diff --git a/src/e3sm_quickview/plugins/eam_reader.py b/src/e3sm_quickview/plugins/eam_reader.py
index 5636679..3ed5b5c 100644
--- a/src/e3sm_quickview/plugins/eam_reader.py
+++ b/src/e3sm_quickview/plugins/eam_reader.py
@@ -255,6 +255,7 @@ def __init__(self):
         self._timeSteps = []
         # Dictionary to store dimension slices
         self._slices = {}
+        self._changed_dims = set()
 
         # vtkDataArraySelection to allow users choice for fields
         # to fetch from the netCDF data set
@@ -422,8 +423,10 @@ def _load_variable(self, vardata, varmeta):
                     slice_tuple.append(self._slices.get(dim, 0))
 
             # Get data with proper slicing
-            data = vardata[varmeta.name][tuple(slice_tuple)].data.flatten()
-            data = np.where(data == varmeta.fillval, np.nan, data)
+            data = vardata[varmeta.name][tuple(slice_tuple)].data.reshape(-1)
+            if not np.isnan(varmeta.fillval):
+                data = data.copy()
+                data[data == varmeta.fillval] = np.nan
             return data
         except Exception as e:
             print_error(f"Error loading variable {varmeta.name}: {e}")
@@ -460,8 +463,8 @@ def _build_geometry(self, meshdata):
         londim = mvars[np.where(np.char.find(mvars, "corner_lon") > -1)][0]
 
         # Build coordinates
-        lat = meshdata[latdim][:].data.flatten()
-        lon = meshdata[londim][:].data.flatten()
+        lat = meshdata[latdim][:].data.reshape(-1)
+        lon = meshdata[londim][:].data.reshape(-1)
 
         if self._ForceFloatPoints:
             points_type = np.float32
@@ -561,7 +564,7 @@ def _populate_variable_metadata(self):
         # Clear old timestamps before adding new ones
         self._timeSteps.clear()
         if "time" in vardata.variables:
-            timesteps = vardata["time"][:].data.flatten()
+            timesteps = vardata["time"][:].data.reshape(-1)
             self._timeSteps.extend(timesteps)
 
     def SetDataFileName(self, fname):
@@ -627,6 +630,8 @@ def SetSlicing(self, slice_str):
                                     f"{dim_display}={slice_val} (valid range: 0-{dim_size - 1})"
                                 )
                             else:
+                                if self._slices.get(dim) != slice_val:
+                                    self._changed_dims.add(dim)
                                 self._slices[dim] = slice_val
                         else:
                             print_error(
@@ -759,13 +764,20 @@ def RequestData(self, request, inInfo, outInfo):
         for i in range(last_num_arrays):
             to_remove.add(output_mesh.CellData.GetArrayName(i))
 
+        changed_dims = self._changed_dims
         for name, varmeta in self._variables.items():
             if self._variable_selection.ArrayIsEnabled(name):
                 if output_mesh.CellData.HasArray(name):
                     to_remove.remove(name)
+                    if changed_dims and not changed_dims.intersection(
+                        varmeta.dimensions
+                    ):
+                        continue
                 data = self._load_variable(vardata, varmeta)
                 output_mesh.CellData.append(data, name)
 
+        self._changed_dims = set()
+
         area_var_name = "area"
         if self._areavar and not output_mesh.CellData.HasArray(area_var_name):
             data = self._get_cached_area(vardata)