Focused FAQs

Focused Eye Care offers eye health services for all ages, including exams, vision tests, disease management, and emergency care. Our optometrists also provide prescriptions for glasses and contact lenses during routine exam.

• As well as evaluating eyes for refractive error, our doctors will be looking for eye diseases and other conditions that can contribute to vision loss:

• Refractive Error – Our doctors evaluate your eyes for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

• Amblyopia – This is when there is a significant difference in prescriptions between your two eyes. This can cause your brain to “shut off” one of the eyes, resulting in permanent vision loss.

• Strabismus – This is the crossing or turning of one or both eyes.

• Eye diseases – Our doctors are examining your eyes for glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinal problems, hypertensive retinopathy, and more.

Our routine vision examinations range from $183-193. This includes a comprehensive examination of your eyes and provides a glasses prescription.

Contact lens evaluations range from $35-150. The fee depends on how di.icult it is to find the right lens for you. Our optometrists assess your eye and cornea shape to select the best available contact lens for your prescription.

Returning contact lens users usually fall within the $35-75 range.

Contact lens fittings for first-time wearers cost $110–150, including an insertion/removal class and follow-ups to ensure satisfaction before purchasing a supply. The contact lens evaluations are in addition to the cost of a routine vision examination. Contact lens evaluation fees are due at time of service and are valid for 90 days from the initial visit. No refunds will be given if a patient decides not to follow up and finalize a contact lens prescription. Per Indiana State law, a contact lens prescription is valid for one year.

Medical visits range from $74-124 and allow our optometrists to diagnose certain infections or diseases of the eyes. Annual eye exams can reveal health issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, making regular screenings essential for early detection. If your vision examination reveals other health conditions, our optometrists will discuss the need for further testing and monitoring. Most of these additional tests and any non-routine office visits can typically be billed to your medical insurance. Fees for these tests and monitoring vary. We will try our best to inform you of those fees, but your medical insurance ultimately decides what your out-of-pocket cost will be.

Patients who do not have insurance or do not wish to utilize their insurance benefits are offered a Prompt Pay Discount of 20% o. services rendered. Full payment must be made at the time of service to receive the discount. Discount does not apply to materials. Good Faith Estimates are available upon request.

When making your appointment, please have your vision and medical insurance handy. ID and all medical insurance cards will be requested at check-in to scan into your account

We accept the following payment methods:

• Visa

• Mastercard

• Discover

• Cash

• Check, with valid ID

• Care Credit, with valid ID

• HSA/FSA cards (with a Visa or Mastercard symbol)

All exam copays and contact lens evaluation fees are due at the time of service. Glasses and contact lens prescriptions will not be given to patients who have outstanding balances for these services.

When ordering glasses, patients are required to put HALF down of their balance before glasses will be ordered. Any balances must be paid in full before glasses will be dispensed. Payment in full is required before contact lens orders are placed. All copays, deductibles, and amounts deemed patient responsibility by their medical insurances are due within 30 days. Personal payment links and paper statements are sent out monthly. If at any time you would like a personal payment link sent, you can text “Pay Online” to 574-287-3333.

Focused Eye Care strives to provide the best care for your eyes. As a courtesy, our office sends out appointment reminders via text or email, requesting confirmation of your appointment. We kindly ask that you give 24 hour’s notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

However, it is your responsibility to notify our o.ice if you are unable to attend your scheduled appointment. Patients who do not show up for three appointments will be assigned Walk-In Only status, which means you will only be eligible for walk-in visits with no guarantee of appointment time.

Nope! Typically, vision screenings at schools only evaluate the visual acuity of children. They do not evaluate the health of the eye itself. Only optometrist and ophthalmologists can evaluate the health of your eyes as well as determine if corrective eyewear is needed.

Choosing between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist can be confusing. Our doctors at Focused Eye Care are optometrists. They specialize in comprehensive eye examinations, contact lens evaluations and fittings, and corrective eye wear. Optometrists can diagnosis eye conditions such as red eyes, glaucoma, age related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal problems, ect. If our doctors feel like you need further care for specific medical conditions, we work closely with ophthalmologists in our community.

Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who are specialist for specific eye conditions and/or surgical procedures. Many ophthalmologists do not perform routine services at their practice to allow more time for medical issues.

