Frequently Asked Questions

It’s quick and easy to use your Care Credit account to pay your balance. To make a secure payment online, follow these steps:

1. Visit The Eye Institute of West Florida’s Care Credit page by clicking this link: https://www.carecredit.com/Pay/525TMP/
2. Click the green “Pay Now” button on the main page or the “Pay” link in the top menu
3. Follow the prompts to authenticate your account
4. Confirm the details and submit the payment

If you are not an existing Care Credit account holder, visit their website and enroll by clicking this link to get started: https://www.carecredit.com/

To make a secure, online payment with your credit card follow these easy steps:

1. Visit the online payment portal by clicking this link: https://www.mypatientvisit.com/#/expresspay?practiceID=QGXBNT
2. Fill in your following information to authenticate your account:
   1. Practice ID: this should be prepopulate but if not, it is QGXBNT
   2. Your last Name
   3. Patient Account #: this is a unique, six-digit ID number that provided on your statement in the upper-right hand corner
   4. Payment Amount: your account balance is provided on your statement in the upper-right hand corner
3. After filling in the above options click the “Accept Terms of Use” box and the “E-Mail Receipt” box to have digital receipt emailed to you
4. Click the “Validate” button to complete the transaction

To better understand what each part of your bill means, we have created an example below for your convenience. Click on the image to open a larger version for better viewing.

Example Bill:

Glossary of Items:

1. The address to remit payment to via check or credit card information.
2. Credit card information details you can provide to pay your bill.
3. Your account balance or the amount of money you are responsible for.
4. The date of your service.
5. The doctor who performed your service.
6. The description of what service was performed.
7. The charge for the service you received.
8. The adjustments and/or credit made by your insurance or previous payments for that service.
9. The balance owed for that service.
10. Your payment responsibility for that service.
11. The amount of money insurance will pay for your service(s). This amount is pending claims.
12. The total charges rendered during the account statement period (monthly).
13. The last payment amount and date we received for you.
14. The primary and secondary (if applicable) insurances we are billing for the services rendered.

Below is a current full list of accepted insurances. Updated 1/1/2021.

Accepted Vision Plans for Routine Eye Care:

• VCP (Vision Care Plan through Humana; routine service only)
• VISION SERVICE PLAN (VSP) (vision plan)
• EYEMED (ECPA) (vision plan)
• NVA – National Vision Administrators

Accepted Medical Insurances:

• AETNA (Commercial and Medicare plans)
• ALLWELL MEDICARE ADVANTAGE HMO
• AMBETTER MARKETPLACE HMO
• BAY CARE PLUS MEDICARE ADVANTAGE HMO (No Routine Vision)
• BAY CARE (Exclusive Network through Cigna) (No Routine Vision)
• BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD / FLORIDA BLUE (Commercial and Medicare Plans) (We do not participate with BlueSelect or MyBlue)
• CIGNA (Commercial Plans)
• COVENTRY HEALTH CARE (Commercial Plans) (First Health Mail Handlers)
• GHI (PPO) / Emblem Health
• GOLDEN RULE
• GREAT WEST HEALTH CARE
• HUMANA (Commercial plans)
• HUMANA MILITARY (Champus, TriCare)
• MEDICAID (No Simply or Clear Health Alliance)
• MEDICARE & RR MEDICARE
• MOLINA HEALTHCARE MEDICARE
• MULTI-PLAN (Network) (Beech Street/PHCS)
• OXFORD HEALTH PLAN
• STAYWELL/WELLCARE MEDICAID
• SUNSHINE HEALTH MEDICAID HMO
• UNITED HEALTH CARE (Commercial and Medicare plans)

Cataract surgery typically takes between 8-10 minutes; sometimes faster. You can expect to be with us on the day of surgery around 1-3 hours. It is an outpatient procedure so you will be going home after.

The short answer is, as soon as you notice that they begin to interfere with your daily living.

This usually means you think your glasses aren’t working well and you need a new prescription. In the past, older, outdated surgical methods required cataracts to be “ripe” in order to be removed (a term we no longer use to describe cataracts). With our modern advanced techniques and equipment, patients should not wait nearly as long. By removing cataracts earlier, the risk of complications is greatly reduced and patients can be provided with the convenience of uninterrupted clear vision.

Now that cataract surgery is one of the safest and most performed procedures, there is no need to wait.

