FAQ

What is Refraction, and why do you charge for it?

You may know the test as a determinant for your need of glasses, this is so but it can also detect vision loss. Some of the time vision loss is slow and progressive and the patient may not even notice, that is why a physician will check the patient’s vision by refracting them. The test can also uncover other problems a patient may be unaware of. This test is integral to determining a patient’s eye health.

Why is this charge separate from the exam?

Medicare has deemed that a refraction is not a medical service and therefore not a covered service. Medicare does acknowledge that this is separate to the rest of the eye exam and therefore there is a separate fee for this service. Most insurance companies have followed Medicare’s lead and do not cover the refraction, because they consider the test to be “vision care” and unrelated to the office visit. However, this is the only way to detect some types of vision loss.

Do you have to charge for the refraction?

The answer is yes, especially for Medicare patients. The Office of the Inspector General has deemed that not charging for a provided service is an “inducement” to the patient and therefore illegal. The Federal Government therefore insists that if an exam, procedure or test is performed, it must be charged for. They do thisbecause they are worried some physicians may try to lure patients in by offering them an incentive such as a reduced fee, and want it to be a fair playing field for all physicians who accept Medicare. We are obligated by the government to charge for all of our services.

Why are my child's grades slipping?

Nearly 1 in 4 children suffer from an undiagnosed vision problem that may affect their learning. 80% of what a child learns during the first 12 years is obtained through vision. Is your child one of them?

Many vision problems go undetected during routine school eye screenings. Even a child with 20/20 vision may suffer from an undetected vision problem such as farsightedness or lazy eye.

Here are ten warning signs that may indicate your child has vision difficulties:

    1. Squinting, closing or covering one eye.
    2. Holding a book close to the face.
    3. Losing his/her place while reading.
    4. Headache, nausea or dizziness.
    5. Excessive clumsiness.
    6. Tilting the head to one side.
    7. Frequent daydreaming.
    8. Using finger as a place marker while reading.
    9. Performing below potential.
   10. Rubbing eyes repeatedly.

Why are you changing my contacts - I am happy with my current ones.

The bottom line is probably because Dr. Odum cares about your personal eye health and wants you to continue on for another 10 years without issue. Often times an Dr. Odum will pick up on subtle damage to your eyes caused by long term contact lens wear that you have no clue is occurring. If those early warning signs are there, by taking action now, one can often avoid more serious future issues. Even if your eyes are healthy, Dr. Odum may be switching you into a contact that will give you the best chance of keeping them that way.

When evaluating a new type of contact, it is important to keep in mind that the new contacts will feel different because they are different. It is not uncommon for you to experience the same things you did when you initially tried contacts for the first time. Dr. Odum might even prescribe some drops that will help to provide some extra comfort during the adaptation. The follow up exam that you will make an appointment for, will give Dr. Odum the opportunity to evaluate your eyes and make any necessary changes.

Why can't I see up close?

You are the generation that rocked the world. You are the Baby Boomers - and you carry more social and consumer power than any other generation in America. You brought the world rock and roll, Woodstock, the sexual revolution and civil rights for all.

You've seen a president assassinated, the Beatles come to America, the Vietnam war and the birth of Microsoft.But you can't see the menu without holding it halfway across the table.

It's called presbyopia, and it's the natural, gradual loss of the eye's elasticity and the ability to focus on objects close up. It happens to most people as they reach the age of 40 or 50.

Progressive lenses are the most technologically advanced solution for presbyopia, offering the closest thing to natural vision.

Progressive lenses give you:

Do cataracts ever come back?
Once cataracts are surgically removed, thank goodness, they are gone forever; however, sometimes your eyes can play tricks on you. At the time of cataract surgery when the cloudy part of the lens is removed, a clear membrane remains behind the implanted lens. Forty percent or more of these membranes will cloud over in the first five years following surgery, causing limitation of vision similar to that caused by the original cataract. Do not confuse this with the cloudy lens that was the cataract.
Treatment of this cloudy membrane is a painless outpatient procedure, usually taking less than one minute to perform, and results in restoration of vision. 

I have dry eyes, so why do they tear all the time?
The most common symptoms of dry eyes include burning, stinging, itching and, believe it or not... tearing. Our eyes are lubricated every minute of the day by accessory tear and oil glands that constantly work to keep the surface of the eye comfortable. When the daily normal tear production is not sufficient, the surface of the eye becomes irritated and "reflex" tearing begins. But this does not cure the underlying tear film insufficiency.

I have cataracts. Don’t I have to wait a while before surgery?
Not at all. In the past patients waited because they thought risky surgery was their last option. Today cataract surgery is safer, more effective and the probability of restoring normal vision through cataract surgery is 95 percent or better. The timing of cataract surgery depends almost entirely on our patient’s visual needs.

Will wearing someone else’s glasses harm my eyes?
No damage will be done, but headaches and blurred vision can result as your eyes try to compensate for the incorrect glasses prescription. Eyeglass prescriptions are as individual as you are. Small differences in prescriptions, though they may appear to be the same, could be just enough to give you headaches later.

When should my child's
eyes be examined

The American Optometric Association recommends that children have their first eye exam before the age of 1, followed at 3 years of age and every 2 years thereafter unless the doctor indicates otherwise.

DON'T FORGET
ABOUT THE KIDS!

If you don't think sunwear is important for kids, consider this: by age 18, children will recieve 80% of their lifetime sun exposure, and children under the age of 8 will recieve most of the damaging and harmful UV radiation for their lifetime.

Parents often lather their kids in sunblock at the beach. Kids' eyes need protection too. Wearing hats and hiding under a stroller's canopy will block out some UV radiation; wearing lenses with UV-absorbing properties up to 400nm is the key to full eye protection.

TIP: Lead by example!

What is AR and why does
Dr. Odum require it?

The simple answer is that Family Eye Care only sells top quality products - frames and lenses.  That is why we are able to back up our products with warranties.  We want our patients to see their best and seeing their best means wearing the best!

AR lenses eliminate glare/dust, smudges, and scratches.

Can I have glaucoma and not know it?
The answer, unfortunately, is YES. Glaucoma is a potentially blinding eye disease that has no symptoms in its early stages. That’s because early damage is usually to the peripheral (outer) areas of the field of vision. By the time symptoms occur, irreversible nerve damage has been done and vision loss is present.
Like high blood pressure, glaucoma is a silent disease that requires an examination to detect.

Does wearing glasses actually weaken my eyes?
No. This is a common misconception, particularly among folks in their 40’s who find that several years after getting their first reading glasses, they need stronger ones. The fact is, we are continually losing the focusing power of our eyes so our near vision gets poorer with time, whether or not we wear glasses. It’s simply a part of the aging process.