Frequently asked questions

- What is a routine eye exam?
- - A routine eye examination is much like a routine physical, but for the eyes. Typically, there is no specific problem with the eyes other than the need for lenses to correct your vision. The insurance companies consider the need for corrective lenses to be routine.
    
    A complete examination includes a glaucoma pressure check, a muscle evaluation, observation for external eye disease, examination of the retina and refraction.
- What is the difference between a routine and medical examination?
- - These two terms refer to the way an examination is billed out by the office. Both examinations are performed the same way by the doctor. The diagnosis, which is billed out by the office, depends on the chief complaint of the patient, as related to the doctor or technician.
    
    Scenario #1 The patient comes to the office with a history of diabetes. He/she is healthy and has no eye problems, but wants his/her eyes examined. This is considered a medical examination because the patient has a disease which can affect the eyes and the physician needs to evaluate the patient's eyes in light of this disease.
    
    Scenario #2 The patient comes to the office with a complaint of difficulty seeing the newspaper, but no problem with distance vision. This would be considered routine in nature because there are no medically related problems.
    
    Scenario #3 The patient comes to the office with pain in the eye and tearing. These complaints are considered medical symptoms and the eye examination would be billed as a medical exam.
- I have a referral plan. How do I know if I need a referral for my eye exam?
- - It's safe to say if you have a complaint symptom, it is better to err on the side of caution and call your primary care physician for a referral. There must be a referral on file before a patient is examined for a medical problem.
- What should I bring with me for my appointment?
- - Please bring the following on the day of your visit to our office:
    • Photo ID
    • Current insurance cards
    • Current medication list
    • All recent glasses and contact lenses (both distance and near)
    • Co-payments
    • An insurance referral if your plan requires one
- Should I wear my contacts to the office and bring my glasses too for my eye exam?
- - Yes, especially if you want the doctor to evaluate the fit and vision of the contact lenses in your eyes. You may be asked to take the contact lenses out of your eyes during the examination, so please bring all recent glasses (reading and distance) with you to your exam.
- How long does a thorough eye exam take?
- - Your stay for a complete eye examination generally takes from 30 - 45 minutes. If you are coming to see our retina physician, the examination may well be longer due to frequent additional testing.
- If my eyes are to be dilated, how long will my eyes stay blurry after the exam?
- - After your eyes have been dilated, the blurriness may last from 2 - 4 hours, with vision improving every hour. This blurriness is for close-up vision, but you will be light sensitive for distance as well. Please bring your sunglasses with you to the office.
    
    You may want to consider bringing someone with you to drive you or help you navigate to where you want to go when you leave our office.
- Will my insurance cover my eye exam?
- - It is the responsibility of the patient to know his/her benefits. Most insurance plans will differentiate between a routine eye exam and a medical eye exam. You must decide if the reason you need an eye exam is because you have a specific complaint or just because you would like your eyes examined.
    
    Any examination that takes place as a result of a patient's complaint or symptoms (ie: dry eyes, headaches, eye infection, etc.) would be considered medical in nature and should be covered under your medical insurance. Any eye exam conducted at the patient's request without a specific complaint would be considered routine. This type of exam would only be covered if your insurance contact specifically states routine eye coverage is a benefit.
- Medical vs Vision Plans - What’s the difference?
- - It is important that you understand that your Vision Plan covers ROUTINE eye care only (nearsightedness, farsightedness, and normal astigmatism). You will be receiving a comprehensive medical eye exam from one of our fine doctors who are committed to giving you the highest quality eye care. We will examine you for many conditions such as glaucoma, dry eyes, cataracts, retinal holes or tears, diabetic and hypertensive eye disease among many others. If your eye exam involves a medical condition related to your eye that requires specific counseling, documentation, follow-up care, regular monitoring or referral to a surgeon, then your visit is NOT COVERED by your Vision Plan. Unfortunately, the doctor cannot tell if medical eye conditions exist before you are thoroughly examined.
    
    The good news is that your Medical Insurance can be used with an eye-related medical problem, such as cataracts, dry eyes, complicated from diabetes or high blood pressure (among many others) if found during the course of the eye examination. You do not need a vision benefits rider on your medical insurance to be covered for a medical eye condition. In these cases, your Medical Insurance will be billed for the eye exam even though a Vision Plan may also be in effect. Your Medical Insurance co-pays and deductibles must be paid at the time of your exam.
    
    More Good News! If we do file the exam with your medical insurance, you can still use your Vision Plan benefits towards the purchase of glasses or contact lenses based on your plan’s allowances. If you elect to have refractive services done to establish what prescription you need for glasses, please be aware this will NOT be covered by your medical insurance and a $40 fee will be due at the time of the visit.