For most people, cataracts begin to develop in your 40s and really start to impair vision in your 60s. Symptoms of cataracts affecting your vision include:

• The need for brighter light when reading (especially menus at restaurants)
• Gradual fading or yellowing of colors
• Difficult with seeing well at night
• Light sensitivity and glare
• Seeing bright rings of light (halos) around lights (especially car headlights)
• Cloudy, blurry or dim vision
• Constant eyeglass or contact lens prescription change

The cataract incision is usually self-sealing without stitches and, since there is generally no pain and no patch, you can return home 15 minutes after your procedure. You may experience a slight scratchy sensation, which will subside within a day or so. Your eye will be checked the day after surgery and then it’s back to living life and doing all the things you enjoy – from playing golf, swimming or driving – without restriction and with reduced dependency on glasses.

When the lens inside the eye becomes cloudy (less transparent), it is called a cataract. Light can’t pass through it as well, so vision becomes dull and blurred. Cataracts can develop at any age, but are typically a normal part of the aging process. Symptoms can be very subtle at first, but as a cataract develops (the lens becomes darker and cloudier) you may experience blurred or dim vision, difficulty reading, glare, halos around lights (especially at night), decreased ability to appreciate vivid colors, feeling like your glasses need cleaning and frequent changes in your eye glass prescription. Sometimes cataracts grow so slowly that patients aren’t even aware of how bad or advanced they are until they are removed and replaced with a new, clear lens.

Pricing for cataract surgery can range depending on your vision goals. Your cataract surgeon will discuss your lifestyle and desires. Based upon that discussion, your cataract specialist will recommend a package that makes sense for your unique situation. Your insurance and/or Medicare will cover basic cataract surgery where one of our cataract specialists will remove your cataracts and have you seeing great. However, if you want to have glasses freedom after cataract surgery, your will need more advanced technology such as a laser treatment to correct astigmatism and an upgraded cataract lens to provide sharp vision in all ranges (immediate, near and far). The best way to learn about cataract pricing for your unique situation is to call (727) 581-8706 or book an appointment online to schedule your consultation. You cataract consultation is covered by your insurance or Medicare.

Many people experience the phenomenon known as “Second Eye Syndrome” after cataract surgery.

Second Eye Syndrome is an occurrence that is seen with most patients. The patient feels their second eye surgery is completely different than the first eye. Patients will often state, “I don’t remember any of this from last time”, “you didn’t do this with my other eye”, or “I was asleep for this last time”. We do each procedure the same and as state above, patients are not asleep for this procedure as we need them to cooperate. The syndrome can best be described by saying it is like watching a movie for the second time. You tend to pick up on a lot more things that second time around. This is coupled with the fact that the “Versed” given to you has short term amnesia (forgetfulness) associated with it. This amnesia may prevent you from remembering everything about the second eye as well.

You will be given a topical anesthesia and intravenous (IV) anesthesia during your cataract surgery.

Topical Anesthesia: You will be given a series of eye drops to both numb the surface of the eye and dilate the pupil. Only the surface of the eye needs to be anesthetized, as that is where the procedure will take place. You will still be able to feel light touch and slight pressure but not pain. Think of going to the dentist office and receiving Novocain, you can feel the dentist working but it does not hurt.

Intravenous (IV) Anesthesia: Although not necessary, Intravenous sedation is often preferred by patients. This is given in order to help the patient relax during the procedure.

The medications given (if you are not allergic) are:

• Versed: This is an anti-anxiety medication with similar properties to valium. Versed works very quickly and wears off quickly.
• Fentanyl: This is a narcotic that works will with versed to optimize relaxation and comfort.

All medications are given in incremental doses to achieve a level of sedation and comfort that work for both the patient and the surgeon. You must still be able to hold still and focus on the microscope light during the procedure, you will not be “put asleep.”

No. Anesthesia has advance greatly to keep patient comfortable without causing unwanted side effects. You will feel slight pressure during the procedure but no pain.

This depends on the laser procedure you received.

• The Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI) or Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) do not affect vision. There will be no need for glasses prescription changes.
• If you received a YAG laser procedure, then that depends on what intra-ocular lens (IOL) you received during your cataract surgery. If you had a standard cataract package, wait 2 (two) weeks after the laser procedure to get the most accurate prescription possible.

This depends on the laser procedure you received.

• If it is a Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI) or Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT), there will be no improvement of vision.
• If you received a YAG laser procedure, your vision should improve. The laser will clear up the haze that developed after your cataract surgery.

