Fairfield County Cataract Surgery & Lens Implant Cost

“These days understanding the cost of Cataract Surgery and Lens implants can get a little confusing for almost anyone,” commented Fairfield County Cataract Surgeon Leslie Doctor of Doctor & Associates with offices in Norwalk, Wilton and Westport CT. “Although almost all insurances and Medicare cover the bulk of the cost of Cataract Surgery and basic Lens Implants, it is often the  case that co-pays and the extent to which certain services are or are not covered can affect the actual amount you might need to pay out of pocket,” further explained Dr. Leslie Doctor.
In general, the following guidelines can help patients understand what to expect regarding  the  cost of Cataract Surgery and lens Implants.

Preoperative Testing and Consultation
With the exception of co-pays and deductibles specific to your insurance plan the eye examination, consultation and measurements necessary for Cataract Surgery and basic Intraocular Lens (IOL) implantation are covered services. If there are specialized tests that might be required such as more precise types of testing for multifocal lens implants or toric lens implants, you may need to pay for these tests out of pocket as your insurance and Medicare may only cover the basic testing. If this is the case these extra tests may range in cost up to a few or several hundred dollars depending on the scope of the necessary testing.

Surgery Center Facility Fee
The surgery center facility fee is generally covered by insurances and Medicare although there may be a small co-pay or deductible with certain plans. This fee will cover the use of the facility including the operating room, the nursing staff, the instrumentation and equipment and all related operating room supplies. Depending on the types of anesthesia used it is possible that there will be an additional fee-mostly covered by your insurance or Medicare-for the administration of anesthesia and the staff.

Cataract Surgeon’s Fee
The Cataract Surgeon’s fee is generally covered by insurances and Medicare although there may be a small co-pay or deductible with certain plans.

Lens Implant Fee
The cost of a basic Monofocal lens implant is generally covered by insurances and Medicare within the facility fee. However, should you and your Cataract Surgeon elect to use an astigmatism correcting toric lens implant or multifocal lens implant there will be an out of pocket fee as most insurances and Medicare do not cover these more advanced types of Lens Implants.
If you or someone you know has questions about the cost of Cataract Surgery and Lens Implant please feel free to call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County or facebook.com/doctorandassociates.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.

Ultraviolet (UV) Eye Protection in Connecticut

“With summertime outdoor activities and time at the beach heading our way, we like to remind patients about the need for ultraviolet (UV) eye protection on the Connecticut coast. We all know how to protect our skin by using effective sunscreen lotions and crèmes-but how about protecting our eyes from the harmful effect of UV rays?,” queried  Connecticut Corneal Specialist Leslie Doctor, M.D. “We all need to remember to wear both UV-blocking lenses and a brimmed hat to protect our eyes as well.”

 “At this point in time we know that extended exposure to UV has been linked to many eye problems and can actually speed up the onset of eye diseases such as Cataract, Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), certain cancers on the delicate skin around the eye, Pterygia-a growth of white tissue on the surface of the eye-and even Photokeratitis, a type of sunburn of the cornea,” said Dr. Leslie Doctor.

Patients visiting the Willows Opticians at Doctor & Associates will find a wide range of UV protecting eyeglass lenses available to choose from. Eye protection from UV needs to be complete but doesn’t have to be overly expensive. High quality sunglasses should block out 99-100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation. It is also important to have UV protection in everyday eyewear, which is readily available with a number of UV blocking eyeglass lens materials, specialized coatings and photochromic lenses. Doctor & Associates is happy to recommend the appropriate measures to take to protect your eyes in special situations. If you have questions or need an appointment to learn more about protecting your eyes from UV please call Doctor & Associates for an eye exam appointment at 203-227-4113, visiting Doctor & Associates or facebook.com/doctorandassociates.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.

Contact Lens Solution Preservative Allergies

“Contact lens solution preservative allergies are not as uncommon as one would think,” commented Fairfield County Corneal Specialist Leslie Doctor, M.D. of Doctor & Associates with offices in Westport, Wilton and Norwalk CT. When substances in contact lens solutions come in contact with your eyes if you are predisposed to being sensitive to them, they can cause  an allergic reaction”, said Dr. Leslie Doctor. Preservatives can cause problems because they can remain in soft contact lenses after cleaning and disinfecting or they can coat the surface of gas permeable lenses. This may cause redness, itching, and watering of your eyes. In many people, a preservative called thimerosal causes this reaction. Reactions to thimerosal and other chemicals may develop at any time, even after you have used the same contact lens products for months or years. Many people who have these reactions have no history of other types of allergies.

