FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Find your answer below or contact us and ask away!
WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO MY APPOINTMENT?
If you take advantage of our express check-in online, all you need to bring is photo ID, insurance cards, and all your current pairs of glasses and/or contact lens boxes. If you do not use our online portal, please also bring a list of all medications you are taking.
WHY DO I NEED TO BRING MY OLD GLASSES/CONTACT LENS BOXES TO MY APPOINTMENT?
Part of the reason the doctor compares your old and new prescription is to look for large or unusual changes in your prescription which may be indicative of certain ocular issues. Believe it or not, unusual prescription changes can even indicate certain issues with your general health! Also, the doctor takes a lot of data into consideration in determining your prescription. The goal is not only to give you the clearest vision possible, but also the most comfortable vision. Knowing what your eyes are used to looking through is an important piece of that data.
HOW EARLY SHOULD I ARRIVE TO MY APPOINTMENT?
For your convenience, we provide express check-in online. You enter your health and general information through our secure portal beforehand to save you time in our office. Please try to do this at least a couple days before your appointment. If you use our portal, you only have to arrive about 5 minutes early to handle the little details. If you do not use our portal, please arrive 15-20 minutes early to fill out paperwork.
DO YOU ACCEPT MY HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT/FLEX SPENDING ACCOUNT?
We sure do! You can use your plan for eye exams, glasses, contact lenses, and other health-related items.
WHY DO YOU BLOW A PUFF OF AIR IN MY EYES?
We don’t! We use the latest method of measuring eye pressure that does not require an air puff.
DO YOU OFFER A PAYMENT PLAN?
We have partnered with Care Credit in order to provide a monthly payment program for those who would rather break their eye care costs into bite-sized pieces. If you have an existing Care Credit account, we can look up your information. If you need to apply for a new account, we have a quick and easy application process right in office.
WHAT IS THE RETINAL HEALTH SCAN?
This scan uses the most up-to-date method of screening the inside of your eye for diseases and abnormalities. It’s like getting X-rays at the dentist. The dentist can look inside your mouth and see the outside surface of your teeth, but he takes an X-ray to see if there are any cavities or other issues going on beneath the surface. The same is true of your eye exam. In the past, eye doctors could only look at the surface of your retina, but modern technology allows us to give a more thorough assessment of your retinal health.
WHAT IS TEMPSURE?
TempSure Envi is the latest in dry eye treatment. We also offer cosmetic packages to tighten facial skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It's been called the 20-minute facelift. It works by gently stimulating your skin with radiofrequency to naturally build collagen and elastin. It has additional benefits for dry eye sufferers. Ask us for more information.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY YOUR EYEGLASS FRAMES ARE "INDEPENDENT?"
Independent means not owned and operated by a large corporate entity. We searched far and wide to bring together a collection of frames that are designed and produced by smaller companies who put all of their resources toward the quality and craftsmanship of their product. This means frames that are unique, high-quality, fashion-forward, and NOT made in China. We made a choice to not carry licensed brands (you know those brands: Prada, Gucci, Coach, etc...who collect big money to allow factories to slap their name on their product). We want you to get what you are paying for: quality, reliability, design – all at a reasonable cost. We don't want you paying more just because there's a logo on the side of your glasses. Plus logos are sooo last year ; )
We also feel it's important to offer American-made products. We are proud to offer several frame lines that are made right here in the good ol' US of A. We even carry an awesome line of hypoallergenic eye cleanser and make-up remover made in the USA.
DO YOU TAKE MEDICARE?
Yes!
IF A TREE FALLS IN THE FOREST, AND THERE IS NO ONE THERE TO HEAR IT, DOES IT MAKE A SOUND?
You bet it does!
DO YOU OFFER LASIK?
While we do not perform LASIK in our office, we co-manage your LASIK experience from start to finish. You only have to make one trip to the LASIK center. We perform your initial work-up and all of your pre-LASIK care in our office. After the procedure, you return to us for all of your aftercare.
CAN I GET GLASSES WITH A PRESCRIPTION FROM A DIFFERENT EYE DOCTOR?
Absolutely! We welcome prescriptions from outside doctors.
WHY DO YOU DILATE MY EYES?
Think about trying to see a room from the outside by looking through a tiny keyhole. You won’t be able to see very much. That’s similar to how it works with your eyes. In order for the eye doctor to look at the back your eyes where all the good stuff is (optic nerve, blood vessels, macula, retinal tissue, etc), she has to look through your pupils. It is difficult to get a good look through such a small opening, so the eye doctor uses drops that widen your pupils. This allows her a wide enough view to adequately check the full health of your eyes. This is important even if you are a healthy individual because many eye conditions have no symptoms early on, so the only way to catch them in time is to keep up with your annual eye exams.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN THE BACK OF MY EYES ANYWAY?
Your eyes have many amazing structures that work together to give you clear, comfortable vision. The back of the eyes contain your retinal nerves, blood vessels, your macula (which gives you your detailed central vision), and your optic nerve which travels into and becomes part of your brain. Fun fact: the retina is the ONLY place in the human body where we can see your blood vessels directly in a non-invasive manner (i.e. we don’t have to cut you open to get a look). This allows us the ability to get an idea of your general health during your annual eye exams. The eyes may show signs of undiagnosed diabetes, high blood pressure, anemia, cancer, and many other health conditions you may not know you have. This is especially true if you do not get regular physicals with your primary physician (eye exams are not a substitute...we always recommend regular check-ups with your family doctor!). So you can see how the eyes are not just a window to your soul, but to your general health as well!
WHY DOES THE EYE DOCTOR NEED TO TAKE A FULL HEALTH HISTORY FOR MY EYE EXAM?
Your eyes are intimately connected to your general health. There are many health conditions and medications that can affect your eyes and vision. Just a few examples of conditions that may have a negative impact on your eyes: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, thyroid conditions, heart/artery disease, diabetes, arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, anemia, sleep apnea, and many more. Some commonly used medications that can affect your eyes and vision: allergy pills, blood pressure medications, anxiety/antidepressant pills, anti-inflammatories, medications for autoimmune diseases, heart medications, birth control...the list goes on. There are too many to list them all here. It is important for your eye doctor to be aware of such information in order to give you the best care possible and protect the long-term health of your eyes and body.
CAN I BRING MY DOG WITH ME TO MY APPOINTMENT?
Please leave your furry friends at home to accommodate our cynophobic staff member and other patients who have allergies. We will gladly welcome your service animal that is trained to perform a disability-specific task. Please let us know when you make your appointment so we can prepare for your visit.
WHAT IS ASTIGMATISM?
This is a very common condition where the front of the eye is not perfectly spherical...hey we can’t all be perfect :) Astigmatism causes blurred or distorted vision, but it is easily correctable with glasses or contact lenses. If you have only a small amount of astigmatism, you may also be a candidate for Ortho-K which is a surgery-free alternative to LASIK for getting clearer vision without glasses or contacts. If that sounds appealing to you, ask your Insight eye doctor about Ortho-K!
WHAT IS A CATARACT?
There are many forms of cataracts but the most common form involves the yellowing or clouding of the lens inside your eye. The lens focuses the images you look at onto your retina. When the lens is no longer clear, your vision is therefore no longer clear. If your vision becomes so blurry that you start having trouble performing daily activities, then you may be a candidate for cataract surgery. The procedure is very quick and safe. The surgeon replaces your cloudy lens with a clear, artificial lens. Your general eye doctor provides all the care before and after the procedure. During your annual eye exam, your eye doctor will assess for cataracts and answer any questions you may have.
HAVE A QUESTION NOT ANSWERED HERE?
Reach out to us and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have!