After your cataract surgery, the prescription in your glasses is no longer the correct prescription for you. We recommend you pop out the lens in your eyeglasses on the side of your operative eye after each surgery. After your second surgery, you will have a POMR (Post-Operative Manifest Refraction) visit where you will receive an updated prescription, if applicable. That updated prescription can then be placed in your current eyeglass frames.

In real world terms we have 3 ranges of vision – Distance, middle, and near. We look at objects in these ranges all day long without thinking about it. After cataract surgery we generally correct one range of vision, usually distance, and have to use special technologies to get more.

Examples:

Near Vision – Books, newspapers, your phone, etc.

Intermediate (middle) Vision – Computer, tablets, grocery store shelves, etc.

Distance Vision – Driving, golfing, television, etc.

We have a team approach here at the Eye Institute and the surgeons have personally trained their staff to care for their patients when they cannot personally see each and every patient for their follow ups. You will meet most of us along the way and we are here for you at every stop of the process.

Our cataract specialists Dr. Desai or Dr. Weinstock; depending on who you saw for your visit will be performing your surgery. You may not see them… but they are there providing you with the best surgery possible.

Yes and no depending on the technology used. Basic or standard cataract surgery is covered by your insurance unless you have a co-pay or deductible that you are responsible for. There are technologies that we can use that are not covered by insurance like astigmatism corrections, lasers, or advanced lens choices. Our staff and surgical coordinators will help guide you through this process.

Our goal is to get each patient the best vision that they can possibly have. No surgery is guaranteed 100% successful. Success with cataract surgery is providing you a safe surgery with no complications while completely removing the cataract and placing a lens implant. 20/20 is a goal, not a guarantee, regardless of money spent on surgery, and we do the best we can to get patients to that goal. Sometimes this requires tweaks or other procedures after the initial surgery depending on how each patient’s eye heals. Patients can also have other eye conditions that can prevent them from getting “perfect” vision and we will try and manage these expectations and outcomes with you.

This depends on the technology that we use during your surgery and the package choice that you make. Our surgical counselors and team will help guide you with choosing what’s best for you regardless of price point. Our focus is to help you see as best as you can and match the lens choice and type of surgery to your goals at a price point affordable to you.

Yes, unfortunately, this is for your safety and to ensure the best outcome. You will have around 4-6 weeks of drops that you will need to do. The brands and frequencies can vary depending on insurance coverage and cost. We will help you along the way with what drops to use and how to use them.

When you get home after the procedure your eye may feel irritated, itchy or scratchy, sore, and the vision will more than likely be blurry (could be mild or majorly blurry) – this is all normal. Over the course of the next 3-5 days each day will be better and better. Most often, patients are noticing a big difference the next day even if things are not “perfect” yet. By the end of the first week after surgery most patients are feeling and seeing very well.

No, cataract surgery is typically not painful. Your eye is numbed and there is some mild sedation that we use to keep you comfortable. You may feel some pressure, cold or wetness from the drops, or be aware that things are happening but most people do not feel pain. If you are in pain you are awake enough to let us know during the procedure.

Yes, we give you a mild sedative to keep you comfortable. You are “sleepy” but not fully out. We do not use general anesthesia for this type of procedure.

There are two answers to this question.

1. If you have only received the first vaccine of Moderna or Pfizer and have recently traveled or been in an ALF facility, nursing home, or hospital in the last 10 days, you will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test.
2. If you have received your second vaccine (booster) of Moderna or Pfizer 10 days ago or longer from appointment date, you do not have to provide a negative COVID test.

The short answer is now. We understand the importance of ocular emergencies. As it stands, hospitals are better equipped to care for those with COVID-19. If you fall under a classification below, you will be directed to a nearby hospital for care:

• Ocular Emergency: If you have an ocular emergency and travelled outside of Florida in last 10 days, you will need to provide a negative COVID test result administered upon return to Florida in order to be seen at our facility. If you cannot provide a negative test result OR wait 10 days after discharge from hospital, then you will be directed to a nearby hospital for care.
• Hospital – Inpatient or Outpatient (including the ER): If you have been admitted to the hospital within 10 day of your appointment, you will need to provide a negative COVID test taken within 5 days of being seen. If you cannot provide a negative test result OR cannot wait 10 days after discharge from hospital, then you will be directed to a nearby hospital for care.
• Hospital – On Call: If you have not travelled and are symptom-free, you can be scheduled as normal at the discretion of our on-call physician. If you have travelled or are experiencing symptoms, you will be directed to a nearby hospital for care.
• Assisted Living Facility/Nursing Home (independent living or normal resident): You will need to provide a negative COVID test result administered within 5 days of you appointment in order to be seen at our facility. If you cannot provide a negative test result, you will be directed to a nearby hospital for care. If surgery is scheduled in more than 10 days from the date of counsel/testing, a second COVID test may be required.

