Glasses& Contact Lens Prescriptions Savannah, GA

Advancements in contact lens technology offer the potential for successful contact lens wear for most of our patients. Contact lenses not only enhance visual acuity and appearance, but also improve performance in visual tasks and sports. Because contact lenses are medical devices placed on the eyes, they require expert fitting and careful instruction, as well as conscientious care and compliance with recommended follow-up examinations to maintain the healthy functioning of your eyes. To insure your contact lens success, we would like to familiarize you with our contact lens procedures and policies.

The Eye Exam

Before you can be fitted for contact lenses, a complete medical and refractive examination is necessary. This exam is critical to assuring the good health of your eyes and ruling out the possibility of any unsuspected, underlying condition which may prevent contact lens use. If contact lenses are feasible, the complete eye exam will help us select the most appropriate lens material and design.

Contact Lens Fitting

The goal of contact lens fitting is to find the most appropriate contact lens for your optimal comfort and vision. An enormous variety of types, styles, materials, sizes and colors are offered. We are committed to taking the time and making the effort to fit you properly. Although many patients need only one fitting session, some require several appointments. In our experience, the extra time, effort and patience are very worthwhile, both for your ultimate satisfaction and the health of your eyes.

Insertion and Removal Training Session

During the appointment, we will provide personalized instruction in the safe care and usage of your new lenses. Should further time be required, we will be happy to schedule an additional session. Upon completion of a successful insertion and removal session, you may begin wearing your lenses and we will schedule your first follow-up appointment.

Follow-up Appointments

One or more follow-up appointments will be necessary to assure that your contact lenses continue to fit well and your eyes remain healthy. For simple fits, charges for follow-up visits during the first three months are included in the contact lens fitting fee.

Contact Lens Fitting Policy

The fitting/follow-up fee includes: the contact lens fitting, insertion and removal lessons, trial lenses if appropriate, and directly associated visits needed for three months for most patients.

Ordering Contact Lenses

Contact lenses can be ordered at any time after the fitting is complete. You can order as many lenses as you would like; however, refunds will not be given if your prescription is to change in the future. We recommend six month checks to check fit and power. For your safety, we are not able to refill prescriptions more than one year old without another exam.

Payment

The fitting and follow-up fee is to be paid on the day of fitting. Lenses are to be paid for when an order is placed.

Lens Changes

If a patient originally fit with one lens requires a change to a more expensive lens, the difference will be charged. No refunds will be given. Any lens changes made after the three month follow-up visit will incur a refitting fee.

Fitting/Follow-up Fee Includes:

• The fitting
• 1 pair of trial lenses
• The insertion and removal training sessions

Fitting/Follow-up Fee Does Not Include:

• The medical eye exam
• Medical visits not directly related to the fit and power of the lens.
• The contact lenses

Contact Lens Fitting Fees
Includes initial fit, insertion and removal classes and associated follow-up visits. Fitting fee non-refundable. Exam fee is separate.

Other Fees
Contact lens evaluation-current wearer (evaluation of fit and power): $35.00

New Contact Lens Fit (including toric and bifocal lenses): $65.00-$175.00 (range depending on complexity)

Refit of Different Contact Lens in a Current Contact Lens Wearer: $65.00-$130.00 (range depending on complexity)

Exact fees will be discussed after you are examined and the type of lens best suited for you is determined.

Dispensing and Fitting of Glasses

Everyone is different in many ways, which is why the Georgia Eye Institute Optical Shops offer custom eyeglass fittings. Custom eyeglass fittings allow us to adjust eyeglasses to properly fit anyone. After you chose a pair of frames our staff will adjust your glasses according to all of your measurements. During your custom eyeglass fitting we use equipment to determine: your pupil location, center of pupils, pupil distance, width of your face, ear location and many other measurements.

