Clear vision Profile
Carlson-Tillisch focusing on sight for 100 years By Marie Wood Photos By John Cross
Wendy LaFavor has been with the clinic for 43 years.
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or 100 years, Carlson-Tillisch Eye Clinic has been helping people in southern Minnesota see better. The practice, built by multiple generations of the Tillisch and Carlson families, continues under the leadership of Dr. John Lach and Dr. Matt Downs, but the mission for better vision remains clear. In 1999, Lach joined Carlson-Tillisch and practiced with Dr. Dale Carlson and Dr. Skip Tillisch. When Tillisch retired in 2004, Lach bought in to the practice and became partners with Dale Carlson. “Patient care was always put at the forefront. That was definitely appealing to me,” said Lach. In 2004, Downs joined the practice and when Carlson retired in 2008, Lach and Downs became co-owners and partners. They chose to keep the Carlson-Tillisch name. “It has a good name and you don’t get that overnight,” said Downs. “Patients do hold you to a higher standard. More is expected of you, but it’s positive.” Carlson-Tillisch is known for comprehensive eye exams, personal customer service, and a full scope of optometry services. Along with oneon-one fittings and a large selection of frames and contact lenses, the clinic can diagnose and manage glaucoma, cataracts, dry eye syndrome, and other conditions. “In addition to the quality products and a large selection of fashion eyewear, we strive to provide personal service and care along with
Optometrist Matt Downs, co-owner of Carlson-Tillisch.
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cutting edge technology. We try to give our patients the best of both worlds,” said Lach. Carlson-Tillisch now has four optometrists with the addition of Dr. Tracye Eiselt and Dr. Bridget Boyle and more than 20 employees. Plus there are two locations — downtown Mankato and New Ulm. While optometrists do not perform surgery, they can prescribe medications, and offer surgery evaluations and post-care for cataract and laser eye surgery. At Carlson-Tillisch, they also educate patients during exams. “We try to provide the highest quality, most thorough eye exam we can,” said Downs. That means investing in the latest technology. Both offices offer an Optomap Retinal Exam, which is an imaging device that shows a precise and detailed view of the eye without dilation. The clinic also has an Optical Coherence Tomography machine, so doctors can get a microscopic look at the back of the eye to identify conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. Carlson-Tillisch also provides emergency eye care visits for objects or chemicals in the eye, infections, retina detachment, scratches and other urgent issues. Optometrists are on call evenings and weekends.
Long history
Around 1910, Stanley Tillisch opened an eyeglass shop in downtown Mankato. Some days, he would hop a train to Waseca or Sleepy