Frequently Asked Questions

Question: I’m new to the area and would like to make my first appointment with you. What sort of medical or other information do I need to provide beforehand?
Answer: For your first visit to the Eye Institute, we would like for you to bring a list of medications that you currently take. We need to know if you have allergies to any medications and we want you to bring all of your current prescription eyewear.

Question: My regular doctor is sending me to one of your doctors to treat a specific medical problem with my eyes.  Will my health insurance cover something like this?
Answer: Generally speaking, if your primary care physician refers you to one of our doctors for a medical reason, most health insurance policies will cover the visit. It is always a good idea for you to check with your insurance company first if you have questions about your coverage.

Question: I’ve used the same optician for years to have my eyeglass prescriptions filled. If I start using one of your doctors for my exams, do I also need to switch opticians?
Answer: You  may have your eyeglass prescription filled by the optician of your choice.

Question: Do you accept credit cards for payment?
Answer: We are happy to accept VISA, MasterCard, Discover Card and debit cards. 

Question: My medical insurance doesn’t cover routine eye exams or prescription glases.  What are my payment options?
Answer: Our payment options include a discount for cash payment-in-full on the day that eyewear is ordered. With a deposit of 50 percent of the eyewear order you may take a full 90 days to pay the balance without interest or fees of any type.

Question: Do you see and treat children?
Answer: Dr. Louis Adams is our pediatric ophthalmologist. Dr. Adams is located in the Pediatric Ambulatory Clinic at Scott & White,  and he performs medical and routine eye exams.

Question: My regular eye doctor is recommending surgery but doesn’t perform it himself. If I go to you for my surgery, does that mean I’ll have to switch eye doctors?
Answer: You do not need to switch doctors. We routinely perform surgery on patients referred from other doctors. After your postoperative exams, if you are doing well,  we encourage you to return to your regular eye doctor for your future eye care needs.

Question: Because of my job it’s extremely difficult for me to find and schedule time during the day for routine appointments like eye exams.  What can you suggest?
Answer: Our Optomery Clinic is also open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every Saturday.

Question: I recently had my eyeglass prescription filled by you, complete with new lenses and custom frames. I’m about to take a long trip. What should I do if I break my glasses and need to replace them while traveling?
Answer: It is an excellent idea to carry a copy of your eyeglasses prescription with you when you travel. It’s also important to pack an extra pair of eyeglasses when traveling. Even if the extra pair is not the latest prescription you could still function while having a new pair made.  You may also call our office and we will rush you a new pair as fast as possible. We ship eyeglasses all over the world, and seldom have problems getting them to our patients.

Question: I ski in the winter and scuba dive in the summer, which can be a real nuisance since I wear glasses. Is there something I can do to see normally through my ski goggles and scuba mask without having to resort to contact lenses or surgery?
Answer: We specialize in prescription scuba masks and ski goggles that allow our patients to enjoy their sports clearly. We also provide prescription swim goggles, sports wear and respirator inserts.

Question: I’ve been a patient at Scott and White for a couple of years.  Now, other members of my family would like to start using your services, too. Is there anything special I or they need to do before making their first appointment?
Answer: You or your family member may call our appointment number and request an appointment.  We will make the appointment and send a new patient information packet to your family member to fill out before the appointment.

Question: Do all the members of my family have to see the same doctor, or can we each choose our own?
Answer: Each family member may choose the doctor he or she prefers.

Question: How much time should I allow for my regular eye exam appointment?
Answer: A comprehensive eye examination may require the patient to be in our office between one to two hours for the exam. Allow 45 minutes to one hour for selecting new eyewear after the exam, if needed.

Question: Will it be okay for me to drive myself home from my eye exam?>
Answer: We dilate many of our patients during their eye exam and recommend that you be driven home. However, with dilation most patients’ ability to drive usually is unaffected.  You will probably be sensitive to bright light for a few hours following your exam.  We can provide you with dark lenses if you ask for them and most patients are usually visually comfortable after their exam.

Question: I’m thinking of switching to you for my eye care and I don’t know any of your doctors. Do I need to specify the doctor I want to see when I make my first appointment, or is one assigned to me? And can I switch to another doctor later if I want to try someone different?
Answer: We are  happy to introduce you to any of our doctors for your initial visit.  If you prefer to switch to another eye doctor you may do so at any time.

Question: I’m one of your regular patients. My mother is staying with me for a few weeks.  Her glasses have started to give her problems, and her regular eye doctor is in her hometown back east. Can I make an appointment with you for her to get glasses checked and make sure there’s not a serious problem?
Answer: Our doctors are happy to examine and evaluate patients that are visiting from outside our area. We have patients visit from around the United States and the rest of the world.

Question: I take my health very seriously and like to know everything I can about a doctor’s examination and treatment of me. How do your doctors feel about patients who ask a lot of questions about their care?
Answer: We take your health very seriously as well, and believe the better informed you are the greater the benefit to your vision and health. We encourage every patient to write down questions that they want to ask the doctor or staff before their visit. It’s important to us that our patients understand the care we provide to them. 

Question: Another doctor has recommended I have eye surgery. I’d like to get a second opinion from you before making a decision. How should I proceed?
Answer: You may call our office and request an appointment for a surgical second opinion. We will try to provide you with the information that you need to make a well-informed decision regarding your surgery.

Question: I’ve been using your Waco office to see my eye doctor.  Due to a recent job change, I now spend my days in Temple, although I still live in Waco.  If I start using your Temple office for my eye appointments, will I have to start seeing another doctor?
Answer: Having your eye care in Temple would require you seeing another doctor in Temple. Our physicians do not travel between clinics to provide patient care.

Question: What if I have an eye emergency?
Answer: If you  have a condition that you consider to be an emergency, we want to see you and will make every attempt to work you into our schedule that day.  There may be a wait while we make a schedule opening for you, but we will see you as soon as possible.

Question: What if I have a question about my eyes but I don’t want to make an appointment to see the doctor?
Answer: You may call our office with your question and we will make every effort to return your call that same day with an answer or recommendation.

Question: I have Medicare coverage, why do I have to pay out-of-pocket for a refraction? 
Answer: Medicare does not pay for routine vision care.  Routine vision care is when a patient has no medical complaints with their eyes; “they just want their vision checked”.

Medicare pays for medical and surgical eye care only.  Medical and surgical eye care includes treatment for diseases such as glaucoma, diabetes, cataracts, eye infections, and any other eye related problem.

Question: What is a refraction?
Answer: A refraction is the test your doctor uses to determine your best corrected vision and may be necessary during a medical eye exam.  Medicare will not pay for the refraction portion of an eye exam.  Anything Medicare does not cover becomes the patient’s responsibility.  If a refraction is done in the course of your exam, you will be asked to pay the $20.00 refraction charge at the end of your office visit.

Question: I recently had my eyes examined for new glasses.  Now I think I have something medically wrong with my eyes, but I’m  not sure.  Will my medical insurance cover another office visit?
Answer: Many patients put off seeing their eye doctor thinking Medicare or their insurance will not cover their eye care.  Medicare and most insurance plans do cover office visits especially for glaucoma, diabetes, cataracts and other medical conditions that can affect your eyesight.  Please feel free to call our office if you have any questions regarding your eye care needs.

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