Yes. If you have been in an Assisted Living Facility, Nursing Home or a Hospital within the last 10 days, you will need to reschedule your appointment a quarantine for 10 days.

To keep everyone safe, guests will not be allowed in our facility unless needed for translating or assisting you with movement. We apologize for the inconvenience

Upon walking into our facility, you will be asked screener questions. If you answer yes to any of the following, you will be asked to reschedule your appointment in 10 days:

• Have tested positive or come into contact with COVID-19
• Traveled by car, air, train or ship in the last month inside or outside the USA
• Are having any respiratory issues including cough, fever or flu-like symptoms

If you answered no to the above questions, your temperature will be checked with a digital, non-contact thermometer.

If you do not have a fever, you will be asked to wait in your car until you receive a phone call from us to come in.

Yes. If you are experience any any respiratory issues including cough, fever or flu-like symptoms, you will be asked to reschedule your appointment in 10 days.

Yes. If you or someone you have come into contact with tested positive for COVID-19, you will be asked to reschedule your appointment in 10 days.

If you have traveled by car, air, train or ship in the last 10 days inside or outside the USA, you will be asked to reschedule your appointment in 10 days.

If returning multiple times within a short time frame (i.e. consult followed by surgery) and have traveled in between these visits, you will need to provide another negative test administered within 5 days from the next appointment/surgery.

Yes. You must bring a mask covering your nose and mouth at all times. This can be a bandana, scarf, or some type of medical mask.

We are in this together. Our staff and administration are taking extra precautions throughout our offices to ensure everyone’s safety. In addition to the screening and mask protocols instituted for our patients, we are doing the following:

• Staff are taking their temperatures and screened for any COVID-19 symptoms prior to starting their shift.
• Staff are wearing protective gear including face mask, safety glasses, gloves, scrubs and drapes that are either sanitized or discarded each day.
• Staff are wiping down the exam room including chairs, desk, computer, slit lamp, door handles and light switches after every patient.
• Staff are wiping down testing equipment before and after every test is administered.
• Lobby chairs have been arranged for social distancing 6 feet apart.
• Staff are escorting patients into exam rooms 10 feet apart.

If you are more than 30 minutes late to your appointment OR arrive past 11:15am or 4:15pm, you may be required to reschedule your appointment.

We have 2 offices located in Tampa. One in the Hyde Park area and the other in the Westchase area.

• Our Hyde Park (Tampa) office is located at 501 North Howard Avenue, Suite 100, Tampa, FL 33606. The phone number is (813) 253-2727 and the fax number is (813) 253-2729. Direct link to Google Maps for directions: https://goo.gl/maps/tQEWDjkWA2ig8ubn8
• Our Westchase (Tampa) office is located at 11925 Sheldon Road, Tampa, FL 33626. The phone number is (813) 792-0444 and the fax number is (813) 792-0066. Direct link to Google Maps for directions: https://goo.gl/maps/KhdV5cqScq8Fdck7A

Our St. Petersburg office is located at 6133 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, FL 33710. The phone number is (727) 344-3008 and the fax number is (727) 347-2806.

Direct link to Google Maps for directions: https://goo.gl/maps/xPUchRWz97pGpYZZ9

We have instituted a phone tree to connect patients with different departments quickly. Just call our main line at (727) 581-8706 and select the option that pertains to your question(s):

• Press 1 for Scheduling
• Press 2 for Medications
• Press 3 for Billing
• Press 4 for Medical Records
• Press 5 for Optical
• Press 6 for Address and Fax Numbers
• Press 8 for Spanish

Our Clearwater office is located at 3220 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater, FL 33761. Our phone number is (727) 823-8706 and fax number is (727) 451-0756.

Direct link to Google Maps for directions: https://goo.gl/maps/iUfK3YRCBQ63qtWh8

Our Largo office is located at 1225 West Bay Drive, Largo, FL 33770. The phone number is (727) 581-8706 and the fax number is (727) 586-3743.

Direct link to Google Maps for directions: https://goo.gl/maps/bpDKRgbY1nSpZoDs8

It is very common to have redness, irritation, and blurry vision after your laser procedure. Artificial tears are recommended to help alleviate your discomfort. Use as directed by your physician.

