “LASIK” AND “PRK” refractive surgery are done in an outpatient setting. These surgeries reshape the cornea, which alleviates vision abnormalities, reducing, and in many cases eliminating, the need for eyeglasses.
In addition, Crown City Eye Center offers routine ophthalmology services, including annual eye exams and emergency treatment, evaluation and measurement for glasses as well as treatments for a variety of eye conditions such as itching, burning, dry eyes, excessive tearing, and diabetic eye disease.
Crown City Eye Center (1317-A Ynez Place; 435.8800) accepts Medicare, Tricare, Blue Cross, as well as other insurances. Both doctors are fluent in Spanish, and Dr. Ulrich also speaks Italian and German. Drs. Bigham and Ulrich offer priority appointments for active duty military and their family members.
