Eye Dork - Eye Have the Answer

Neovascularization of the iris (NVI) is a true eye emergency. If this condition is left untreated, a patient can quickly lose all vision in the affected eye. Anytime vision is lost in one or both eyes, seek treatment as soon as possible. It is very unlikely for vision to return to normal without treatment and the sooner treatment is initiated the greater the chance of recovering some vision.  The most common causes of NVI are proliferative diabetic retinopathy and ischemic central retinal vein occlusion. NVI can result from any condition that results in severe damage to the retina and its vascular system without completely killing the retinal tissue. The severely damaged retinal tissue desires fresh nutrients and metabolites from the vascular system to allow the tissue to repair itself and continue functioning. However, the damage to the vascular system of the retina prevents sufficient blood flow to these damaged areas of the retina.  In desperation, the damaged retinal tissue relea

HIPAA or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was created to protect Americans through two parts. The first part was to protect workers insurance coverage during the lose of a job or transition between jobs. The second part works to standardize electronic medical records (EMRs). The goal was to standardize how health information is exchanged between Doctors. The second portion also established national identifiers for providers, health insurance companies and employers. The second portion of HIPAA relates most to Patients and Eye Doctors, since it covers security and privacy of patient records. Thanks to this provision, Doctors cannot release a patients health information unless the patient signs a form of concent to do so. A minor violation consists of negligence of failing to protect the privacy of a patients medical record. A major violation consists of knowingly compromising the privacy of a patients medical record for personal gain. The main concern was that a

Contact information includes phone number, address and email address. This information is used to remind patients about appointments or to let patients know glasses or contacts are ready to be picked up. In certain circumstances, this information is used to set up an appointment with a specialist. Some Eye Doctors use this information to send out a newsletter or to inform patients about sales or upcoming events. Thanks to HIPPA, a patients personal and contact information must be kept private. This information cannot be sold to advertisers or companies wanting to sell products to the patient.

For this entry, personal information refers to birth date, social security number, insurance information, ocular history, medical history, hobbies, work, alcohol or drug use. To file an insurance claim we need birth date, social security number and insurance information to prove the patient we saw for an exam is the same person who was on the insurance plan. Eye and medical history is required for insurance and helps the Eye Doctor anticipate any potential eye or vision problems. Medications, alcohol or drug use can also affect vision and the structure of the eye. Questions about hobbies and work help the Eye Doctor understand the distances a patient needs to focus at and any environmental factors that can strain or threaten a patients vision. Also, this information helps the Eye Doctor identify solutions to these environmental factors. Anti-relective coatings can diminish eye strain from computer use. Polarized sunglasses can ease strain from sun exposure.

Exam fees vary from office to office. Eye Doctors often have trouble establishing a set price for exams, tests and procedures. A smart way to establish fees in based on the patients in the area. Do patients in the area have insurance? What is the most common type of insurance in the area? The price of an exam is legally supposed to be the same whether or not insurance is used. Depending on patients in the area the Eye Doctor might establish exam fees to appeal more to out of pocket (non-insurance) patients or may set exam fees based on the most common type(s) of insurance in the area. Insurance based fees could relect a single company or the average of multiple plans in the area. Different types of exams or procedures can vary in price. For contact lens fitting a simple nearsighted prescription can vary in price when compared to a patient with astigmatism and/or near focusing problems. For medical problems the severity of the problem often affects pricing. A benign finding is differe

The main difference between eye and health insurance is in the findings during the eye examination. For most patients during the eye examination we find a new glasses or contact lens prescription to correct their vision problems. With these general exams, eye insurance covers most of the cost of the exam and part of the cost for the glasses or contacts. All vision or eye insurance coverages vary. Depending on the plan, the amount of the co-pay and materials coverage can be different. The co-pay is the amount the patient has to pay for the visit. Certain plans will cover the fee for fitting contact lenses, but most don't. Materials coverage or the amount insurance will pay for glasses or contacts varies also. Most vision plans offer around $100 towards glasses or contacts. There can be additional rebates with glasses, since most plans offer lower rates on glasses add-ons such as no-line bifocals, transitions, anti-reflective coatings, etc. Eye insurance can help pay for a general

The tests and procedures performed during an eye exam depend upon the patient and the situation. For a regular eyeglasses eye exam the following tests are done: chief complaint, ocular history, medical history, visual acuity, intraocular pressure measurement, extraocular muscle evaluation, visual field evaluation, pupil testing, eye alignment testing, refraction, slit lamp examination of the front surface of the eye and its internal structures. Certain complaints or findings on the general examination can show a need for additional testing. Patients with Diabetes or those who notice flashes of light or a shadow over their visual field often need to have their eyes dilated to completely evaluate the retina. If the optic nerve doesn't appear to be healthy, then a glaucoma evaluation may be necessary. Patients with double vision often require more extensive eye alignment testing. Those with unexplained vision loss or headaches which don't seem to involve the eyes or vision corr

The tests and procedures performed during an eye exam depend upon the patient and the situation. For a regular eyeglasses eye exam the following tests are done: chief complaint, ocular history, medical history, visual acuity, intraocular pressure measurement, extraocular muscle evaluation, visual field evaluation, pupil testing, eye alignment testing, refraction, slit lamp examination of the front surface of the eye and its internal structures. Certain complaints or findings on the general examination can show a need for additional testing. Patients with Diabetes or those who notice flashes of light or a shadow over their visual field often need to have their eyes dilated to completely evaluate the retina. If the optic nerve doesn't appear to be healthy, then a glaucoma evaluation may be necessary. Patients with double vision often require more extensive eye alignment testing. Those with unexplained vision loss or headaches which don't seem to involve the eyes or vision corr

The terms Optometrist and Ophthalmologist sound so similar. For those who don't speak our dorky eye language it can be difficult to differentiate between the two. This article will attempt to describe the differences and similarities between these professions. Let me start by saying this post intends to only highlight the educational background of these two professions. I do not intend take anything away from either profession. Every individual practitioner Optometrist or Ophthalmologist has their own unique skill set and billing schedule. For this blog, I will only discuss general trends of each profession. Optometrists are similar to a primary care physician for the eyes, or the Doctor you see on a yearly basis for your physical. Most Ophthalmologists are surgeons, who specialize in different surgeries for the eye. The greatest skill Optometrists possess is in the art of refraction (the 1 or 2 test) and concepts for prescribing glasses and contacts. In their education, Optome

A copy of the medical history form for our office can be downloaded and printed here. A lot of information is required for this form. It is a bit annoying to fill out, but all of the information does serve a purpose. Your name, address, phone number and identification numbers are required for your insurance company to pay for the eye exam. Also, this information is used to communicate with your primary care Doctor or other specialist (such as a retinal specialist) in the event of an emergency. Medical History is a comprehensive listing of any medical conditions a patient or their family may have. Proper function of the eye is significantly affected by the health of the rest of the body. Also, certain signs identified in a patient's eye can indicate various systemic conditions. Many health conditions can be linked to genetics. For genetic conditions, when one family member has a condition, this represents increased risk of this condition for other family members. Symptoms are