Ancillary Services

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute offers comprehensive ophthalmic care to infants, children and adults for almost every ophthalmic disease and disorder. Additionally, the Institute provides a full spectrum of ancillary and diagnostic services.

Clinical Laboratory - Radiology Services
305-326-6183

Certified personnel provide routine Laboratory and Radiology Services for inpatients, out-patient surgical, clinic patients and clinical research patients. Operating hours Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.

Clinical Studies
305-326-6505

This service functions as a center for all clinical research trials throughout the Institute, providing appropriate clinical research-related information to patients and referring physicians. The faculty and the institute participate in major national clinical trials in many different ophthalmic modalities.

Contact Lens and Prosthetics
305-326-6095

The Contact Lens Department dispenses prescription lenses for all vision disorders and specializes in providing contact lens correction for patients with keratoconus, aphakia, or other related conditions, and for patients who exhibit fitting problems. Additionally, an ocularist is available to fabricate and fit customized prosthetic devices, including scleral shells, masking corneal contact lenses, and complete artificial eyes.

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Department of Anesthesiology
305-326-6543

The Department of Anesthesiology at Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital is dedicated to providing compassionate, timely, state-of-the-art perioperative clinical care to our patients. Services include intraoperative anesthesia, preoperative evaluation, perioperative medicine, and postoperative pain management. We also provide education and training at all levels and investigate new ideas via clinical and basic research.

Division of Blind Services
305-326-6138
305-377-5339

The Division of Blind Services (DBS) offers a wide range of services to individuals who are blind or severely visually impaired. A DBS Liason maintains an office within Bascom Palmer's Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital. Services are provided to assist individuals to obtain or maintain employment. Services are also provided to assist non-working adults and children to live more independently in their homes and community. For further information please refer to the DBS web site: www.state.fl.us/dbs.

Echography
305-326-6330

The Echography Department provides state-of-the-art diagnostic and biometric ultrasound examinations of the eye and orbit. Echography is a painless, non-invasive procedure that is performed by experienced diagnosticians. A variety of intraocular conditions including retinal and choroidal detachments, foreign bodies, tumors and anterior segment abnormalities may be detected and differentiated. In the orbit, echography is useful for detecting and differentiating tumors, extraocular muscle disease and optic nerve disorders. Intraocular lens calculations also are provided using the most up-to-date equipment, examination techniques and formulas.

Electrophysiology
305-326-6305

The visual physiology unit provides non-invasive tests which measure electrical signals generated by the retina and the brain in response to light. The electroretinogram and the electro-oculogram are useful in a variety of disorders including retinal degenerations while the visual evoked potential is helpful in determining visual dysfunction caused by the brain.

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Florida Lions Eye Bank
305-326-6359
(24-Hour Line: 305-324-4340)
Toll Free: 800-329-7000, ext. 6359

Located within the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute facility in Miami, the Florida Lions Eye Bank is one of the most successful ophthalmic tissue banks in the country. During the past 40 years, approximately 57,000 corneas and scleras have been provided for transplantation throughout South Florida and around the world. The Eye Bank also has provided 25,000 eyes for research, working closely with Bascom Palmer's departments, such as the biophysics laboratory. The Florida Lions Eye Bank also operates a Pathology Laboratory located at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Physicians from all over Florida send tissue to this lab to be studied for diagnostic purposes. For more information please visit The Florida Lions Eye Bank web site at www.fleb.org.

Health Information Management (Medical Records)
305-326-6333

Patient medical information may be obtained from the Health Information Management Department. If you would like a copy of your medical record, please contact the Release of Information Coordinator. Patient records requiring signatures and dictation are maintained in the department. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Low Vision/The Lois Pope LIFE Care Center/The Jewish Guild for the Blind Vision Rehabilitation Services
Miami: 305-326-6136
Palm Beach Gardens: 561-515-1500

The Low Vision Clinics in Miami and Palm Beach Gardens provide specialized services designed to improve the visual function of patients whose sight has been impaired because of a vision disorder or trauma. Training is provided in the use of optical, electronic and non-optical low vision aids to improve patients’ utilization of their existing vision. The Low Vision Clinics also offer referrals to counseling and rehabilitation services.

