Doesn’t my regular eye doctor test for functional vision problems?
Not all optometrists or ophthalmologists have the advanced training, or equipment, required to perform these tests, nor the staff, facilities, and experience, needed to address any problems discovered. Ophthalmologists spend their training on the structure of the eye – in general they are specialists in anatomy, medicine, and surgery of the eye. Optometrists, while well-trained and licensed to evaluate and treat anatomy and medicine, are specialists in the function of the eyes and visual system. A subset of physicians have furthered their education and training to work specifically with how the brain uses the eyes and vice versa.
Are examinations and evaluations (VIP and/or BVA) covered by insurance?
In general, yes. The diagnostic tests have medical codes than can be filed to major medical insurance and are typically covered the same way special testing, like an x-ray, with copays and deductibles applying. This obviously can vary, depending on your health insurance. We have a variety of payment options to help fit your budget. We will also provide you with receipts with all necessary medical codes so you can apply for out-of-network benefits through your insurance provider.
Is vision development and rehabilitation therapy (aka neuro-optometric rehab) covered by insurance?
In short, no. Previously, yes, many offices such as ours had success billing visual neurorehabilitation to insurance using the “therapeutic activity” codes used by most therapy providers (e.g., occupational therapy). The definitions of the therapeutic codes have changed over time, and we have been excluded. We look forward to the day this changes, and will happily update this page accordingly.
Are there other payment options, such as financing?
Full Payment up front (Free Materials, a $300 value)
Split Payments (split billing into 2 or 3 payments) – patient will need to purchase materials ($300)
CareCredit – Apply for a line of credit specific for health and wellness, use it here any many other places. Visit www.carecredit.com
Financing – Through LendingUSA, can apply in office or ahead of time at https://lendingusa.com/
Why don’t schools or pediatricians perform functional vision testing?
A large percentage of students don’t have functional vision problems and conducting these tests on every child would be very time consuming and costly. Vision screenings are less costly, but extremely limited in scope. Most of these screenings involve little more than reading letters on a distance eye chart, or using a device that takes an image student’s eyes to estimate of need for glasses and estimation of alignment. They don’t have the time or expertise to determine if a child has the visual skills necessary for effective reading, learning, and performance.
Can you tell me if my child will need vision development and rehab therapy before they get a functional vision exam?
No. The visual perceptual (VIP) and binocular vision assessments (BVA) are scheduled and conducted to determine if there is a vision (or visual perceptual) problem that can be addressed by our optometrists and therapists. It’s not uncommon for us to find that only change in glasses is needed. But this testing can be critical to get to the root cause of a patient’s learning or performance issues.
What is included in a Functional Vision Exam?
A full functional vision exam is typically spread out over two visits. Each visit generally takes 60 minutes and includes a series of tests based on the patient’s individual needs. The doctor will first review the patient’s health and eye history, with emphasis on any visual problems and symptoms, including things like head injury, and trouble in sports or school. This information is used to tailor the exams, which includes tests on a wide range of visual skills.