Low Vision Exams — What to Expect

First we conduct a thorough low vision examination to evaluate how your vision affects your lifestyle and how to help you use your sight to its full potential. We then prescribe the low vision devices most appropriate for you, and we provide complete training, to help you make the most of your capabilities.

What can Dr. Nedrow do for me?
By developing a treatment plan and recommending a vision rehabilitation plan that may include occupational therapy and assistive devices, we help you to:

• Read again (books, newspaper, magazines, bank statements, receipts, etc.)
• Watch television
• See pictures and photos
• Write checks
• See product and price labels
• Enjoy your hobbies
• Operate household appliances

What type of assistive devices are there?
There are various devices to help you achieve your goals; hand magnifiers, stand magnifiers, electronic magnifiers, task lighting, hand held telescopes and spectacle mounted telescopes.

Device training
With the doctor and a specially trained device distributor or occupational therapist, we will complete your treatment plan. We will train you how to use your device to achieve the goals you set.

Important preparations BEFORE you arrive for your appointment:

The low vision exam
Please fill out all the history and medication forms.
Be prepared for your low vision evaluation to last for up to two hours.
Bring your medication bottles.
Bring examples of materials that you would like to read more easily or tasks you would like to do again like crossword puzzles.

Your personalized plan of care
Depending on your goals and the doctor’s recommendations for vision rehabilitation, follow-up exams with us and/or your primary eye care physician may be necessary.

Your plan of care may involve the purchase of specialized low vision devices. These devices will be an out-of-pocket cost as insurance and Medicare do not cover low vision glasses or devices.

INSURANCE AND MEDICARE
Due to the nature of our specialized low vision care, we only accept and file Medicare claims. However, vision care plans may reimburse for all or a portion of this type of exam. If you ARE eligible for Medicare, you will be responsible for exam costs not covered by Medicare, such as the refraction (test for lens prescription), frames, lenses or low vision devices. Medicare generally pays for the medical portion of the eye exam.

The refraction, which determines the need for an eyeglass prescription, is performed with different equipment during a low vision exam. The doctor carefully leads you through this specialized refraction, which may take most of your examination time. The fee depends on the time and complexity of the refraction. Medicare has never paid for this part of an examination, nor does a Medicare insurance supplement. The refraction fee is an out-of-pocket expense and may range from $100 to $300, while $150 is a common amount. Because of the demanding, some times tiring, nature of a specialized refraction, it may sometimes be necessary to complete it on successive visits.

If you have an insurance policy other than Medicare, full payment is due at time of service. We will prepare a billing statement for you that you may file with your insurance company.

INSURANCE WE ACCEPT:
Medicare
Nebraska Medicaid (excluding managed care)
BlueCross BlueShield
Coventry
Principal

For Caregivers
To provide the best vision care possible, it is important for the doctor to know the most complete answers to the low vision patient’s health and lifestyle questions. Your contribution and support of your loved one is critical to the success of their vision rehabilitation. We would appreciate if you would take a few minutes to create a list of tasks you would like to see your loved one do better with, such as reading, seeing the TV, walking with greater balance, reading stove or microwave dials, etc.