FAQ

Call our office at 301-498-6616 to place an order for contact lenses.

After you have signed in, a technician will escort you to a screening area where he/she will review your general health history and reason for your visit. He/she will check your vision, eye pressure, and will likely put dilating eye drops in your eyes. These usually take about 20 minutes to take effect, at which time the doctor will see you. They doctor will use a slit lamp (a sophisticated microscope) to examine the health of your eyes, the surface (cornea) to the back (retina). Occasionally, additional measurements may be done at your visit to check more specifically for glaucoma and macular degeneration (such as peripheral vision measurements and optic nerve and retina imaging), and/or other eye or neurologic disease. Most eye exams take approximately 2 hours from start to finish. Please plan accordingly.

A refraction, which is part of a routine vision exam, is a measurement performed and refined by your doctor to determine your best corrected vision. The refraction is necessary to provide a prescription for eyeglasses and/or contact lenses.

A complete eye examination includes dilation of the pupils to enable the doctor to examine the entire eye, including the back of the eye which includes the optic nerve, macula, and retina. Rarely, dilating drops are not warranted. Occasionally, the doctor may specify that she does not want the technician to put dilating drops in your eyes.

The dilating drops that we typically use last, on average, 4-6 hours before they wear off. Occasionally, we use longer lasting eye drops in younger children, which can last 24 hours. Most people do feel comfortable to drive after their pupils have been dilated. However, if you have never had your pupils dilated before (and therefore don’t know if you will feel safe or not), we recommend that you bring a drive or arrange for someone to pick you up after your exam. People generally have the most difficulty focusing for near work (reading and/or computer work) until the dilation wears off. You will also be light sensitive as long as your pupils are dilated. Sunlight (any bright light) will not harm your eyes, but it feels uncomfortable. We offer disposable shades if you do not bring your own sunglasses.

With few exceptions, yes, it is necessary to check the intraocular pressure (eye pressure) at every visit. It is definitely necessary to check vision in each eye at every visit. These are the “vital signs” of the eye.

We accept Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Carefirst and Medicare. It is the patient’s responsibility to check to see if a referral is needed and to obtain an appropriate referral for their visit. If a referral from your PCP is not received at the time of visit, you will need to reschedule your visit for a later date after you receive the referral. Referrals are required for most HMO plans. We do not accept vision insurance plans. We can give you a statement for you to send to your insurance company upon request. Please call our office to verify your insurance coverage.

A “vision exam” is a basic eye exam, which usually includes dilation of the pupils, and measures a person’s prescription (and need for) glasses. This measurement is called a refraction. Medical testing, such as visual field exams and retinal photography, are not covered by vision insurance plans. A “medical eye exam”, covered under general medical insurance, is done when the patient has a chief complaint such as eye irritation, pain, diabetes, concern for glaucoma, cataracts, etc. Refractions are, unfortunately, generally not considered a covered service under medical insurance plans.