Our Philosophy and Policies

Your vision and healthcare is our utmost priority here at Beach Cities Laser Vision and we believe that you should be cared for by a team who aligns with your values. Please review our policies and philosophy regarding appointments, cancellations, payments, and post-operative care to ensure your best possible experience. If you do not align with our philosophy, we will try to provide you with alternative options to the best of our ability.

1. Appointment Scheduling

Consultation: To schedule an initial consultation, please call our office or book online. A non-refundable fee of $300 is required to reserve your appointment, which will be applied toward the cost of surgery if you proceed. This may be waived if this is your initial consultation with us and you have not had a prior procedure.
Surgery Scheduling: Once you’ve been deemed a candidate for refractive surgery, we will schedule your procedure. A deposit of $100 is required to secure the date.

2. Cancellation and Rescheduling Policy

Consultation Cancellations: We require a minimum of 24 hours' notice for cancellations or rescheduling of initial consultations. If less than 24 hours' notice is provided, the consultation fee will not be refunded. A $50 late cancellation fee will be assessed if your initial consult fee was waived. This is to minimize cancellations that may affect other patients and not to nickel and dime you.
Surgery Cancellations:

Cancellations made more than 7 days prior to the surgery date will result in a full refund of the deposit.
Cancellations made within 7 days of the scheduled surgery will forfeit 50% of the deposit.
Surgery rescheduling is allowed up to 3 days before the procedure without penalty. Changes within 72 hours of surgery may incur a rescheduling fee of $300. A late reschedule affects other patients and takes staff resources which is the purpose of the fee.
Emergency cancellations by patient or practice sometimes do happen and can be unavoidable - these will be addressed on a case by case basis

3. Payment Policies

Payment Methods: We accept all major credit cards and debit cards. Financing options are available through Alpheon; please inquire for details.
Payment Timing: Payment for the full balance of your surgery or Payment plan commencement is due 48 hours prior to your procedure.
Refund Policy:

Once the surgery is completed, no refunds will be issued.
For pre-paid surgeries that are cancelled before the procedure date (with proper notice), a refund minus any non-refundable deposits or fees will be processed within 7-10 business days.

4. Insurance Policy

Please note that we do not accept insurance for any of our services or surgeries. Our practice operates as a cash-pay only practice for the following reasons:

We believe in delivering the highest standard of care without external influences. Insurance companies often attempt to dictate treatment options and protocols, which may not be in the best interest of the patient.
By avoiding insurance billing, we ensure that your care is personalized, based solely on what’s best for your eyes and long-term visual health, without restrictions or limitations imposed by third parties.

5. Pre-Operative Testing

Required Testing: Certain diagnostic tests are required to determine your eligibility for surgery. These may include refraction, corneal topography, fundus photography and slit lamp exam or other specialized imaging. The costs for pre-operative screening are separate from surgery fees and must be paid at the time of testing unless waived.
To get your most accurate test results and avoid repeat exams, we recommend that you stay out of soft contacts for 3 days prior, use artificial tears 4x/day, use a hot moist towel compress for 5 minutes twice a day, scrub your lashes with Ocusoft foaming scrub while showering. These are good general practices to maintain eye surface health whether or not you have a procedure. Also, remember to take screen time breaks!
Our screening tests are thorough and aim to identify common eye problems that may affect the results of the procedure. However, they are screening exams and if you want to have an exam to rule out eye pathology, we recommend you seek the relevant specific specialist eg. General Ophthalmology, Retina, Glaucoma, Pediatric or Neuro-ophthalmologist.

Validity of Results: Pre-operative test results are valid for up to 6 months. If your surgery is scheduled beyond this window, some tests may need to be repeated at an additional charge.

6. In-House Laser Surgery

We perform all of our laser surgeries in-house at our state-of-the-art facility. This allows us to:

Ensure consistency, precision and convenience in the procedures we perform.
Provide the highest level of safety and comfort for our patients.
Control the entire surgical experience, from pre-op testing through the procedure and follow-up care.

Our advanced technology and dedicated surgical team enable us to deliver exceptional outcomes while maintaining a patient-centric approach throughout your journey.

7. Post-Operative Care

Follow-Up Visits and medication: Your procedure fee is all-inclusive for routine post-operative visits (1-3 days, 1-week, 1-3 months, 6-12 months) and medication. Any necessary enhancements are also covered at no additional cost. Enhancement candidacy will be determined by your surgeon based on efficacy and safety.
Enhancement Policy: Enhancement candidacy will be determined by your surgeon based on efficacy and safety.
Emergency Care: Emergencies from our procedures are exceedingly rare. If you experience any urgent concerns after surgery, please contact our office immediately. We are unable to accommodate general eye emergencies unrelated to our procedures.

9. Privacy Policy

We take your privacy very seriously and comply with all HIPAA regulations regarding the protection of your personal health information (PHI). For more details, please review our full Privacy Policy available here.

10. COVID-19 and Respiratory Illness Policy

The safety of our patients and staff is our top priority. We have implemented the following measures:

Screening: Patients are asked to notify our office if they experience any symptoms prior to their appointment and to reschedule appropriately
Masks: All patients and staff are encouraged to wear masks within the facility when symptomatic
Sanitization: We follow strict sanitization protocols between all patients

By adhering to these policies, we aim to provide the highest quality care and service to all of our patients. Thank you for choosing our practice for your refractive surgery needs!