At Lang Family Eye Care, patient health is our number one priority. Ensuring every patient receives the best care often involves developing trusted partnerships with other healthcare providers. Whether you are an eye care patient or a referring physician, we are excited to work with you! We are as passionate about our referral partners as our eye health clients. Both Drs. Lang and staff value and protect each relationship. We often work with our patients’ primary care providers as well as their other eye care professionals. Click one of the options here to learn how we partner with both to provide the very best care to our patients.
For Optometrists and Other Providers:
As healthcare providers, our ultimate goal is to ensure that our patients receive the best possible care. Effective communication between optometrists and other physicians is crucial. This is especially pertinent with Ortho-K recommendations, where clear and comprehensive referrals can significantly impact the quality and efficiency of patient care.
Most of our referrals from other providers are for Ortho-K and other specialty contact lenses. Ideal candidates include:
- Adults who have myopic prescriptions
- Individuals with lesser degrees of astigmatism
- Children as young as seven years old who have a family history of nearsightedness
- Individuals with an active lifestyle who find glasses or contact lenses inconvenient or unsuitable during sports activities
If you have a question regarding a specific patient, contact our office to discuss their chart. We will give our honest opinion on whether your patient is a good patient for Ortho-K or other specialty lenses we provide.
Maintaining Your Patient Relationships While Partnering With Lang Family Eye Care
As specialists in Ortho-K, we often get referrals from other optometrists who don’t specialize in this type of vision correction. An optometrist may worry about referring a client to our clinic for Othero-K in fear of losing their patient. Not to worry, when you refer a child to Drs. Lang for Ortho-K or other eye health services, we will ensure that they, any other members of the family who are your current patients, stay your patients. We respect your practice and will only see the referred patient for the referred procedure and leave everything else in your hands. Whenever possible, follow-up appointments will be turned back over to your office.
Keeping You Informed
To foster a successful referral relationship, Drs. Lang and staff know it’s essential to maintain open lines of communication. We are committed to promptly returning calls and messages to demonstrate we are accessible and dedicated to collaborative care. Referring physicians may request information about the patient’s treatment plan at any time and will be provided with all information necessary for proper follow-up.
Referrals From PCPs and Other Medical Professionals
As a primary care physician or pediatrician, you are often the first to notice vision problems in children. Medical professionals who recognize more significant ocular symptoms such as strabismus, pediatric cataracts, or amblyopia should refer to an optometrist. Even if a child presents with mild myopia or hyperopia, it may be wise to refer to an eye doctor to ensure no underlying problems beyond a refractive error.
Both Drs. Lang have seen many pediatric patients who had seen other medical specialists before an ocular diagnosis was made. Neurologists, psychiatrists, and other specialists have recognized vision problems that mimic the symptoms of other conditions. If you are concerned that a patient may have an underlying vision problem, we encourage you to contact our office to discuss the case. (See also our recent article The Case of ADHD Misdiagnosis: Functional Vision Problems Can be the Culprit not ADHD.)
How to Refer a Patient
If you are looking to refer a patient for Ortho-K or other specialty contact lenses, please contact our office to start the referral process. First and foremost, the foundation of a successful ophthalmology referral is a complete and informative summary report. This should encompass a summary of the reason for the referral and a comprehensive history of the patient’s health.
What Your Patients Can Expect
At Lang Family Eye Care, we’re not just about glasses and contact lenses. We’re about comprehensive eye care and patient education. When your patients book an appointment with us, they will have a comprehensive exam lasting anywhere from 30-60 minutes, during which our experts assess total eye health, including eye alignment, coordination, pressure, and neurological function.
For children, we perform comprehensive pediatric eye exams that evaluate numerous vital parameters such as depth perception, near vision, eye alignment, and coordination. We assess pupils’ reactivity—a measure of neurological function—and measure eye pressure to rule out conditions like congenital glaucoma. We also capture retinal photography for yearly comparisons and check on ocular comfort and internal eye health.
For Patients:
Navigating the world of eye health can seem confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. Here, we discuss the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist and when you or your child should see each provider.
