In many states, including Texas, vision plans are considered a rider(optional add on) and are always secondary to your primary medical insurance plan. Even for routine exams, if a benefit is available on your primary medical insurance plan then we are contractually obligated to bill there first. For all medical services, like glaucoma exams, dry eye evaluations, and foreign bodies, we CAN NOT use your vision rider.
Dilation provides our doctors with a more indepth look into the health of your eyes. Think of it as trying to look into a room through a window versus a keyhole. Much more can be seen through a wide open window.
Our comprehensive eye examinations take roughly 1 hour. If you are also being fitted for contacts, add an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
Even if you are using extended wear lenses, it is best to remove your contacts when you go to sleep. Wearing your lenses while sleeping will increase your risk for an eye infection and dry eye.
The frequency of your appointments depends on your visual health. If you don’t wear contacts or glasses, then you should schedule appointments every one to two years. People who wear corrective lenses (glasses OR contacts) or who are over the age of 50 should visit annually. More frequent checkups might be needed for certain health conditions, such as diabetes, or other eye diseases. Some children with rapidly changing prescriptions also may need to be seen more frequently until their prescription level out.
The term “20/20” refers to the sharpness of the vision. It is a measurement of how much a person can read when they are 20 feet away from the chart. A person is not legally blind unless they are unable to read the 20/200 line with visual correction.
Digital eye strain is the discomfort many individuals feel after looking at a digital screen for longer than two hours at a time. It can cause people to experience dryness, headaches, and blurred vision.