About Southern Low Vision
Trusted Low Vision Care & Rehabilitation Specialist
Dr. Roderick D. Fields
Dr. Fields has specialized in vision rehabilitation for over 40 years. Low vision care evolved naturally as a result of his years of caring for special needs patients and has grown to include low vision satellite clinics throughout South Mississippi and Alabama.
Dr. Fields presently serves as the chairman of the Vision Rehabilitation and Low Vision committee of the Mississippi Optometric Association as well as a member of the Board of the Mississippi Optometric Association. He is also a member of the Alabama Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association.
He is a fellow of the International Association of Low Vision Specialists (IALVS), a member of the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA), the College of Optometric Vision Development (COVD) and is frequently a lecturer on the subjects of vision rehabilitation and Low Vision to groups of his peers throughout the country.
Dr. Fields has been on the staff of Memorial Hospital in Gulfport MS for over 20 years, treating patients with Traumatic Brain Injury vision loss. He is certified as a lecturer on Low Vision and has presented lectures to many groups including the Mississippi Optometric Association.
Dr. Fields has three children and lives with his wife in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
read video transcript
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Hello, my name is Dr. Rod Fields. I'm a low vision optometrist, and the name of my low vision practice is called Southern Low Vision. I'm going to be discussing various aspects of low vision over the next few months, and I'll be posting them on the website.
Aspects like what causes low vision, what is low vision, and what do we do about low vision, to better inform those who might be interested. First, I’m going to tell you about me. I've been in practice for over 40 years. I've always had a primary care practice, but aside from that, I have actually worked with special populations that work with children who have lazy eyes and crossed eyes, and people who've had vision-related learning problems. I did that for about thirty-five years in a free-standing clinic. That actually evolved into me seeing brain-injured people, so I began seeing traumatic brain injury people, doing vision rehabilitation on them, and the Memorial Hospital, which is the largest hospital in the area, came to me and asked me if I would work with their staff and see patients in their narrow world. I said I wouldn't, and so I've done that now for about 25 years, and then eventually evolved into me seeing patients with low vision, so for the last 12 years, I've dedicated my career to low vision examination and treatment of patients.
I belong to a unique group of individuals, which we call the International Association of Low Vision Specialists, or IALVS. We were all individually and intensely trained by the same individual; this doctor has dedicated his entire life to low vision. We are in practically every state in the United States and Canada, and we were probably the biggest low vision group in the world, and certainly, what I believe, we are the best. We are intensively trained at all times, and so there's nothing that comes about with low vision that we don't know about.
I have 16 satellite clinics throughout the State of Mississippi, and I go there as needed to see patients. I drive from Memphis all the way down to where I live in Ocean Springs. I live in Ocean Springs with my wife, we have three children, and I am an avid fly fisherman, and I love doing low vision, so that's a little bit about me.
I'll be posting some things on this website about things like macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetes to help inform you.
Thank you
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Serving Low Vision Patients Across the Gulf Coast
Expert Low Vision Care for MS, LA, AL & FL Patients
Patients with low vision caused from such conditions as Macular Degeneration, Diabetes, Glaucoma, and Inoperable Cataracts, to name a few, come from not only Mississippi but also the neighboring states of Louisiana, Alabama and the Panhandle of Florida to receive specialized care using advanced Low Vision telescopes and microscope systems.
Trusted eye doctor
Patient Testimonials
J. Keary
Dear Dr. Fields, I would like to thank you and your staff for the wonderful service you have given me for many years and to thank you from the bottom of my heart for fitting me with binocular glasses which have given me back the quality of life. My thanks once again.
Tony T.
Thank you Dr. Fields for the amount of time you take with your patients. The quality of care is excellent! I would highly recommend Southern Low Vision!
Bruce L.
My vision went from normal to the current loss of central vision in only a couple of weeks. The glasses I have as a result of Dr. Fields have allowed me some independence I thought was gone forever. I thought that enjoyment was also lost but now I can watch and enjoy ball games, the news and weather, as well as my favorite programs.
Jody G.
My mother is 97 years old. Reading and writing are my mother’s passion-The Smartlux device you recommended is her lifeline. Reading is very time consuming and difficult but with the aid of the Smartlux it is possible. Thank you for being so patient and trying so hard to help her eyesight.
The family of Hayden Reed
Thank you to Dr. Fields for helping our son many years ago with his vision. Hayden is now in HS with straight A’s and a very successful student. We attribute his success to Dr. Fields helping with his vision problem at an early age.
Sharron G
I’d like to say a huge “THANK YOU” for all the tremendously helpful optical apparatuses that you have fitted me with. They are absolutely amazing and working with you and your courteous staff has been a true pleasure.
J. Keary
Dear Dr. Fields, I would like to thank you and your staff for the wonderful service you have given me for many years and to thank you from the bottom of my heart for fitting me with binocular glasses which have given me back the quality of life. My thanks once again.
Tony T.
Thank you Dr. Fields for the amount of time you take with your patients. The quality of care is excellent! I would highly recommend Southern Low Vision!