After your laser procedure, you will have no down time or restrictions. You can resume your normal daily activities.

Have your pharmacy call us. There is usually a more economical alternative we can change it to.

You will begin using those drops after your surgery. You will be given written instructions after surgery on how to use all of your drops.

You will be given precise instructions after surgery. This will be discussed with you at one of your post-surgery appointments. DO NOT stop any drops until told to do so by your doctor.

You will receive a phone call from our schedulers the last business day before your surgery date with the exact arrival time. However, expect an early morning arrival time.

This depends on the laser procedure you received.

• The Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI) or Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) do not affect vision. There will be no need for glasses prescription changes.
• If you received a YAG laser procedure, then that depends on what intra-ocular lens (IOL) you received during your cataract surgery. If you had a standard cataract package, wait 2 (two) weeks after the laser procedure to get the most accurate prescription possible.

This depends on the laser procedure you received.

• If it is a Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI) or Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT), there will be no improvement of vision.
• If you received a YAG laser procedure, your vision should improve. The laser will clear up the haze that developed after your cataract surgery.

No. Your eye may be irritated, a little blurry, and in the case of a YAG laser procedure, dilated,

Yes. Continue any medication as usual. The only exception is for blood thinners if you are having a Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI) procedure.

This depends on the laser procedure you are having.

• If it is a Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) or YAG laser procedure, no preparations are required.
• If you are having a Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI), you must stop blood thinners 1 (one) week prior. You may need to check with the prescribing doctor if it is safe for you to do so and get cardiac clearance.

This depends on the laser procedure you received.

• If it is a Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI) or Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) there are no driving restrictions after the procedure. However, keep in mind your eye may be irritated.
• If you received a YAG laser procedure, your eyes will be dilated so it depends on how you feel afterwards. We highly recommend wearing sunglasses.

Photo Refractive Keratectomy, or PRK, treats the surface of the cornea with the excimer laser while LASIK treats the inner tissue of the cornea. For this reason with LASIK, there is less area to heal, less risk of scarring, less risk of corneal haze, less postoperative pain, less postoperative need for medications and vision returns more rapidly.

Patients usually notice an immediate improvement in their vision after LASIK. However, it can take several weeks for the eyes to adjust to the final level of correction. Vision may fluctuate for a week or so. There may be some watering of the eyes and a slight feeling of a foreign body sensation. After having LASIK the great majority of patients do not wear corrective lenses of any kind. However, because people’s eyes can continue to change with age, there may be a need for additional vision correction (surgery or glasses) in the future.

Most patients see better immediately upon sitting up. However, the vision is somewhat hazy due to all the drops and medication placed on the eye. This mild haziness usually clears after a short nap or the next morning.

LASIK correction is permanent. The eye may continue to change as a result of aging but these are only minor changes.

A lid speculum keeps your eyelids from blinking and our doctors control your eye movements with an instrument they designed specifically for this purpose. This keeps your eye centered on the target but if you sneeze or cough, the doctor removes his foot from the laser pedal and continues the treatment after he re-centers your eye.

To ensure your comfort and confidence, your head and neck are kept snug in an inflatable pillow, your lids are kept open with a speculum and your eyes are treated with numbing drops that prevent your eye from reacting to stimuli. Our doctors will indicate before each step what you may see, hear or feel so you are not surprised.

LASIK is often referred to as a “painless” procedure. There is virtually no discomfort because the patient receives numbing drops prior to the procedure. Once the drops’ effect wears off, a patient’s eyes may feel a bit irritated for a few hours. Some patients feel no irritation whatsoever.

LASIK is a very safe procedure in the right hands. To our knowledge, there have not been any reported cases of blindness. The most significant risk is an infection which is reported in 1 in 5,000 cases, whereas 1 in 500 contact lens wearers suffer from infections and corneal scarring.

Patients are checked the day following their procedure and may return to work and resume most normal activities.

Correcting vision with the laser takes only seconds. The procedure itself takes about 7 minutes for both eyes. You will be at our office for about 1-1 1/2 hours on the day of the procedure to ensure that you are relaxed, that all of your questions have been answered and to allow you the opportunity to observe the procedure. We find that knowing exactly what to expect creates the most relaxed patient.

Usually, both eyes are done on the same day. Since the patient can resume most of their normal activities within 24 hours, most elect to have both eyes done the same day for convenience.