Routine vision examinations take 20-30 minutes if you opt to do our Screening Photo (see section below). If you decline to do the screening photo, our optometrists will dilate your eyes, which can add an additional 10-20 minutes to your examination. If there is a medical condition revealed at your appointment, that medical condition will be addressed first. Depending on the situation, you may be seen for a medical appointment that day and will need to return to the office for your routine vision examination.

Our office has a retinal camera which allows our optometrists to take a screening photo to evaluate the back of your eyes without dilation. Some of the diseases this photo allows us to monitor for include glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal tears/detachments. The fee for this service is $30. This service is not typically covered by vision or medical insurance, though we are starting to see some vision plans cover a portion of it.

If our optometrist sees something concerning or there is a medical condition present, our retinal camera allows us to do fundus photography. This scan allows the optometrists to see more of your retina and provides further testing that is needed to diagnose and treat the condition. If the doctor recommends the fundus photography, you will not be charged the $30 fee. We will instead bill your medical insurance for the fundus photography.

We are in network with the main vision insurance companies in our area, including:

• Eyemed

• VSP

• Spectera

• Most Medicaid plans

We currently accept the following medical insurances for any medical visits that are not considered routine:

• United Health Care

• Anthem

• Medicare

• Humana

Due to the many changes in insurance policies, it is no longer an easy task to interpret each individual policy. Our office tries its best to stay aware of these changes, but it is not always possible.

It is your responsibility to know your individual network and coverage. We will bill your medical insurance on your behalf. Your insurance company dictates what providers you may see and what services are covered. Although we make every effort to obtain accurate information from the insurance carrier, verification of benefits is not a guarantee of payment. Upon receiving the claim, your insurance carrier makes the final determination, based upon your plan’s networks, coverages, deductibles, co-insurances, etc. Final determination is NOT made by our doctors or office staff.

Patients who do not have insurance or do not wish to utilize their insurance benefits are offered a Prompt Pay Discount of 20% o. services rendered. Full payment must be made at the time of service to receive the discount. Discount does not apply to materials. Good Faith Estimates are available upon request.

Vision insurance typically covers routine eye care, like annual exams, contact lens fittings, and glasses or contacts. Medical insurances are billed for evaluations and treatments of eye-related conditions that are deemed “medical” not “routine”. Examples of these conditions include: glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, cataract removal and follow-ups, eye infections, etc. Medical insurance also covers visits related to eye injuries, floaters, styes, as well as complications from other health-related diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.

All vision and medical insurance claims are processed by the insurance company. Your insurance carrier makes the final determination, based upon your plan’s networks, coverages, deductibles, co-insurances, etc. Final determination is NOT made by our doctors or office staff.

• When you come in for your appointment, please bring the following if available:

• Photo ID

• Copy of your vision and medical insurance card

• Previous glasses and/or contact lens prescriptions

  • If you don’t have copies of your prescriptions, if possible, please bring in your most recent pair of glasses and/or boxes of contact lenses.

At Focused Eye Care, we want you to LOVE your glasses. If you are not satisfied, we have a money back guarantee! Return your glasses within 30 days of the order date to make changes. You can switch the tint shade on your sunglasses or choose a new color for your transition lenses at no extra cost.

If you wish to add anti-reflective coating or any other premium add ons, you will be

responsible for the upgrade fee (or insurance copay for that service). All frame restyles will require a $25 restocking fee. If you pick a new frame that costs more than the original pair, you will be required to pay the difference. You will not receive any money back if the new frame costs less.

At Focused Eye Care, we want you to LOVE your glasses! If you are not satisfied, we have a prescription accuracy guarantee! If you’ve spent at least two weeks adjusting to your new progressive lenses and, after an assessment with one of our opticians or optometrists, are found unable to adapt, we can replace your lenses with lined bifocals or single vision lenses. Your original payment for the progressive lenses will not be refunded to you.

All frame purchases come with a 2 year manufacturer's warranty. To honor the frame warranty, we must have all pieces of the frame. This warranty includes normal wear and tear. Never glue your frame, as it voids the warranty. The warranty does not cover lost or stolen frames. The frame warranty is only valid for replacement once in a two year period for adults and twice in a two year period for children under the age of 18.

If you purchase the anti-reflective coating or scratch coating, your lenses come with a 2-year warranty. Your lenses can be replaced once within the 2 years from the purchase date if they become scratched or the coating is defective.

​​​​​​​Tips to properly care for your eyeglasses

• Use both hands to put on or remove glasses to avoid bending the frame.

• Do not wear them on your head, as it can also bend the frame.

