Many people who suffer from nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) or astigmatism are able to reduce or eliminate their dependence on glasses or contact lenses by undergoing refractive surgery.
LASIK Surgery Corrects Vision
In a nutshell, refractive surgery uses lasers to permanently change the shape of the cornea (the clear “front window” of the eye) to allow it to focus light more sharply. The most common kind of refractive surgery is called LASIK. During this outpatient procedure, a very thin protective flap of cornea tissue is created with an instrument similar to a miniature electric plane. The flap is folded back, and an ultraviolet laser is applied to the cornea bed. The corneal flap is then put back in place, where it heals without stitches.
LASIK is a painless procedure that requires only a drop of topical anesthetic and takes just 20 minutes for both eyes. Following surgery, some patients feel a slight scratchiness, but this usually goes away within 12 to 24 hours. Patients can return to work the very next day, and almost all patients do so.
Most LASIK surgery patients are able to see between 20/20 and 20/40 on the first day after surgery and drive without glasses to their first follow-up appointment. However, not everyone who has LASIK will achieve 20/20 vision. As with any surgical procedure, there are some potential risks, and perfect vision cannot be guaranteed by any surgeon.
Meet Our LASIK Surgeons
John D. Suson, MD, and Vinicius de Stefano, MD, PhD, are ophthalmologists who perform LASIK surgery. Together, they have decades of experience with refractive surgery and use the latest technology in laser vision correction.
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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.