Depending on the type of Oculoplastics Surgery, you should stay home from work anywhere between 3-7 days.

No.  You will need a driver on the day of your surgery.

Plan to be there approximately 3-4 hours.

Typically patients should stop using blood thinning medication prior to eyelid surgery.  The amount of time the medication is stopped is determined by your surgeon at The Eye Institute of West Florida and the prescribing physician.

Yes.  Our Surgery Center requires all patients to provide pre-operative clearance within 30 days of surgery.  The pre-operative physical/clearance appointment can be done at your primary care doctor’s office, or can be done with us by Tina Crevello, PA or Cori Brodsky, ARNP

Recovery from eyelid surgery is minimal; in fact you’ll likely return to your job and daily activities in less than 10 days. This recovery period will vary, however, if you combine eyelid surgery with other facial sculpting procedures like a brow lift procedure. Bruising around the eyes should fade after about 2 weeks to a month, and in the interim many patients find that they can adequately conceal any discoloration with light makeup. You should avoid vigorous exercise for about 3 weeks after surgery.

Although eyelid surgery is associated with a short recovery period and minimal discomfort, most patients experience some swelling and bruising for at least a few days after the procedure. Following post-operative instructions by our doctors will prove very beneficial in reducing the extent of the swelling and bruising.

Most patients enjoy the youthful, refreshed look from eyelid surgery for several years. Keep in mind that any cosmetic surgery procedure will not stop the aging process. Also, you can retain your improvements longer by continuing your healthy diet and lifestyle, not smoking, and avoiding sun exposure without proper protection and sunscreen.

Our approach to cosmetic surgery comes with the understanding that your general well-being is closely linked to the way you feel about your appearance. Her philosophy – along with her surgical technique – helps patients seeking eyelid surgery to achieve the physical health and emotional happiness they want. You may be a candidate for eyelid surgery in Clearwater, Largo and St. Petersburg if:

• Your peripheral vision is obscured by excess skin and fat in the upper or lower eyelids
• Droopy lower eyelids expose the whites of your eyes
• You have realistic expectations concerning the outcome of your procedure
• You are aware of the surgical risks and do not possess any medical or ophthalmic conditions that may elevate the risks involved in the surgery

For a more complete facial rejuvenation, The Aesthetic Institute of West Florida can combine eyelid surgery with a brow lift. Sometimes, a brow lift alone accomplishes the improvements you are looking for by raising sagging eyebrows. Our doctors will help make this decision easier by providing you with a detailed physical examination and then discussing your facial sculpting options with you.

Many people who choose eyelid surgery want a subtle, smoothing effect around their eyes. The rejuvenating effect of eyelid surgery is long lasting, and can give your eyes a more youthful, well rested and alert appearance. When considering eyelid surgery, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you appear tired?
• Is the skin of your upper eyelids overhanging the normal lid crease and nearing the eyelashes?
• Are there bulges and bags surrounding your eyes?
• Is your peripheral vision shadowed by droopy eyelids?
• Do your eyes appear smaller than they did in the past?

Most eyeglasses orders can be processed and ready within 7-10 business days. Call our Optical Department at 727-584-5748 so we can assist you.

Yes! If you have a current contact lens prescription, contact lenses orders can be ordered in person, or over the phone by calling 727-584-5748. One of our professional opticians will be happy to assist you.

Yes! We proudly offer Maui Jim, Costa, Oakley, RayBan and many other sunglass frames. All of our sunglasses come with high quality polarized sun lenses with a non-glare coating to provide optimum clarity and UV protection.

To reach our Optical Department directly, please call 727-584-5748.

We have also instituted a phone tree to connect patients with different departments quickly. Just call our main line at (727) 581-8706 and select the option 5 to connect to the Optical Department.

Our Optical Department accepts the following Vision Insurance plans: VSP, EyeMed and Staywell.

The Optical Department is open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm at our Largo office off West Bay Drive.

We offer a wide variety of high quality, name brand frames including Coach, Tiffany, Oakley, RayBan, Kate Spade, Jimmy Choo, Michael Kors and many more. Please call 727-584-5748 to schedule an appointment to view our complete collection.

You have two options:

1. You can come to your appointment 15 minutes early and fill out the necessary paperwork.
2. You can print out the new patient paperwork off our website and fill it out beforehand to bring to your appointment.