• Never put a pair of glasses down on the lenses to prevent scratches.

• Avoid leaving glasses in extreme heat or extreme cold (example: car dashboard in summer or winter) as this can damage the integrity of the frame.

• We recommend using only microfiber cloths and a lens-safe solution to clean your eyeglass lenses. Each pair of glasses purchased includes a case and a microfiber cloth. If you have purchased anti-reflective or scratch coating for your lenses, a small bottle of cleaning solution will also be provided. We also offer two different sized bottles of cleaning solution and extra microfiber cloths for purchase.

Notice of Privacy Practices

THIS NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES ("NOTICE") DESCRIBES HOW WE MAY USE OR DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO SUCH INFORMATION. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY.
Your "health information," for purposes of this Notice, is generally any information that identifies you and is created, received, maintained or transmitted by us in the course of providing health care items or services to you (referred to as "health information" in this Notice).

We are required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA") and other applicable laws to maintain the privacy of your health information, to provide individuals with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to such information, and to abide by the terms of this Notice. We are also required by law to notify affected individuals following a breach of their unsecured health information.

USES AND DISCLOSURES OF INFORMATION WITHOUT YOUR AUTHORIZATION
The most common reasons why we use or disclose your health information are for treatment, payment or health care operations. Examples of how we use or disclose your health information for treatment purposes are: setting up an appointment for you; testing or examining your eyes; prescribing glasses, contact lenses, or eye medications and faxing them to be filled; showing you low vision aids; referring you to another doctor or clinic for eye care or low vision aids or services; or getting copies of your health information from another professional that you may have seen before us. Examples of how we use or disclose your health information for payment purposes are: asking you about your health or vision care plans, or other sources of payment; preparing and sending bills or claims; and collecting unpaid amounts (either ourselves or through a collection agency or attorney). "Health care operations" mean those administrative and managerial functions that we must carry out in order to run our office. Examples of how we use or disclose your health information for health care operations are: financial or billing audits; internal quality assurance; personnel decisions; participation in managed care plans; defense of legal matters; business planning; and outside storage of our records.

OTHER DISCLOSURES AND USES WE MAY MAKE WITHOUT YOUR AUTHORIZATION OR CONSENT
In some limited situations, the law allows or requires us to use or disclose your health information without your consent or authorization. Not all of these situations will apply to us; some may never come up at our office at all. Such uses or disclosures are:

• when a state or federal law mandates that certain health information be reported for a specific purpose;

• for public health purposes, such as contagious disease reporting, investigation or surveillance; and notices to and from the federal Food and Drug Administration regarding drugs or medical devices;

• disclosures to governmental authorities about victims of suspected abuse, neglect or domestic violence;

• uses and disclosures for health oversight activities, such as for the licensing of doctors; for audits by Medicare or Medicaid; or for investigation of possible violations of health care laws;

• disclosures for judicial and administrative proceedings, such as in response to subpoenas or orders of courts or administrative agencies;

• disclosures for law enforcement purposes, such as to provide information about someone who is or is suspected to be a victim of a crime; to provide information about a crime at our office; or to report a crime that happened somewhere else;

• disclosure to a medical examiner to identify a dead person or to determine the cause of death; or to funeral directors to aid in burial; or to organizations that handle organ or tissue donations;

• uses or disclosures for health related research;

• uses and disclosures to prevent a serious threat to health or safety;

• uses or disclosures for specialized government functions, such as for the protection of the president or high ranking government officials; for lawful national intelligence activities; for military purposes; or for the evaluation and health of members of the foreign service;

• disclosures of de-identified information;

• disclosures relating to worker’s compensation programs;

• disclosures of a "limited data set" for research, public health, or health care operations;

• incidental disclosures that are an unavoidable by-product of permitted uses or disclosures;

• disclosures to "business associates" and their subcontractors who perform health care operations for us and who commit to respect the privacy of your health information in accordance with HIPAA;

Unless you object, we will also share relevant information about your care with any of your personal representatives who are helping you with your eye care. Upon your death, we may disclose to your family members or to other persons who were involved in your care or payment for heath care prior to your death (such as your personal representative) health information relevant to their involvement in your care unless doing so is inconsistent with your preferences as expressed to us prior to your death.

