Since you have a cataract 1. you should be seeing an Eye MD ophthalmologist surgeon NOT A NON-MD optometrist 2. Because of the cataract and seeing an Eye MD your health insurance should cover your visits just like seeing any other MD like a cardiologist. 3. The timing of cataract surgery depends on how much it bothers you. A very small cataract in a truck driver, pilot or person that works at night may cause much more trouble than a big cataract in a 90 year old non-driver, non-reader.
4. You would be the fool to pay that much out of pocket money because if it doesn't bother you that much why spend the money if it does bother you that much then your insurance should cover it. Even if your best vision is 20/20 your glare testing might be 20/400 that approximates what driving at night in the rain might be. If you think your cataracts are a big problem and their is any question that the insurance might not cover them you can ask for pre-certification and with the help of the surgeon petition your insurance carrier with a list of things that you need to do but can't because of the cataract.
JCH MD
I am grateful for your speedy response. Thanks too for showing light on another direction like a pre-certification.
Yes, the last one who diagnosed me with cataracts was an MD. Forgot to add that.
I know there is a ton of good info in this forum about lens choices but am a little concerned with the high degree of astigmatism I have. Would there be other questions to pursue with a new doctor?
TIA
It was my experience that if you have a valid reason for wanting cataract surgery (and impaired ability to drive at night seems valid to me), the surgeon's office knows how to do the paperwork so that your insurance will pay for it. Try to find a board-certified surgeon who is experienced with cataract/refractive procedures. (You can check board certifiction by using the doctor directory at www aao org.) You'd probably want a doctor who is experienced doing limbal relaxing incisions to correct your astigmatism. (Alternatively, you might consider getting toric IOLs--especially in your right eye--to correct your astigmatism, although this would involve an out-of-pocket charge.)
It sounds to me like some of the eye care professionals you've seen in the past were not, shall we say, among the finest. (I've seen a couple of these doctors myself, and you wouldn't believe some of the crazy things they told me.) It's even possible that your double vision at night is unrelated to cataracts. I think you need a complete exam by a board-certified ophthalmologist. Best of luck.
Thank you for that info JodieJ. I researched and found the new doctor I have an appointment with the middle of this month is board certified. I will call the office this week to find out about three items: LRI, IOLs they use and of course fees. The biggest question is why the first doctor said my insurance wouldn't cover cataract removal due to their criteria. So a call to my insurance will come first.
Very frankly most insurance companies and medicare don't set minimum standards of visual acuity since it varies according to the circumstance. Many require the patient to fill out a sheet listing the things that the cataract is preventing them from doing or other symptoms.
JCH MD