We’ve listed a few suggestions below to help you prepare for your first appointment.
This visit involves taking a detailed history of your medical history, a comprehensive dilated eye exam, performing diagnostic testing (i.e. fundus photos, fluorescein angiogram, OCT, and others as needed), and discussion of your diagnosis and treatment plan. Some patients may need treatment on the same day. Subsequent follow-up exams are typically quicker. We always do our best to stay on schedule. But due to the nature of our field, we often have to add emergent patients to our schedule. We will notify you of any long delay.
Most visits will involve dilation of your pupils in order to exam your eye and treat your condition. Your vision may be blurred for several hours. We recommend that you do not drive during that time.
Exceptions are when your doctor is not available, in surgery or in a different office. All of the Retina Consultant doctors have similar experience and training and share similar goals with patient care. We hope you will feel comfortable with any of them, especially in an urgent situation. Thank you for entrusting your care to the Retina Consultants of Southern Colorado.
The physician may conduct a retinal photography test called FA. After dilating the pupils, the physician will inject a dye into the patient’s arm. The dye then circulates through the eyes and works like a food coloring. As the dye circulates, the physician takes pictures of the retina to accurately detect blood vessels that are closed, damaged, or leaking fluid. The pictures are black and white to help the doctor detect these changes more easily, but the process does not expose you to any radiation.
An OCT test provides highly detailed cross-sectional images of the retina that show its thickness, helping determine whether fluid has leaked into retinal tissue. The physician may take fundus photographs of the back of the eye to help detect and document diseases. These photos make it easier for the physician to monitor the disease on follow-up visits to determine if it is worsening.
Retina Consultants of Southern Colorado accepts most forms of insurance and will directly bill your insurance carrier. We ask that you contact us prior to your appointment to verify your benefits and eligibility. If your insurance provider requires a co-payment for your office visit, please expect to pay that amount in full on the day of your visit. You are responsible for payment of all services that are not covered by your insurance plan. Any balance not covered is due within 30 days of your scheduled appointment. We accept patients who do not have insurance and are self-pay, with payment plan options available. Please contact our billing department at 719-473-9595 for more information.