To ensure properly fitting eyeglasses patients must try on the chosen frames. During your custom eyeglass fitting our opticians will make sure that your frames don’t slide off your nose and will adjust the temple length if needed. You might like a pair of frames that are too wide and don’t properly fit your face. If that is the case during your custom eyeglass fitting your optician will either order the frame in the correct size or will find a similar frame that will fit you better. Nose pads can often be a source of discomfort. If they do not fit properly our opticians will replace the pads or find another pair of frames with pads that fit better.

Everyone wears their eyeglasses for different amounts of time and uses them during different tasks. This is why durability plays an important part in our custom eyeglass fittings. Our opticians will discuss when you will use your eyeglasses and will tell you the best option. If you use your eyeglasses 24 hours a day, you will want a sturdier pair of frames that will last longer. During your custom eyeglass fitting our staff will take the extra time to find you the perfect pair of eyeglasses for you. If for some reason your glasses are not as comfortable as you would like simply bring them back to us for a free adjustment.

Georgia Eye Institute will bill your vision plan for your new glasses. If your plan does not cover 100% of the cost you will be required to pay your portion at the time your glasses are dispensed to you. As a general rule your glasses will be dispensed 14 business days after placing your order.

Refraction for Glasses and Contact Lenses

The refraction is the part of the eye exam that measures a person’s prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses.

How the Test is Performed?

This test is performed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist.

You sit in a chair that has phoropter or refractor attached to it. You look through the device and focus on an eye chart 20 feet away. The device contains lenses of different strengths that can be moved into your view. The test is performed one eye at a time.

The eye doctor performing the test will ask if the chart appears more or less clear when different lenses are in place.

How to Prepare for the Test?

If you wear contact lenses, ask the doctor if you need to remove them before the test and for how long.

How the Test Will Feel?

There should be no discomfort.

Why the Test is Performed?

This test can be done as part of a routine eye exam to determine whether you have a refractive error (a need for glasses or contact lenses).

For people over age 40 who have normal distance vision but difficulty with near vision, a refraction test can determine the right power of reading glasses.

Refractions are not commonly covered by insurance and there will be a $35.00 fee charged at the time of service.

Eye Exams

During a comprehensive eye exam, your eye doctor does much more than just determine your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses. He or she will also check your eyes for common eye diseases, assess how your eyes work together as a team and evaluate your eyes as an indicator of your overall health. Your eye doctor is often the first health care professional to detect chronic systemic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Eye examinations are an important part of health maintenance for everyone. Adults should have their eyes tested to keep their prescriptions current and to check for early signs of eye disease. And eye exams for children play an important role in ensuring normal vision development and academic achievement of all kids.

In addition to evaluating your eyes for glasses and contacts, your eye doctor will check your eyes for eye diseases and other problems that could lead to vision loss. Some examples of the conditions that your doctor will be looking for areas follows:

• Refractive error – Nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Refractive errors are corrected with eyeglasses, contacts or refractive surgery.
• Amblyopia – Occurs when the eyes are turned or when one eye has a much different prescription than the other. Amblyopia is often treated by patching the stronger eye for periods of time.
• Strabismus – Is defined as crossed or turned eyes. The examiner will check your eyes’ alignment to be sure that they are working together. Strabismus causes problems with depth perception and can lead to amblyopia.
• Focusing problems – These problems can range from incompletely developed focusing skills in children to normal age-related declines in focusing ability among older adults.
• Eye diseases – Many eye diseases, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy have no symptoms in their early stages. Your doctor will check the health of your eyes inside and out for signs of early problems. In most cases, early detection and treatment of eye diseases can help reduce your risk for permanent vision loss.
• Other diseases – Eye doctors can detect early signs of systemic illness by looking at your retinal blood vessels. Your eye doctor may be able to tell you if you are developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes.

Treatment plans following your eye exam can include a prescription for glasses or contact lenses to correct refractive errors, vision therapy or strabismus surgery for binocular vision problems, medical treatment for eye disease or simply a recommendation that you have your eyes examined again within a specific time frame.