Preparing for a Clinic Visit
We look forward to seeing you in the clinic for your upcoming appointment! Treating patients is the core of our mission and we are happy to be caring for you or your family member.
If you need directions to find the location of your appointment, please visit the location page for your clinic for further information.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
When you arrive at the clinic, please check in at the front desk. At our OHC location, someone at our atrium desk can direct you to where you will need to check in.
To help us facilitate check-in, there are a number of items you will need to bring to your appointment. These include:
- Insurance card(s)
- Driver’s license or other photo identification (e.g. military or state ID)
- Referral or authorization (required by HMO or managed care programs)
- Medical records regarding any previous care you have received related to your current problem
- Office visit copayment (we accept cash, checks, and major credit cards) which will be due when you check in
- Payment for any non-covered services including a refraction fee if necessary (these will be due either at check-in or when you check out)
What to Expect at Your Appointment
If this is your first visit to one of our eye care providers, you should expect your appointment to last up to 90 minutes on average (although appointments with our low vision or neuro-ophthalmology subspecialists may last longer). This is primarily because it is the practice of our physicians to dilate your eyes during your visit. Dilation is part of a comprehensive eye examination that allows for a thorough evaluation of your overall eye health and vision. Click here to learn more about comprehensive eye exams.
Your eyes will be dilated after you have been initially called back and worked up by an eye care technician. The dilating eye drops take 20-30 minutes to take effect. While waiting on the drops to work, you may be asked to sit out in the waiting area. Once your eyes have dilated, you will be called back again and the physician will examine your eyes.
Should your physician determine you need diagnostic imaging or testing, this will likely be added to your appointment. This might lengthen the time you are with us, but such testing can be crucial in determining your eye health or vision needs.
Please note that during your eye examination, a refraction will likely be performed to determine the amount of prescription you need for eyeglasses or contacts. Medicare and most other medical insurances will not cover the refraction portion of your eye exam as they consider it a non-covered service. If it is non-covered, there will be a fee of $30 collected at the end of your visit.
After your appointment, you will check out back where you checked in. At this time, you will pay any known outstanding fees (such as a refractive fee) and schedule your next appointment, if one is recommended. Please follow any directions your doctor provided for ongoing care of your eyes. If you are in the market for new glasses, an optical shop is located at each of our four DMEI clinics for your convenience.
Dean McGee Eye Institute – Here to Serve You
We appreciate you choosing the Dean McGee Eye Institute for your eye care needs. If you have any questions related to your visit, please contact us. We are happy to help you!