FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I need a referral to be seen at your office?
No referral is needed. Most patients find us by being referred from another professional such as their eye doctor, occupational therapist, physical therapist, teacher or neuropsychologist but anyone can call and make an appointment without a referral.
What training do the doctors have?
The doctors are all doctors of optometry. They have also pursued additional training in the areas of visual development, visual rehabilitation and vision therapy. Our doctors are fellowship trained with the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. This means they have undergone more extensive training to better understand and treat vision disorders such as amblyopia, convergence insufficiency, strabismus and delays related to traumatic brain injuries.
Do you dilate the patient’s eyes at the first visit?
Most of the time no, especially if dilation has just been performed at your primary care eye doctor’s office.
Do you prescribe glasses or contact lenses?
We are optometrists and yes we do prescribe glasses and/or contact lenses if we feel they would be helpful. We do not have an optical, meaning we don’t sell glasses at our office, but instead coordinate with your primary care optometrist. If you do not have a primary care optometrist, we will get you connected with one.
Does medical insurance or a vision plan cover vision therapy treatment?
It does sometimes, but there is no guarantee. The diagnosis that you will most likely receive from our office will be a medical diagnosis and then fall under your medical insurance. A portion of vision therapy may be covered under major medical insurance plans, but it will not be covered under routine vision plans.
The providers at DCVT are considered out-of-network providers; patients and their families will need to submit claims on their own. If reimbursement is distributed, it will go directly to the patient. Coverage is different from plan to plan and certain insurance companies may deny or place limitations on the amount of coverage as cost savings measures. The denial has nothing to do with the need for care.
I have previously been prescribed vision therapy to perform at home, is that a good option?
Research shows that office-based therapy with a vision therapy doctor or therapist paired with home support is the most effective treatment model. Depending on the situation, teletherapy via video conferencing may be an option for a portion of your vision therapy.
I have amblyopia, do I still have to patch my eye?
We do not prescribe patching as a treatment method. Recent research has shown there is a better method. This method involves wearing a special pair of glasses, applying a special filter to your TV and playing your favorite video game.
Is there an age limit for vision therapy to work?
There is no age limit, no matter the diagnosis. Even amblyopia “lazy eye” can be improved upon at any age. Vision therapy is not just for kids. Our oldest patient has been in their late 80’s.
I had strabismus surgery, does that mean my eyes are “fixed”?
Not necessarily. Strabismus surgery will possibly better align your eyes physically, however, that does not mean that your brain knows what to do with your eyes. A vision therapy/binocular vision assessment can determine if your brain is using your eyes together as a team. Ensuring that depth perception (seeing in 3D) has been established is the key, this is the “glue that holds everything together and ensures the least chance of regression.