For Advanced Eye Care Patients
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make an appointment?
To arrange an appointment, call 859-323-5867 or UK Health Connection at 859-257-1000 or toll free 800-333-8874.
Who will I see?
Once you enter the UK Advanced Eye Care clinic, a friendly patient coordinator will register you for your appointment at the front desk. After registration, you will meet a technician who will perform pre-testing that the provider will need before he or she sees you. Any additional testing needed for your eye care will follow this. At any point during your appointment, a student, a resident or a fellow may examine you prior to examination by your eye care physician. As an academic medical center, UK HealthCare provides opportunities for these students and trainees to learn from experience.
What is a resident?
A resident is an individual who has finished medical school and an internship. They are licensed medical doctors who are training in the field of ophthalmology and eye surgery.
What is a fellow?
A fellow is someone who has finished medical school, residency and are specializing in a particular area of advanced eye care.
What is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist?
An optometrist is a doctor of optometry who has completed an undergraduate program as well as a 4-year doctorate program in the study of ocular health, contact lenses and refraction. In the state of Kentucky, optometrists are able to treat eye disease and perform minor surgical procedures after passing national and state board examinations.
An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who has completed an undergraduate degree, medical school and residency. They treat ocular disease and perform eye surgery after receiving their board certification.
How is a specialist different from an ophthalmologist?
A specialty ophthalmologist has completed a fellowship in a particular area of study for the eye. Our specialists are required to train for 1-2 years and/or complete a board certification. The specialties include:
- Pediatrics.
- Glaucoma.
- Retina.
- Plastics.
- Neuro-Ophthalmology.
- Cornea.
What does a typical eye exam entail?
Performed by technician:
- Collect detailed history of patient.
- Pretesting – includes measurement of vision and current glasses or contacts.
- Visual field testing.
- Pupil testing.
- Refraction. (Test to determine your eyeglass prescription.)
- Eye muscle testing.
- Intraocular pressure measurement and eye dilation.
- Additional testing as needed for each specialty or condition.
Performed by provider:
- Refraction. (Test to determine your eyeglass prescription.)
- Slit lamp examination. (A special microscope and light that lets your provider see your eyes inside and out during a regular checkup.)
- Dilated fundus examination. (Using eye drops to dilate or enlarge the pupil to obtain a better view of the fundus of the eye. The fundus is the interior surface of the eye opposite the lens).
- Other testing and treatment as needed.
What do I need to know before my visit?
Please allow approximately two hours for your visit.
During your visit, your eyes may be dilated which can affect your near vision. You may also have sensitivity to light, which may affect driving home from your appointment. If you are having a surgical procedure, be sure to have someone with you to drive you to and from your appointment.
First time visits
For your first visit, you will need to fill out a questionnaire, so we suggest you arrive 15 minutes before your appointment. We encourage you to make a list of questions for your physician before you visit so that all of your concerns may be addressed. For your first visit, we ask that you bring:
- Your glasses and/or contact lenses.
- Any medications you are taking.
- Your current insurance card.
- Referral from your primary care physician.
- Medical records and/or x-rays.
- Results of tests, etc. if applicable.
It is important that you bring any changes in your vision to your physician's attention and request any refills at the time of your appointment.
Cancellations
If you need to cancel your appointment, please notify our office as soon as possible so your time slot may be made available to other patients.
Other information
Our physicians recommend you schedule an initial health maintenance visit with us to review your needs for health promotion and disease prevention.
If you have an urgent problem that needs immediate attention, we will make every effort to see you the same day you call. One of our doctors is on call at all times should an urgent situation arise.
Am I Covered? Understanding Health and Vision Insurance
It is normal to be confused about insurance coverage. This is especially true for eye care, where you may have different types of insurance for health (medical) and vision. This handout gives a basic idea of what each type of insurance covers. Please know that your own plan may differ.
| Health insurance | Vision insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Basic eye exam | Not in most cases, but some plans may cover one a year. | Yes. Most plans cover one a year. |
| Comprehensive or medical eye exam | Yes, if it is related to a medical problem. | No. |
| Refraction (this test measures for glasses) | Not in most cases, but some plans may cover one a year. | Yes. Most plans cover one a year. |
| Glasses | No. | Many plans cover all or part of the cost of glasses. |
| Contact lenses | No. | Some plans cover the cost of contacts and the exam, some do not. Please check your plan. |
| Treating vision problems | Yes, if they are caused by a medical problem. Some examples are diabetes, dry eye, or high blood pressure. | Yes. Some examples are being nearsighted or farsighted and astigmatism. |
| Treating medical problems | Yes. Some examples are diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, cataracts, lazy eye, glaucoma, and double vision. | No. |
What if I only have health insurance?
In most cases, you will have to pay for your routine eye exam for glasses out of pocket. In our office, the fee for a routine eye exam is $95. Contact lens services are an added cost. Most health insurance plans will only pay for exams and treatments related to medical problems. For example, if you come in for a vision check to make sure your diabetes isn’t impacting your vision, your eye exam would be covered. See the table for examples.
Will health insurance ever cover refraction?
Most health insurance plans do not pay for refraction, even if it is part of a medical exam.