Athens

651 S. Milledge Ave.
Athens, GA 30605

Phone: (706) 546-9290
Fax: (706) 546-4938

Hours
By Appointment

Why Choose our Athens Eye Doctors?

When it comes to your vision, you deserve more than a routine eye exam. At Georgia Center for Sight in Athens, patients have access to a level of subspecialty expertise, advanced technology, and comprehensive care that sets us apart from a typical optometry practice or general ophthalmology office.

Founded and Led by a Board-Certified Ophthalmologist

Georgia Center for Sight was founded in 2001 by Dr. Jing Dong, who remains the owner and president of the practice and its affiliated American Eye Surgery Center. Dr. Dong’s dual doctorate background in medicine and pharmacology informs a deeply evidence-based approach to care. His specialization in no-needle, no-stitch cataract surgery, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), oculoplastics, and strabismus represents a breadth of surgical expertise rarely found under one roof in northeast Georgia.

Academic-Caliber Surgeons Practicing in Your Community

Dr. Thomas A. Berk brings a distinguished academic pedigree to Athens patients. Fellowship-trained in complex cataract and glaucoma surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, board-certified in both the United States and Canada, and a former Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Emory University, Dr. Berk has authored peer-reviewed publications and presented research at national and international meetings. His approach is deliberately individualized, and he tailors each surgical plan to the patient’s specific goals so that patients feel genuine ownership over their care decisions.

The American Eye Surgery Center, Right Next Door

The on-campus American Eye Surgery Center, located directly behind the Athens clinic, is an accredited surgical facility dedicated exclusively to ophthalmic procedures. Having a dedicated surgical center adjacent to the clinic means faster scheduling, a specialized surgical environment, and continuity; the same physicians who examine you perform your surgery.

Technology That Matches the Talent

Great surgeons are limited by the tools they work with. Georgia Center for Sight has invested in the equipment that makes precision possible: Allegretto Wavelight wavefront mapping for LASIK, the LenSx femtosecond laser for cataract surgery, and LipiFlow for dry eye treatment. These aren’t experimental technologies, they’re the current standard of excellence, and they’re available to Athens patients today.

A Note on What to Look for When Comparing Eye Care Providers

When evaluating eye care options in Athens, it’s worth asking: Does the practice offer surgical services on-site or through a affiliated surgery center? Are the providers fellowship-trained or subspecialty-certified? Do they use premium surgical technology, or standard-of-care equipment from a decade ago? Can they manage both your routine eye health and complex conditions like glaucoma or cataracts in one place?

At Georgia Center for Sight, the answer to each of those questions is yes.

Eye Care Services Include:

LASIK

If you’re looking for an alternative to glasses and contacts that can give you crisp and clear vision, you may be a good candidate for LASIK at Georgia Center for Sight in Athens. This minimally invasive procedure involves using specialized lasers to correct common refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. At our Athens location, we are proud to offer advanced LASIK technology like Allegretto Wavelight mapping, which can give your eye doctor a personalized view of your unique eye structure, leading to more precise, customized outcomes. After LASIK, you can expect to enjoy clear, high-definition vision for decades and reduced reliance on visual aids.

Eye Exams

Attending regular eye exams with your eye doctor in Athens is not only crucial to your vision and eye health but also important as part of your overall healthcare. During these exams, your ophthalmologist at Georgia Center for Sight can perform thorough screenings and advanced testing to diagnose common conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts. They can also detect signs of other conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, lupus, diabetes, and certain cancers. By staying up-to-date on your eye exams in Athens, you can ensure any issues are found early and treated as soon as possible.

Cataract Surgery

As one of the leading causes of vision problems in adults, Georgia Center for Sight in Athens prioritizes offering quality solutions to our patients. Our eye doctors perform both traditional and laser cataract surgery to remove cataracts and restore clear vision. Our Athens location features the LenSx femtosecond laser to provide you with the most precision possible. We also offer a variety of IOLs to suit different lifestyles and vision needs, including extended depth of focus (EDOF) lenses, trifocal lenses, and the Light Adjustable Lens.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a serious progressive eye condition that can cause irreversible vision loss if left untreated. Luckily, the eye doctors at Georgia Center for Sight offer comprehensive glaucoma testing and treatment to protect your vision and eye health. Aside from prescription eye drops, we also provide advanced laser and surgical treatments for glaucoma like selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI), Durysta, trabeculectomy, Kahook Dual Blade goniotomy, and iStent.

Dry Eye

Dry eye, or dry eye syndrome, is a common eye condition that occurs when your eyes do not produce enough tears, or the tears are low quality. This can lead to frustrating symptoms like dryness, irritation, and redness. After diagnosing the root cause of your dry eye, your eye doctor at Georgia Center for Sight in Athens may recommend one of our innovative dry eye solutions, like punctal plugs and LipiFlow.

Whether you want to explore LASIK vision correction, ensure you’re up-to-date on your prescription, or need treatment for conditions like cataracts and glaucoma, our eye doctors have the experience and expertise to address all your eye care needs. Schedule an appointment at Georgia Center for Sight in Athens, GA, today!