In order to treat these kinds of allergies you have to stop wearing contact lenses for some time. You could use lubricating drops over the counter to help relieve redness, itching, and watering of your eyes. Your contact lenses must be cleaned of preservatives that may be bound to them. Once your lenses are clean and your eyes feel better your eye care provider may want you to use a different method of disinfecting your contact lenses.

If you have similar problems with your contact lenses or would like to consider other options of correcting your vision please do not hesitate to call Doctor & Associates for an eye exam appointment at 203-227-4113, visiting www.doctor-and-associates.com or www.facebook.com/doctorandassociates.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.

PXE & Vision Problems in Connecticut

Connecticut Ophthalmologist Leslie Doctor, M.D. commented on Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum or PXE and vision problems. “Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum (PXE) is the name given to a group of connective tissue disorders that affects the elastic tissue of the skin, blood vessels, and the eyes,” noted Dr. Leslie Doctor of Doctor & Associates with offices serving Fairfield County in Westport, Norwalk and Wilton CT. It is also known as Gronblad-Strandberg syndrome. Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum is a progressive disorder that is characterized by the accumulation of deposits of calcium and other minerals in elastic fibers, which are a component of connective tissue. Connective tissue provides strength and flexibility to structures throughout the body.

It affects about 1 in every 160,000 people. The prevalence of Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum is unknown. For reasons that are unclear, this disorder is diagnosed twice as frequently in females as in males. As there is a risk of passing this condition on to the next generation, genetic counseling may be helpful. Pseudoxanthoma elasticum is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, which means both copies of the gene in each cell have mutations. Most often, the parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the mutated gene, but do not show signs and symptoms of the condition. Vascular lesions known as angioid streaks affect the retina of most patients with PXE. They usually appear between 20 and 40 years of age. Angioid streaks may lead to progressive visual failure and occasionally blindness. Bleeding and scarring of the retina may also occur, which can cause vision loss. Laser photocoagulation may be helpful in preventing further bleeding at the back of the eye.

If you have a family member with PXE or you are concerned about your eye health please do not hesitate to call Doctor & Associates for an eye exam appointment at 203-227-4113, visiting www.doctor-and-associates.com or www.facebook.com/doctorandassociates.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.

Eye Exams & Family History in Connecticut

“Your need for and eye exam and the  frequency of your eye exams can be impacted by your family eye history,” commented Connecticut Ophthalmologist Leslie doctor, M.D. of Doctor & Associates with Fairfield County offices in Westport, Norwalk and Wilton, CT. There are a lot of family health problems that might be hereditary. It is important to let your ophthalmologist know about your family ocular history. It is mostly applied to family members that are closely related by blood even though a negative family history does not rule out a genetic familial propensity. Many of us really do not know the ocular status of our relatives, whereas some of us, are very well familiar with their medical conditions. Common familial disorders to look out for and discuss with your ophthalmologist are:

Ø  Glaucoma

Ø  Age Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Ø  Keratoconus

Ø  Retinitis Pigmentosa

Ø  Color Blindness

Ø  Retinoblastoma

Ø  Albinism

Ø  Sickle Cell Anemia

Ø  Diabetes

It is recommended that you have an eye examination with an ophthalmologist even without any visual complaints. Assessment of overall ocular health can be an important indicator of certain general health conditions. Some persons, because of their age, race, systemic health, or other factors, may not have existing eye problems but are at risk for developing certain eye diseases. Eye diseases may be present but exist with no noticeable symptoms until they are far advanced when treatment may be less effective; detecting a condition in its earlier stage will enhance the treatment outcome.

Young adults, 20-39 years of age, are generally at low risk for ocular problems, need to have an eye exam every 3-5 years. Asymptomatic individuals between 40 and 64 should be examined every 2 to 4 years. After age 65, an examination every year is recommended because of the variety of age-related eye conditions that may develop. Individuals with medical conditions that may affect vision, such as diabetes, should be examined more frequently.

If you or someone you know is in need an eye examination please feel free to call us for an appointment at Doctor & Associates 203-227-4113 or visit us at facebook.com/doctorandassociates where you can request an appointment as well.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.