Policyholder Services

I am considering expanding my practice to include Sports Vision Therapy. Will OMIC cover me for these services?

Sports vision therapy is an approach to improving the patient’s visual performance in sports-related activities. It consists of the evaluation of the patient’s visual function, identification and treatment of pathology (if any) that may inhibit visual function, and the use of various eye exercises and devices to enhance visual function.  In this respect, visual function includes not only visual acuity but also depth perception, contrast sensitivity, hand-eye coordination, reaction time, and accommodation. Methods for improving visual function may include the use of Dynavision, saccades exercises, Brock string, and other techniques.

OMIC’s policy extends coverage for claims resulting from injury to a patient because of a professional services incident arising from direct patient treatment. Should a patient allege injury from sports vision therapy you provide, your policy will respond. Please note, however, that OMIC will not pay any damages attributed to guarantees regarding the results of sports vision therapy or otherwise involving the therapy’s success in improving sports performance.  To minimize the risk of these types of claims, the physician should have a careful discussion with the patient regarding the goals of sports vision therapy and counsel the patient that improvement in sports performance cannot be guaranteed.  This discussion should be documented in the patient’s medical record. If possible, the patient should also sign a statement to this effect.