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Microbiology
305-326-6034

Ocular microbiology investigates the etiology of infections affecting the eye and surrounding tissues. Microbiology actively investigates clinical modalities to learn the cause of infections and their best course of treatment. Current interests include diagnosis and treatment of corneal ulcers and endophthalmitis. The microbiology lab provides specialized services for microbiologists and physicians throughout the world.

MRI Center
305-326-6144

Comprehensive diagnostic imaging is available at the MRI Center, located on the ground floor of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami. Leading edge technology at the MRI Center is offered by the Siemens Symphony, an advanced high-speed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner designed with an open feeling to reduce or eliminate anxiety, claustrophobia or patient weight limitations and offers patient-friendly lighting, ventilation and communications equipment. The MRI Center’s board-certified radiologists have subspecialty training and certification, and are supported by an outstanding medical team of MR-certified technicians committed to excellent patient care and service. Patient appointments are obtainable within 1-2 days and sedation is available.

Nursing
305-326-6552

A professional staff of registered nurses provides care for ambulatory surgery, inpatient, pre-admission and outpatient clinic patients.

Ophthalmic Photography
305-326-6053

A wide range of photographic services is offered through Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s Photography Department, including fluorescein angiography, fluorescein on digital imagenet systems and indocyanine green dye test, photographs of the anterior segment, iris angiography, goniophotography, corneascope photos, wide-field specular microscopy, and optical coherence tomography. Most diagnostic procedures are processed and read on the same day. Copies of patients' photographs and a transcription of the physician’s report are mailed to the referring doctor’s office. A complete photography laboratory is staffed with experienced ophthalmic photographers and technicians. The Photography Department provides educational sessions at Bascom Palmer and at sites around the country and participates in many national studies.

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Optical Centers
Miami: 305-326-6092
Palm Beach: 561-515-1560

Optical Services are located within Bascom Palmer's facilities in Miami and Palm Beach Gardens to provide optimal care in the field of optics. In addition to our exceptional selection of ophthalmic ladies’, men’s and children’s eyewear, our center is an excellent resource for educational information pertaining to new and rare specialty eyewear products. These include moisture chamber eyewear (for dry eye syndrome), and ptosis crutch (for lid aperture aid), among others. We have the capability of manufacturing lenses that offer the latest in technological advances, as well as greatly improving overall visual effects and cosmetics. All eyewear dispensed meets or exceeds ANSI standards.

We take great pride in our patient care and provide additional services and benefits, including:

• 10% discount on all Bascom Palmer prescriptions
• Free eyewear delivery service to limited areas
• Honoring doctor’s change of prescription
• Special discounts for Bascom Palmer, University of Miami, and Jackson Memorial Hospital employees, students and family members.

We are open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. No appointments are necessary, except for specialty fittings. We accept Medicare/Medicaid as well as most insurance providers, and offer a discount for plans in which we do not participate.

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Optometric Services
305-243-2020

The Optometric Service Department provides comprehensive primary eye care to patients including ocular health assessment, treatment and management of ocular disease, and consultation and referral to more specialized services when appropriate. Other services include complicated refractions, prismatic corrections for patients with strabismus and comanagement of postoperative patients. Appointments can be made by calling 305-243-2020.

Pathology
305-326-6356

Since its establishment in 1962, the Pathology Laboratory has examined more than 50,000 specimens generated from both internal and referred requests. More than 2000 specimens are processed each year. Comprehensive reports are promptly returned to surgeons. The Pathology Laboratory maintains an extensive library of microscopic slides for use by physicians and students.

Patient Financial Services/Hospital
(Billing for the Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital)
305-326-6167

Customer Service Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. to answer questions regarding patients’ hospital accounts.

Patient Financial Services/Physician
(Billing for Physician’s Services at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute)
305-326-6340

Customer Service Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. to answer questions regarding patients’ physician accounts.

Pharmacy
305-326-6520

The Bascom Palmer Pharmacy offers the most comprehensive pharmaceutical services of any ophthalmic institution in the world and is responsible for purchasing, storing and dispensing all medications administered to Bascom Palmer patients. The pharmacist performs medication counseling and monitoring and prepares extemporaneous compounds such as eye drops, eye injections and intravenous injections. Clinical information concerning medication therapy is provided to health care professionals. Physicians on staff may order prescriptions and have medications mailed directly to the patient. Physicians not on staff may also have prescriptions dispensed to their patients for medications that are specially prepared by the pharmacist.

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