APPOINTMENT REMINDERS
We may call, text, email or write to remind you of scheduled appointments, or that it is time to make an appointment. We may also call, text, email or write to notify you of other treatments or services available at our office that might help you. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will mail you an appointment reminder on a post card, text message you, email you, and/or leave you a reminder message on your home answering machine or with someone who answers your phone if you are not home.

PATIENT PORTAL
We may create for you an online patient portal account that will contain certain health information and other educational materials that pertain to your health care. We may test your patient portal account from time to time to verify that it is properly functioning.

SPECIFIC USES AND DISCLOSURES OF INFORMATION REQUIRING YOUR AUTHORIZATION
The following are some specific uses and disclosures we may not make of your health information without your authorization:

​​​​​​​Marketing activities. We must obtain your authorization prior to using or disclosing any of your health information for marketing purposes unless such marketing communications take the form of face-to-face communications we may make with individuals or promotional gifts of nominal value that we may provide. If such marketing involves financial payment to us from a third party your authorization must also include consent to such payment.

Sale of health information. We do not currently sell or plan to sell your health information and we must seek your authorization prior to doing so.

Psychotherapy notes. Although we do not create or maintain psychotherapy notes on our patients, we are required to notify you that we generally must obtain your authorization prior to using or disclosing any such notes.

YOUR RIGHTS TO PROVIDE AN AUTHORIZATION FOR OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES

• Other uses and disclosures of your health information that are not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization.

• You may give us written authorization permitting us to use your health information or to disclose it to anyone for any purpose.

• We will obtain your written authorization for uses and disclosures of your health information that are not identified in this Notice or are not otherwise permitted by applicable law.

• We must agree to your request to restrict disclosure of your health information to a health plan if the disclosure is for the purpose of carrying out payment or health care operations and is not otherwise required by law and such information pertains solely to a health care item or service for which you have paid in full (or for which another person other than the health plan has paid in full on your behalf).

Any authorization you provide to us regarding the use and disclosure of your health information may be revoked by you in writing at any time. After you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose your health information for the reasons described in the authorization. However, we are generally unable to retract any disclosures that we may have already made with your authorization. We may also be required to disclose health information as necessary for purposes of payment for services received by you prior to the date you revoked your authorization.

YOUR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
You have many rights concerning the confidentiality of your health information. You have the right:

• To request restrictions on the health information we may use and disclose for treatment, payment and health care operations. We are not required to agree to these requests. To request restrictions, please send a written request to us at the address below.

• To receive confidential communications of health information about you in any manner other than described in our authorization request form. You must make such requests in writing to the address below. However, we reserve the right to determine if we will be able to continue your treatment under such restrictive authorizations.

• To inspect or copy your health information. You must make such requests in writing to the address below. If you request a copy of your health information we may charge you a fee for the cost of copying, mailing or other supplies. In certain circumstances we may deny your request to inspect or copy your health information, subject to applicable law.

• To amend health information. If you feel that health information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information. To request an amendment, you must write to us at the address below. You must also give us a reason to support your request. We may deny your request to amend your health information if it is not in writing or does not provide a reason to support your request. We may also deny your request if the health information:

• was not created by us, unless the person that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment,

• is not part of the health information kept by or for us,

• is not part of the information you would be permitted to inspect or copy, or

• is accurate and complete.

• To receive an accounting of disclosures of your health information. You must make such requests in writing to the address below. Not all health information is subject to this request. Your request must state a time period for the information you would like to receive, no longer than 6 years prior to the date of your request and may not include dates before April 14, 2003. Your request must state how you would like to receive the report (paper, electronically).

• To designate another party to receive your health information. If your request for access of your health information directs us to transmit a copy of the health information directly to another person the request must be made by you in writing to the address below and must clearly identify the designated recipient and where to send the copy of the health information.

Contact Person
Our contact person for all questions, requests or for further information related to the privacy of your health information is Dr. Whitney Purtzer.

Complaints
If you think that we have not properly respected the privacy of your health information, you are free to complain to us or to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you if you make a complaint. If you want to complain to us, send a written complaint to the office contact person at the address, fax or E mail shown above. If you prefer, you can discuss your complaint in person or by phone.

Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and to apply the revised practices to health information about you that we already have. Any revision to our privacy practices will be described in a revised Notice that will be posted prominently in our facility. Copies of this Notice are also available upon request at our reception area.

Notice Revised and Effective: Sept. 1, 2013

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT
I acknowledge that I received a copy of Focused Eye Care, LLC Notice of Privacy Practices.

Patient Name: ________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________