Co-Management and Your Care

Coastal Vision Medical utilizes a co-management approach to patient care for surgical cases including cataracts, glaucoma, and refractive surgeries like LASIK. Co-management is a collaborative relationship that exists between your surgeon and your optometrist, ophthalmologist, or primary care physician to provide you with the best pre/post-operative care. We believe that this approach improves the quality of care, especially as it applies to following your case long-term. Co-management maximizes the benefits to the patient by utilizing the expertise of both providers to their utmost potential.

​​​​​​​​​​​How Co-Management Benefits You

• Improved patient advocacy

• Optimized methods for ocular surface health pre- and post-operatively

• Agreed upon safe and advanced technologies to treat conditions

• Detailed medical records for efficient transfer of care

How Co-Management Works

1. You visit your optometrist as your primary care doctor for your eyes. They know your medical history and have the most knowledge about your eyes’ stability over time. This information is essential for your ophthalmologist when discussing surgical options.

2. Your optometrist refers you to an ophthalmologist when your case requires specialty care. For example, if you want LASIK surgery to correct your vision.

3. Your ophthalmologist is responsible for customizing your surgical options and works closely with your optometrist to understand your medical history. Your optometrist and ophthalmologist will perform pre- and post-operative exams as part of your surgical plan.

4. Once the post-operative exam reveals no significant complications, your ophthalmologist will provide a plan to your optometrist to continue your long-term care, indicating any details that would maximize post-operative results.

5. Your optometrist continues to follow up on your care plan over time. If there is a case that requires specialty intervention, your optometrist will refer you to the appropriate doctor.

6. Your ophthalmologist will continue to be available if your case becomes emergent or requires specialty follow up. Communication between your optometrist and your ophthalmologist remains open, and the frequency will depend on your case.

Successful Co-Management

​​​​​​​At Coastal Vision Medical Group, we value effective and efficient communication to foster a successful co-managing relationship. We are committed to partnering with optometrists, ophthalmologists, and primary care physicians that share our philosophies, core values, and best practices in eye care. Coastal Vision believes that strong co-managing relationships allow all doctors following your case to assess your care and advocate for you according to their expertise.

Coastal Vision Medical Group has over 20 years of experience with co-management and we have built a strong rapport with the optometric community. We have successfully customized patient experiences and have developed trust with our affiliates. If you have any questions about the co-management process, our surgical consultants, doctors and staff are available to discuss with you.