North Shore Contact Lens & Vision Consultants
|
North Shore Contact Lens & Vision Consultants
|
|
|
Patients have questions and deserve answers. This FAQ section addresses many of the most frequently asked questions that our staff receives. If you do not find the answer to your question here, please call our office so our staff can personally assist you. Frequently Asked Questions
What are your office hours?
Appointments are required for all doctor visits. Back to TopHow do I make an appointment ?The easiest way to schedule an appointment is to call our main office number 516-299-4540 and speak to a staff member. If you are planning a visit from outside of the NY Metropolitan area, you can contact us by email at NSCLA@aol.com. Back to TopWhich doctor should I see ?Dr. Epstein and Dr. Freedman have been practicing together for more than 25 years. Each doctor brings special qualities to our practice. Challenging patients can especially benefit from each doctor's extensive experience and slightly different but complementary approach. We encourage all patients to schedule examinations with both doctors. Back to TopWhat will my first visit be like?Your first visit is the first and most important step toward your ultimate success. The initial workup and diagnostic fitting process is comprehensive and may take as long as several hours for complex patients. If we believe that the initial visit will be protracted, we will offer you the opportunity to return at a later time to complete the process. Here is what you can expect at the first visit:
Back to TopWhat should I do if I have a contact lens or other eye emergency?We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to care for your eye emergencies. You can reach a doctor through our regular office number. Select emergency from our voice mail options and leave a message with your name, telephone number (please repeat twice) and the nature of your emergency. We will return your call as soon as possible. Contact lens wearer or patients who have recently undergone laser vision correction should call us immediately if they experience any of the following symptoms:
Contact lens wearers who experience any of these symptoms should remove their lenses immediately and contact our office as soon as possible. We will do our best to schedule an appointment or see you as soon as we can. We recognize that for most patients lost contact lenses present a major inconvenience. However, there is generally little we can do to assist in replacing your lenses when the office is closed. Replacement lenses can be ordered by telephone (516-299-4540) or email. Back to TopWhat insurance plans do you accept ?Our practice is unique in many ways. We are among a handful of true contact lens specialty practices in the world. The complex problems that we manage and the extent of services that are required makes it difficult for insurance or managed care companies to understand and reimburse for what we do. Although we did directly accept insurance plans at one time, we found that we were unable to maintain the high level quality care that our patients require and deserve. With the exception of Medicare, we do not directly accept any insurance plans. We will however, assist patients in obtaining reimbursement for covered services. Back to TopDo you guarantee success ?Our primary focus is your success. We will go to almost any extent to help you achieve success. However, because each patient is unique we have no way of predicting an individual's chances of success. Despite the challenging population we deal with, the overwhelming majority of our patients are successful. Rest assured that we will do everything possible to insure your satisfaction and success. Back to TopWhat are your fees ?Our fees vary depending upon the complexity of the care you require. All new patients undergo a comprehensive eye examination, including FDT visual field screening and corneal topography. Patients referred by other health care providers receive a comprehensive consultation focused on their specific problem. It may be difficult to quote exact fees until the initial visit and, in some cases, a diagnostic contact lens evaluation has been completed. Contact lens fitting fees includes all materials (contact lenses) and professional services for a set period of time. Professional services and fess for materials required beyond the initial fitting period are additional. Please call our office (516-299-4540) if you have specific questions about fees. Back to TopWhat about refunds if things don't work out?It should reassure you to know that despite a challenging population, less than 1% of our patients fail to achieve success. Our refund policy is predicated upon the amount of time involved and materials used at the point of discontinuation. During the 30 days from the date of initial lens dispensing, we will refund fifty-percent of contact lens fitting fees. During the next 30 days we will refund 25% of contact lens fitting fees. Beyond that time, no refunds are offered. Note that all contact lenses and materials must be returned to qualify for a refund. Examination fees and fees for other professional services are non refundable. Back to TopDo you provide comprehensive eyecare services?Many of our patients are referred by other eyecare providers. We value those relationships and will work closely to co-manage your care with your referring doctor. We do offer a full range of eyecare services for our patients including:
Back to TopWhy is it sometimes difficult to get an appointment?Although we always to our best to accommodate patients, there are times when available appointments can be limited. Dr. Epstein serves as a consultant to numerous companies within the eyecare industry and lectures both nationally and internationally. Maintaining a hectic schedule, he typically travels several times a month. In addition, Dr. Freedman serves as a consultant for the nutrition industry and also maintains a busy schedule. Regardless of our schedules we do our best to meet your needs. If we are unable to meet your needs we want to hear about it. Back to TopRevised: September 28, 2003 . |
|
Among America's Leading Contact Lens & Keratoconus Specialty Practices™.
|
