FAQ

A refraction is the testing to determine the degree of nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism that is present in your eyes and measures how well your eyes are capable of seeing. This testing also includes the amount and flexibility of your focusing ability. These tests are necessary to determine a prescription for glasses or contact lenses. This portion of the examination is considered separate from the medical evaluation of your eyes by medical insurance and is excluded from coverage. However, charges for the refraction may be reimbursable by a vision plan.

An Optomap is an ultra-widefield digital image of the retina inside your eye. This quick and painless procedure gives the doctors a way to examine structures inside the eye that normally would require pupil dilation to view. It also allows the doctors to isolate and monitor different structures over time, which can give valuable insights into your overall health. Since insurance plans in this country are built around care when you are sick rather than preventive care, Optomap imaging may not be covered unless there is a medical issue inside the eye that needs to be monitored.

Vision plans are prepaid discount programs for certain preventative services and materials. They are NOT insurance and do not cover any medical examination, diagnosis, treatment or management of any medical issues or disease. Vision plans have significant restrictions on what frames and lens products that are covered, and what labs may be used for the critical process of fabricating your eyewear. We feel that these restrictions hamper our ability to provide the best care, service and products to our patients. Therefore, we are an “Open Access” practice, where we are free to provide the best and latest technology and fashion to all patients without restrictions imposed by a vision plan. Most patients with a vision plan are able to easily file for reimbursement of certain expenses and products obtained through our office – even frames and lenses that are not covered at all through an “in-network” provider.

Many issues or complaints involving vision or the eyes may be related to a medical condition. If the main purpose of your visit is for the doctor to evaluate a new or ongoing symptom associated with a medical condition, or if your doctor instructed you to return to monitor a medical condition, then your visit can generally be billed to your medical insurance. Symptoms such as blurry vision may or may not be related to a medical condition. For example, a change in your glasses prescription that is not associated with a medical condition may not be billable to a medical insurance plan. However, blurred vision caused by a cataract would be billable in most cases.

Every insurance has different rules for timely filing – because of this we allow a 30-day grace period to bring in your updated insurance from the date of your appointment. We will always do everything possible to send all eligible services to insurance.

Many factors affect the length of time it takes to fabricate eyewear to our exacting specifications. We generally expect eyewear to be ready to dispense within 14 to 18 business days after they are ordered in most cases. Most disposable contact lenses can be shipped directly to your home within three to four days. Custom contact lenses are generally ready to dispense within six to ten business days. Overnight shipping may be available for urgent needs at an additional charge.

The number and frequency of visits in a scleral lens fitting depends on many factors, including the nature of the condition that is being addressed and the complexity of the lens design. In many cases it is necessary to evaluate the lens fit after wear in the “real world” for several days before changes and adjustments are made. Thus, these follow-up visits are extremely important to achieving an optimum fit.

Federal regulations require release of a glasses prescription at the completion of a comprehensive exam and a contact lens prescription at the completion of a contact lens fitting. More recent regulations require offices to maintain proof of release of these prescriptions to the patient.