New patient paperwork links:

• Patient History and Registration Form – English
• Patient History and Registration Form – Spanish
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Information and Consent Form

Please note that in addition to the above forms, you will be asked to consent to various standard policies upon arriving to your appointment. These include Medicare Authorization, No-Show/Cancellation Policy, Patient’s Rights and Responsibilities, Arbitration Agreement, and Consent, Assignment of Benefits, and Financial Agreement.

When establishing yourself as a new patient, there are various standard forms that need to be filled out completely before your appointment. These forms include the following:

• Patient Demographics: includes important details about you including your address, contact information, date of birth, employer information, etc.
• Medical History: includes your current medications, allergies, past eye medical and eye history, surgical history, and family history.
• HIPAA Information and Consent: this document gives your designees permission to be notified of and have access to your Protected Health Information (PHI).
• Patient’s Rights and Responsibilities: this document outlines the expectations we have of and what you rights are as a patient of The Eye Institute of West Florida.
• Medicare Authorization: this document authorizes us to bill Medicare and Medicaid (when applicable) for rendered services.
• No-Show/Cancellation Policy: this document outlines our policy in regards to patient’s not showing and cancelling appointments.
• Arbitration Agreement: this document informs you of an available dispute resolution process between The Eye Institute of West Florida and the patient.
• Consent, Assignment of Benefits, and Financial Agreement: this document informs you that we will bill your insurance(s) for services rendered.

Upon scheduling your appointment with us, you will be asked how you want to receive your new patient paperwork. If you opted to receive it digitally (online), you will either have it emailed or texted to you. This process typically occurs within 1 (one) hour. You will receive a message with a link to create an account with the Patient Portal (MyPatient Visit). Once you register, your forms will be available in your account.

From the top menu, click or tap “myDocuments” and the select the “Forms” option from the menu drop-down. This section will house all of your outstanding forms. Just click or tap the form to get started. Note that at any time you can click the “Save for Later” option. This allows you to stop the process and go back to resume at a later date/time. Once you have completed all the required questions, click the “Submit” button to send the paperwork to your electronic medical record.

If you are having trouble setting up an account or need an account creation link sent to you, please call (727) 581-8706 or email appointments@eyespecialist.com with your and date of birth.

If you are a new patient to our practice (or have not been seen in 3 years) you will be asked how you want to receive your new patient paperwork. Your choices are mailed or sent digitally (via text message or email). If you requested your patient paperwork be sent digitally, please create an account for the Patient Portal (My Patient Visit) within 72 hours of receiving the link. MyPatient Visit will have the required forms for you to fill out.

Yes. If you have not filled out your new patient paperwork prior to your appointment, we request you come in 15 minutes early to fill it out. If you complete your new patient paperwork digitally or filled out the paper copies that were mailed to you, you can arrive just a few minutes before your appointment.

Yes. Adding a family member to your account is easy and the patient portal allows you to access multiple patients’ information using one Patient Portal account. If you are a patient at the practice, you can also view your own information using the same account.

Please note you must have the the family member’s required information and consent. Follow these steps:

1. Login to patient portal account and navigate to “Select The Medical Record You’d like to View” option.
2. Click on the “Add New Patient” option.
3. Fill out the required fields on the “Add a New patient” page.
   1. Note that you must have the patient’s security code to accomplish this. Call (727) 581-8706 to obtain the security code.
4. Click the “Add Patient” button.

MyPatient Visit (MPV) is the patient portal program we use. Our Patient Portal is an online service that allows our patients access 24/7 to their health and appointment information.

You can use this Portal to:

• Access Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) and your demographic information.
• See your upcoming appointments.
• Communicate with our office staff via secure messages.
• Fill out new patient paperwork online.

If you forgot your username for MPV (MyPatient Visit), please follow these steps to recover it:

1. From the Login Page, Click the link “Need help with Login?”
2. From the “FORGOT LOGIN CREDENTIALS” Page, select the “Forgot Password” option.
3. Follow prompts and verification process to complete.
4. If you are still having issues please contact us at (727) 581-8706.

If you forgot your username for MPV (MyPatient Visit), please follow these steps to recover it:

1. From the Login Page, Click the link “Need help with Login?
2. From the “FORGOT LOGIN CREDENTIALS” Page, select the “Forgot Username” option.
3. Follow prompts and verification process to complete.
4. If you are still having issues please contact us at (727) 581-8706.

After creating an account (registering), every time you are accessing the Patient Portal you would need to login. You will need your username and password information to access the patient portal. You can click here to log in.

