Montecito and Santa Barbara are beautiful places to live and a long way from most specialty eye care. We want to be honest about that. Khanna Vision Institute has no office in Montecito or Santa Barbara. Our main office is in Westlake Village, 31824 Village Center Rd, Suite F, Westlake Village, CA 91361. From Montecito it is about 60 miles south on US-101, past Carpinteria, Ventura and Camarillo. That is usually a bit over an hour, and longer in traffic or when the Rincon backs up.
Why we start with a video visit
Nobody should make that drive only to learn they are not a candidate for what they came for. That is why most Montecito and Santa Barbara patients start with a free VIP video consult. On the call we go over:
- Your glasses or contact lens prescription and how long it has been stable
- Past eye surgery, eye injuries, dry eye, and any conditions you are being treated for
- What you want to fix: distance blur, reading trouble, glare at night, a growth on the eye, or something else
- Which tests need to be done in person, and how to prepare for them
If an in-person visit makes sense, we try to put everything into one trip: measurements, the exam with Dr. Khanna, and time for your questions. Dr. Khanna sees patients in Westlake Village on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
A coastal habit worth keeping: sunglasses
Life on this coast means a lot of time near bright water and sand. The World Health Organization’s Global Solar UV Index guide notes that UV levels are highest when the sun is high around midday and that ground surfaces reflect UV: dry beach sand reflects about 15% and sea foam about 25%. Long-term UV exposure is linked to cataracts and to growths on the surface of the eye such as pterygium. Wraparound sunglasses that block UVA and UVB and a hat with a brim are an easy habit for beach walks at Butterfly Beach or paddling off Leadbetter.
Plan the day
If your visit includes dilating drops, bring a driver. Bright light on the drive home along the coast can be hard to handle for a few hours. To set up a video consult, call (805) 230-2126.
For Montecito patients, my goal is simple: by the time you get in the car, we already know why you are coming and what we will do with the visit.
Source: Global Solar UV Index: A Practical Guide (World Health Organization, WMO, UNEP and ICNIRP, 2002). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.
Leave a Reply