Q. I'm new to your practice and would like to make my first appointment. What type of medical or other information do I need to provide at my first visit?
A. For your first visit to our office, we would like you to bring a list of any medications you are currently taking. We also need to know if you have allergies to any medications. If possible, please bring all of your current prescription eyewear.

Q. Do you accept payment by credit card?
A. Yes. We accept VISA, MasterCard, Discover Card and debit cards.

Q. My regular doctor is sending me to your doctors to treat a specific medical problem with my eyes. Will my health insurance cover something like this?
A. If your primary care physician refers you to one of our doctors for a medical reason, most health insurance policies will cover the visit. It may be a good idea for you to check with your insurance company first if you have questions about your coverage.

Q. My regular eye doctor has recommended surgery but doesn't perform it himself. If I go to you for my surgery, do I have to switch eye doctors?
A. No. You do not need to switch eye doctors. We often perform surgery on patients referred from other doctors. After your surgery, we encourage you to see your regular eye doctor for your future eye care.

Q. What if I have an eye emergency?
A. If you have a condition that you consider to be an emergency, we will make every attempt to schedule you that day. There might be a wait while we make an opening for you, but we will see you as soon as possible.

Q. How much time should I allow for my regular eye exam?
A. A full eye examination may take between one to two hours. If new eyewear needs to be selected, allow an additional 30 to 45 minutes.

Q: Will it be safe for me to drive myself home from my eye exam?
A. We often dilate our patients during their eye exam. If you don’t feel confident that you will be able to drive after dilation, please bring a driver with you. You will probably be sensitive to bright light for a few hours following your exam. We recommend that you bring sunglasses with you to wear after your exam. We can provide you with dark lenses if you ask for them, and most patients are visually comfortable after their exam.

Q. I have Medicare coverage. Why do I have to pay out of pocket for a refraction? What is a refraction?
A. Medicare does not pay for routine vision exams. A routine vision exam is when patients have no medical complaints with their eyes and just want their vision checked. Medicare will pay for medical and surgical eye care only. Medical and surgical eye care includes treatment for diseases such as glaucoma, diabetes, cataracts, eye infections and any other eye-related problem.

A refraction is the test used to determine your best-corrected vision and may be necessary during a medical eye exam. Medicare will not pay for the refraction portion of an eye exam. Anything Medicare does not cover becomes the patient’s responsibility. If a refraction is done in the course of your exam, you will be asked to pay the $20.00 refraction charge at the end of your office visit.

Q. I recently had my eyes examined for new glasses. Now I think I have something medically wrong with my eyes. Will my medical insurance cover another office visit?
A. Many patients delay seeing their eye doctor thinking Medicare or their insurance will not cover their eye care. Medicare and most insurance plans cover office visits especially for glaucoma, diabetes, cataracts and other medical conditions that can directly affect your eyesight.

Q: What is a cataract?
A: A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye. This clouding is usually the result of aging, but some very young patients develop cataracts for a variety of reasons. Injuries, certain diseases and some medications may cause cataracts.

Much the same as the lens of a camera focuses light on the film, the lens of your eye focuses light on the retina. If the lens of your camera becomes dirty or fogged, the picture taken will be hazy or blurred. A cataract causes the light focusing on the retina of your eye to be blurred in the same manner.

Q: What is glaucoma?
A: Did you know that glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in people over 40– and were you aware that almost all blindness due to glaucoma can be prevented? Glaucoma is not an infection, and it’s not contagious. It’s a condition in which pressure created by the fluid in one or both eyes builds up to an abnormally high level. When this pressure (called the intraocular pressure) remains elevated over a period of time, damage occurs to the delicate visual structures. Left untreated, blindness often results.

Please call our office if you have further questions regarding your eye care needs.