 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Patients - Frequently asked questions:
Physicians - Frequently asked questions:
How many visits does it take to make a new prosthesis? A new prosthesis will take approximately 3 to 4 appointments to make, depending on your case. Will Mager & Gougelman, Inc. accept insurance? Mager & Gougelman, Inc. accepts most major insurances, however, the amount of coverage will differ depending on your particular plan. If I have insurance, what is required at the time of my appointment(s)? We do accept most major insurance plans. The amount of coverage/payment of your insurance company depends on your plan and the type of treatment you receive at your visit. Some of your appointments may be fully covered while for other appointments you may be responsible for a portion of the payment. Patients are fully responsible for any payments that their insurance does not cover. Patients are responsible for obtaining authorization for the visit to our office. However, our office will be happy to help you obtain authorization and as much coverage as possible. Below are some general guidelines for what is usually required by insurance companies:
Will I be responsible for payment? All services rendered are the responsibility of the patient. Our office will be happy to assist patients with their insurance company’s policies. The amount of coverage/payment of your insurance company depends on your plan and the type of treatment you receive. Some of your appointments may be fully covered while at other appointments you may be responsible for payment. Our office requests that you make copies of your insurance so that we may verify your insurance policy. Again, patients are responsible for obtaining the authorization for the visit to our office. However, our office will be happy to help you obtain authorization and as much coverage as possible. What happens when I come to the office for a new prosthesis? A new prosthesis will take approximately three to four office visits depending upon your case. Generally, your appointments would be as follows:
A custom made artificial
eye is fitted and fabricated (hand-made)
to all the specific aspects of an individual
patient’s case utilizing all fitting
and fabrication techniques needed for
a proper fitting. A custom artificial
eye replicates the iris, sclera, pupil,
and veins to match the fellow eye. The
palpebral fissure, eyelid contours, specific
motility implant contours are duplicated
to conform to the fellow eye.
An artificial eye does not last forever and is not permanent. A prosthetic eye is custom fitted and individually painted for the ocular socket at a specific time. The eye socket changes over a period of time and either a new prosthesis or an adjustment to the existing prosthesis may be needed to accommodate these changes. Is it necessary to return to the Ocularist office on a regular basis? Regular visits are necessary
to evaluate the fit and cosmetic appearance
of your prosthesis. These visits are the
only way we can assure the best fit possible
for your prosthesis. The visits allow
us to accommodate for any changes that
may be needed. How do I care for my ocular prosthesis? Please see the section on this site called “Care for your Prosthetic.” How often will I have to remove the prosthesis? Removing a prosthesis depends upon the comfort of each patient. Some patients must clean their prosthesis once a day and others once a week. Your Ocularist will help determine the best cleaning schedule for you. Cover shells over an exiting globe/cornea must be removed before retiring at night to rest the cornea/globe.
Please see the section on this site called “Care for your Prosthetic.”
Most of the ocular prosthetics from our office have some sort of marking, such as numbers, to show you the top. Please refer to “Care of your Prosthetic.” Will wearing a prosthesis hinder me from doing anything? In most cases, the wearing of a prosthetic eye should not prevent you from performing your daily routine, activity or occupation. We do recommend that you wear protective eyewear especially while participateing in sports, such as goggles while swimming, safety glasses while playing tennis, etc. It is recommended that you wear polycarbonate lenses to protect your sighted eye. What are the different types of ocular prostheses? Different types of ocular prostheses include scleral cover shells, impression fitted ocular prostheses, empirical custom ocular prostheses, expansion conformers, and prostheses for congenital anomalies. Please refer to “Services” for descriptions of each of these types of prostheses. What is involved in obtaining an ocular prosthesis for my child? There is no one answer to this question. Every case is different and unique. You will need to have a consultation with an Ophthalmologist and/or Ocularist to help answer this question.
Please refer to “Care for your Prosthetic.” Physicians - Frequently asked questions: How soon do you want to see patients after surgery? When you feel the patient is ready. We generally recommend the following:
A new prosthesis usually takes 3-4 appointments to fit and fabricate, depending on the case. We accept most major insurances. All insurance policies are different. We will gladly work with the patient and their insurance company to verify his or her coverage.
If an infection in the eye socket is present, in most cases, the patient should not be without wearing their prosthesis more than 24 hours. Any longer than 24 hours could lead to the socket contracting. If possible, the patient should have something in the socket to keep contractions from occurring.
We believe that communication between the Ocularist and Ophthalmologist and/or Ocular Plastic Surgeon is necessary and the key to achieving the best result for the patient. There are times that adjustments either to the prosthetic eye, orbit, or lid may need to be made for optimum results. |
