Below are some of the most frequently asked questions patients have about their retina and their appointment with us:
Q. How do I make an appointment?
A. Call the office nearest to you to make an appointment:
Southfield - (248) 356-8610
Warren - (586) 756-3800
Q. What insurance carriers do you currently
accept?
A. Retina Consultants of Michigan accepts most major carriers. For
those patients with HMO and insurances requiring authorization, it is
necessary to call your primary care physician to obtain a referral and to
confirm that the doctor you are seeing is in your particular plan.
Q. My vision is good and
I have no pain, why should I get a retinal exam?
A. Your primary care
doctor or other medical provider has suggested that you make an appointment
with us due to either a problem they saw while examining you or a medical
condition you have that could potentially cause you to have a retina problem. Early prevention and treatment of these
conditions is essential to preserve your eyesight or to prevent loss of
eyesight.
Q. Can I get a prescription for
eyeglasses following my retinal examination?
A. Retina Consultants of Michigan is dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment
of retinal conditions. Your primary eye doctor can assist you in
obtaining eyeglasses or can assist you as to where to obtain your eyeglasses.
Q.
What can I expect to occur during my appointment?
A. During your visit you will first be asked to fill out a
medical questionnaire and will be asked to provide your driver's license
(or state identification), as well as your insurance cards. You will also
be asked to provide all of your doctors’ names, addresses and, if possible, fax numbers. Once this information
is added into the system, you will be taken to an examination room by a
technician. The technician will be asking you pertinent information
regarding your eyes, as well as performing appropriate testing to prepare
you for your examination with the doctor. Next, your eyes will be dilated
and you will be placed in a dilation room while this occurs (typically, it
takes approximately 30 minutes to allow for complete dilation). Once
proper dilation has occurred, you will be examined by the physician. The doctor may then suggest appropriate testing and/or treatment
based upon the findings of the examination.
Q. How long can I expect to be at the office for my appointment?
A. We ask that you allow
1-2 hours for us to complete your examination, possibly longer if further
testing and/or treatment are necessary.
Q. Will my eyes be dilated for the examination?
A. Yes. It is
necessary to dilate the pupils to allow the physician to examine the retina. Even if you are having a problem only
with one eye, it is necessary (especially with new patients) to look at both eyes for comparison and to
determine if any problems or potential problems exist in your opposite
eye.
Q. Can
I drive myself to my appointment?
A. Because your eyes will
be dilated, we suggest that you bring a driver with you.
Q.
What should I bring with me to my appointment?
A. We ask that you bring
your eyeglasses, a list of any medications you take, insurance cards, driver's
license (or state ID), and a list of any previous medical conditions and/or surgeries. In addition, please bring contact information for all physicians who are currently treating you or have treated you in the past.