Floaters
Floaters are small specks or strands that move through a person’s field of vision. They are often most visible when looking at a lighter background such as a lightly colored wall, piece of white paper, or the sky. Floaters are small clumps of gel or cells that move around in the vitreous, the gel that fills the middle of the eye. Floaters can sometime look like cobwebs, circles, lines or dots.
Floaters can be caused by many things. Most of the time, floaters are caused by the vitreous gel in the eye thickening and shrinking as the eye ages, causing little clumps to form. If the vitreous gel pulls away from its attachments to the retina, called a posterior vitreous attachment, it can clump up and make a larger floater.
Floaters can also be caused by other changes in the eye. The retina is the tissue that lines the back of the eye that contains the photoreceptor nerve cells that transfers images to the brain. Sometimes tears in the retina can occur, releasing cells into the middle of the eye that appear as many small floaters. Inflammation in the eye can also cause floaters to appear in the vision. Retinal tears or inflammation in the eye can lead to vision loss.
Flashes
Flashes, as the name suggests, appear as sudden flashes of light or "lightning streaks." When the vitreous gel rubs or pulls on the retina, it causes a flash of light in the vision. Flashes can occur when there has been a tear in the retina or when a retina detachment is occurring. Flashes can also be caused by other conditions like migraines.
If you notice a sudden appearance of increased floaters and/or flashing lights in your eye, you should see ophthalmologist immediately. This could indicate a retinal tear, a retina detachment, or another eye problem has occurred that could be a vision-threatening condition.
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Understanding Your Vision and Medical Insurance
Routine Vision Exam
A routine vision exam usually covers:
- A vision screening
- An eye exam
- A refraction (the test used to determine your glasses prescription)
- A prescription for glasses
Contact Lenses
If you wear contact lenses, there may be an extra fee for a contact lens fitting. Coverage for this varies by plan, so please check with your vision insurance provider.
If a Medical Issue Is Found During Your Exam
During your eye exam, your doctor may identify a medical condition such as dry eye, an eye infection, diabetes-related changes, or another issue that requires medical care.
If this happens, your doctor may recommend one of the following options:
- Return for a separate medical visit.
- The medical visit would be billed to your medical insurance.
- Your routine vision exam would remain billed to your vision insurance.
- This is necessary because vision and medical insurance cannot both be billed on the same day.
- Address the medical issue during the current appointment.
- The current appointment would be billed to your medical insurance instead of your vision insurance.
- You would return another day for the routine vision exam, which would be billed to vision insurance.
- Please note that refraction (the test used to determine your glasses prescription) is not covered by medical insurance.
Your doctor will help you choose the option that best meets your individual care needs.
Questions About Costs
For an estimate of your out-of-pocket cost, please call Patient Financial Services at 414-777-0539. Please note, Medicare and most medical insurance plans do not cover refraction. The refraction service will be billed to you.