Upon scheduling your appointment, you should have received an email and/or text message with a link to create your MyPatient Visit (MPV) account. If you did not receive a message to create your account, please call (727) 581-8706 or email appointments@eyespecialist.com with your name and date of brith to request a new account creation link.

MyPatient Visit, also known as the Patient Portal, allows patient’s to access and update a variety of information regarding their health care. Each section allows for different features and are broken down as follows:

myInfo Section:

• Patient Information: Fill out your Patient Demographic information
• Insurance Information: Fill out your insurance information

MyDocuments Section:

• Document Summary: View, download, transmit and email out
  • Clinical Summary Documents on file
  • Patient Documents on file
• Forms: Fill out and complete forms required for patient visit.

myMessages Section:

• Send and Review Messages: A way to securely send and receive messages from you care provider(s)

myAccounts Section:

• Connect to a different practice: Allows you to connect to your other care provider that is using MPV

Our Call Center is closed daily from 12pm – 1pm EST. If you have an emergency, we have limited staff available to assist you by. Select 1 from your phone when promoted to speak to a representative.

You can also reach these departments directly by dialing their extension:

• Billing: Ext 3502
• Medications: Ext 3514
• Medical Records: Ext 3515

If you would like to reach our Largo Ambulatory Surgery Center, please hang up and call  (727) 450-3030.

If you are more than 30 minutes late to your appointment OR arrive past 11:15am or 4:15pm, you may be required to reschedule your appointment.

The Eye Institute of West Florida takes our responsibility to our patients very seriously. Part of that responsibility is scheduling appointments at the earliest possible convenient time for every patient. When a patient misses an appointment, not only did we not render care to that patient, we were denied the opportunity to render care to someone who is waiting for an appointment. Therefore, the following policies are in effect as of April 1st, 2016.

No Show Policy

Patients who do not call to cancel, and do not show up for their appointment will be considered a NO SHOW. Our office adheres to the following policy regarding NO SHOW appointments:

1st No Show: Our office will call and attempt to reschedule your appointment. We reserve the right to charge a $35 no-show charge for the missed appointment.

2nd No Show (within twelve months): Our office will call and attempt to reschedule your appointment. If they do not reach you, we will mail a postcard asking you to make contact. We reserve the right to charge a second $35 no-show charge for the missed appointment.

3rd No Show (within twelve months): No further attempts to reschedule your appointment will be made. You may be dismissed from the practice and denied any future appointment with any physician in the Eye Institute of West Florida. You will be charged a $35 no-show charge for the missed appointment.

Cancellation Policy

Office Visits: We understand that a situation may arise which requires canceling your appointment. We request that you call our office at least 24 hours prior to your appointment in this event. This will allow us the opportunity to see another patient who has been waiting for an appointment during that time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours prior to your appointment time cause us to waste this opportunity. Therefore, we reserve the right to charge a $25.00 cancellation fee for appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours notification.

Surgery: If you are scheduled for a surgical procedure, cancellations require advance notice of two (2) business days. If notification is not received within this timeframe you may be subject to a cancellation fee of $150.00 or more depending on the procedure you were scheduled to have and the paperwork you signed.

The cancellation and no show fees are the sole responsibility of the patient, and must be paid in full before your next appointment. We understand that special, unavoidable circumstances may arise. Fees may be waived, but only upon management approval. Our practice firmly believes that a strong physician/patient relationship is based upon understanding and good communication.

We have instituted a phone tree to connect patients with different departments quickly. Just call our main line at (727) 581-8706 and select the option that pertains to your question(s):

• Press 1 for Scheduling
• Press 2 for Medications
• Press 3 for Billing
• Press 4 for Medical Records
• Press 5 for Optical
• Press 6 for Address and Fax Numbers
• Press 8 for Spanish

Depending on the information you have provided us, you will either receive an automated phone call or an email and text message with your appointment information. The best way to ensure proper delivery of your appointment details, would be for you to provide us with your mobile phone number. You will receive an appointment confirmation the day you scheduled your appointment as well as a reminder 1 (one) week prior and 1 (one) day prior to your scheduled appointment. If you only provided us with a landline telephone number, you will receive an automated call 2 (two) days prior to your appointment. If you are scheduled for surgery, you will receive a call from one of our nurses 1 (one) business day prior to your surgery appointment.

You can call our main line at (727) 581-8706 for any scheduling requests. Additionally, you may submit rescheduling requests by texting (727) 581-8706 or emailing appointments@eyespecialist.com.