Fall River Cataract Surgery & Lens Implant Cost

“The cost of cataract surgery and lens implants can get a little confusing,” commented Marie Urfer, Practice Administrator at Center for Sight in Fall River, Massachusetts. “Here is some information that we think will be helpful for those patients contemplating cataract surgery and lens implants,” she explained.

Almost all insurances and Medicare cover the bulk of the cost of cataract surgery and basic lens implants. HOWEVER, deductibles, co-pays and the extent to which certain services are or are not covered can affect the actual amount you might need to pay out of pocket.

Preoperative Testing and Consultation
With the exception of co-pays and deductibles specific to your insurance plan the eye examination, consultation and measurements necessary for Cataract Surgery and basic Intraocular Lens (IOL) implantation are covered services. If there are specialized tests that might be required such as more precise types of testing for multifocal lens implants or toric lens implants, you may need to pay for these tests out of pocket as your insurance and Medicare may only cover the basic testing. If this is the case these extra tests may range in cost up to a few or several hundred dollars depending on the scope of the necessary testing.

Surgery Center Facility Fee
The surgery center facility fee is generally covered by insurances and Medicare although there may be a small co-pay or deductible with certain plans. This fee will cover the use of the facility including the operating room, the nursing staff, the instrumentation and equipment and all related operating room supplies. Depending on the types of anesthesia used it is possible that there will be an additional fee-mostly covered by your insurance or Medicare-for the administration of anesthesia and the staff.

Cataract Surgeon’s Fee
The Cataract Surgeon’s fee is generally covered by insurances and Medicare although there may be a small co-pay or deductible with certain plans.

Lens Implant Fee
The cost of a basic Monofocal lens implant is generally covered by insurances and Medicare within the facility fee. However, should you and your Cataract Surgeon elect to use an astigmatism correcting toric lens implant or multifocal lens implant there will be an out of pocket fee as most insurances and Medicare do not cover these more advanced types of Lens Implants.

If you or someone you know has questions about the cost of cataract surgery and lens implants please feel free to Center for Sight at 508-730-2020, visit www.center-for-sight.com or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule an appointment.

Center for Sight is conveniently located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406 Fall River, Massachusetts 02720 at 508-730-2020 for patients wishing to learn more about LASIK in Massachusetts or Rhode Island. 

Fall River Eye Doctor on Computer Use & Eyestrain

Dr. Cristina Lopes, an eye doctor at Center for Sight in Fall River helped us understand the relationship between computer eyestrain, computer use and video terminal display use. “Excessive computer use or looking at video displays or even computer game screens for periods of time can cause patients to experience eyestrain,” explained Dr. Lopes. There are some important things to know about computer and video display terminal use, your eyes and eyestrain. “Staring at your computer screen, smartphone, video game or other digital devices for long periods won’t cause permanent eye damage, but your eyes may feel dry and tired. Although there are no long-term studies at this time, we do not believe there is any reason to be concerned that 3-D movies, TV or video games will damage the eyes or visual system,” she explained.

Normally, you blink about 18 times a minute, but only blink half that often while using computers and other digital screen devices, whether for work or play. Reading, writing or other intensive “near work” can also cause eyestrain of a similar nature.

What Should I Do for Computer Eyestrain?

• It is helpful in avoiding computer related eyestrain if you first position yourself about 24” from the screen you are viewing and with your eye gaze is slightly downward. It also helps to reduce glare from the screen by lighting the area properly and if possible use a screen filter if needed.
• It may seem silly but post a note that says “Blink!” on the computer as a reminder.
• Use the “20-20-20” rule. Every 20 minutes, shift your eyes to look at an object at least 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds.
• It is also helpful to use artificial tears to refresh your eyes when they feel dry. Make sure that you take regular breaks from computer work, and be sure to get enough sleep at night.
• If you wear contacts for the computer screen it’s important that you use and care for them properly in order to avoid eye irritation, swelling, infection and vision problems. Also, give your eyes a break and wear your glasses instead of your contacts sometime.
• Consider a special prescription and lens coating for computer use to help manage eyestrain and fatigue.

If you wish to learn more about computers, vision, eyestrain and your eyes please call Center for Sight at 508-730-2020, visit www.center-for-sight.com or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule an appointment.

Center for Sight is conveniently located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406 Fall River, Massachusetts 02720 at 508-730-2020 for patients wishing to learn more about LASIK in Massachusetts or Rhode Island.

