Policyholder Services

Can OMIC insure me if I practice at a commercial refractive laser center?

OMIC has no restrictions that prohibit an insured from practicing at a commercial refractive laser center. However, to qualify for coverage, the physician must comply with OMIC’s conservative underwriting guidelines.

Some commercial centers follow a practice model in which optometrists or others conduct all pre-operative exams, select patients for surgery, educate the patient regarding the risks and benefits of the procedure, and conduct all post-operative exams; the surgeon meets the patient for the first and only time on the day of surgery. This practice pattern falls outside OMIC’s underwriting guidelines and exposes the surgeon to increased risks that may be difficult to defend.

Insureds who perform refractive surgery should perform an independent evaluation of the patient’s eligibility for surgery and personally conduct an informed consent discussion with each patient. In addition, the surgeon or a designated ophthalmologist should perform at least the first post-operative visit.

Updated 12/8/2015