Optometrists
Drs. Lang are optometrists or Doctors of Optometry. Our comprehensive training equips us for primary vision care, including adult and pediatric eye exams, eyewear prescriptions, and diagnosing and treating eye diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. Optometrists with the necessary certification can sometimes prescribe oral or topical medications for various eye health issues. If an eye condition requires surgical intervention, optometrists refer you to ophthalmologists.
Ophthalmologists
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors specializing in treating eye diseases and carrying out eye surgeries. They’ve had an extensive medical journey—completing a Bachelor’s degree, four-year medical school, and a residency specializing in ophthalmology. We offer most treatments in-house at Lang Family Eye Care, but we will refer you for an ophthalmologist appointment if you require surgical care.
Referrals for Ortho-K
If you or your child has recently seen an optometrist for myopia control, you may have heard mention of Ortho-K. Orthokeratology, also called Ortho-K, is a treatment using special contact lenses to reshape the cornea’s contour while you sleep. These lenses are similar in concept to dental braces, but for your eyes that flatten the cornea according to your prescription. These lenses are the only FDA-approved treatment to slow the progression of myopia (nearsightedness). Ortho-K is an excellent option for kids whose vision has not yet stabilized enough for LASIK and other surgeries. This is a great way to ensure that a child’s myopia will be in control when they are done growing.
Not every eye care provider can offer Ortho-K. That’s why many optometrists will refer patients to Lang Family Eye Care when they believe you may be a good candidate for this treatment. Talk to your optometrist or ophthalmologist for more information about their referral process.
Do I Need A Referral To See An Eye Doctor?
Emergencies aside, booking an appointment with an eye care specialist doesn’t always require a referral. We are happy to take walk-ins at Lang Family Eye Care, but you may want to call ahead of time if able to ensure a minimal wait time.
Certain circumstances may involve a referral. Should your primary care provider or pediatrician discern any specific vision dilemmas requiring specialized care, they may recommend you to an optometrist. Depending on the complexity of the issue, this additional examination or tailored vision correction ensures you receive appropriate treatment.
In more serious cases, presenting symptoms of complex eye diseases requiring surgical therapies may warrant a referral to an ophthalmologist. These specialists provide advanced medical attention, focusing on health issues that are beyond an optometrist’s scope of practice.
Notwithstanding personal health concerns, your insurance policy might also influence the necessity of referrals. Certain insurance plans necessitate a recommendation from your primary care doctor before seeing a specialist like an ophthalmologist.
Pediatric Eye Care Referrals
It is essential to manage your child’s eye health early to avoid potential vision problems that may hamper their learning. Children should ideally have their first vision screening before their first birthday. This should be followed by regular screenings between the ages of 3 and 5 and again at age 5. It’s worth noting that children born prematurely may face vision issues and thus require more comprehensive eye exams from a kids’ eye doctor.
While a pediatrician can typically carry out these screenings, their exams are often very basic and can miss many vision problems in children. To ensure the most comprehensive exam, it is best to schedule an appointment at Lang Family Eye Care. For instance, if your child seems unable to see things clearly at close or far distances, we can help determine the issue and offer corrective measures. (See also our article 8 Hidden Signs Your Child May Have Vision Problems.)
Another reason a pediatrician may refer your child to an eye doctor is due to ‘lazy eye’ or amblyopia, or if there’s a family history of vision problems. Diabetic children should also see an eye doctor annually, as diabetes complications may cause vision issues.
If you notice or suspect an eye problem or have a family history of concerning eye conditions, we recommend you come to our office for a pediatric eye exam. Early diagnosis helps effectively manage the issue and prevents it from worsening, increasing the chances of successful treatment.
Optimize Patient Health with Lang Family Eye Care
The Lang Family Eye Care experience is about comprehensive, personalized care that puts the patient first. We are here to partner with other providers, not compete. Whether you are a current eye care patient or another medical professional in the New Berlin or Waukesha County area, we look forward to working with you. Contact our office today and learn how you can benefit from an optometry referral to Lang Family Eye Care.
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