Fall River Halloween Contact Lens Safety

Fall River Corneal Specialist Keegan Johnson, M.D. shared some words of caution about contact lens safety, Halloween and your eyes. “Halloween, decorative contact lenses and your eyes may not be a great combination,” stated Dr. Johnson of Center for Sight. “Right around Halloween each year we see the result of patients who want to change their eye color from brown or blue to some far out appearance or ghoulish look by using over-the-counter, decorative contact lenses. While this can be a good source of Halloween fun, it can also lead to serious vision-threatening problems,” explained Dr. Johnson.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, all contact lenses are regulated medical devices that require a prescription and proper fitting by an eye-care professional. Even someone with perfect vision would still require an eye exam and a prescription in order to wear any kind of contacts, including cosmetic lenses. Some websites advertise decorative contacts as if they were fashion accessories or toys with fanciful, playful packaging in order to attract teens and young adults, especially girls. The problem is not that people use decorative, noncorrosive lenses-sometimes called Plano-or zero-powered lenses, but that they buy the devices without a prescription through unlicensed vendors on the Internet or at flea markets and specialty shops.

“People who elect to buy these over-the-counter contact lenses face a considerable risk including scratched corneas, pink eye and more serious types of blinding infection as a result of a corneal ulcer,” cautioned Dr. Johnson.

In 2005, a federal law was passed that classified all contact lenses as medical devices and restricted their distribution to licensed eye-care professionals. Illegal sale of contacts can result in civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation.
 

The safe and effective use of contact lenses-whether decorative or not-requires proper fitting and education about their care to prevent the potential for serious eye  problems from becoming a reality.

If you or a friend would like to learn more about contact lenses of any type including decorative contacts please call Center for Sight at 508-730-2020, visit www.center-for-sight.com or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule an appointment.

Center for Sight is conveniently located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406 Fall River, Massachusetts 02720 at 508-730-2020 for patients wishing to learn more about LASIK in Massachusetts or Rhode Island.

Eye Refractions Billing & Cost

Eye refraction is a basic part of an eye exam that eye doctors need to perform more often than not, whether or not we are able to bill your insurance of Medicare for the cost. The eye refraction test allows us to determine what your best possible vision is at that point in time while wearing a prescription optical lens. In addition, it gives us the basis for prescribing a prescription optical lens and giving you a new prescription for a change in eyeglasses should you need one. The most common type of eye refraction is called a Manifest Refraction and is performed without the use of eye drops so that we can examine the eye in a natural state. If you have ever had and eye exam you are probably familiar with the “which is better, one or two” test-this is a Manifest Refraction. Another type of eye refraction is called a Cycloplegic Refractions which is performed after the instillation of eye drops to temporarily immobilize the ciliary muscle of the eye. This temporarily prevents you from accommodating or “focusing” up close and is used when there is a need for an even more precise measurement of refractive error. In addition the eye drops will also dilate the pupil so the eye doctor can easily see the back of the eye to examine the retina, optic nerve and blood vessels in order to evaluate their health.

From an insurance standpoint, eye refractions are considered part of a routine eye exam.  Because refractions are normally used to determine refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, and therefore prescribe glasses or contact lenses, many insurance companies, particularly Medicare and Medicaid, do not pay for them.  It's important to understand that when patients are having their eye exam, refractions are a necessary part of a routine eye exam and must be paid for out of pocket. If you have questions about the cost of your refraction or billing questions about refraction please feel free to call Center for Sight at 508-730-2020, visit www.center-for-sight.com or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule an appointment.

Center for Sight is conveniently located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406 Fall River, Massachusetts 02720 at 508-730-2020 for patients wishing to learn more about LASIK in Massachusetts or Rhode Island.

Glaucoma Risk, Coffee & Caffeine

“Researchers reporting in the journal Clinical Ophthalmology identified that caffeine found in coffee really has no effect on people with glaucoma in terms are elevating their intraocular pressure (IOP). Rather, it is believed that other byproducts of coffee beans being roasted at high temperature may actually cause eye pressure to rise after drinking coffee or tea,” shared Fall River Ophthalmologist Gregory Hofeldt, M.D. of Center for Sight. “Coffee has been suggested to increase intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with Open Angle Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension. Generally this was thought to be due to the caffeine content,” further explained Dr. Hofeldt.

The researchers conducted a study whereby pure caffeine was applied directly to the eyes of patients with glaucoma. The results showed no increase and really no effect on intraocular pressure in both a 1-day study as well as a repeated application 1-week study. Also, there was no cumulative effect. They concluded that caffeine has no significant effect on IOP in patients with glaucoma and that any eye pressure elevation reported in coffee drinkers may be related to other constituents in coffee that are known to be generated by thermal degradation caused in the coffee beans by roasting at relatively high temperature.

If you or someone you know has a question about eye pressure, glaucoma, coffee and the effect of caffeine,  please feel free to call Center for Sight at 508-730-2020, visit www.center-for-sight.com or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule an appointment.

Center for Sight is conveniently located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406 Fall River, Massachusetts 02720 at 508-730-2020 for patients wishing to learn more about LASIK in Massachusetts or Rhode Island.