Policyholder Services

Does my Surgery Class 1 rating cover me for sealing corneal perforations with tissue adhesive?

Although the act of gluing a corneal perforation is not technically difficult, the risks associated with this activity warrant Surgery Class 2 rating. Eyes with corneal perforations generally have significant underlying pathology, such as corneal ulcers, trauma, serious infectious keratitis, or wound leaks, and are at high risk of further complications.  Such eyes often require urgent corneal transplant surgery or other intraocular surgery, and treatment involves complex decision making. In addition, tissue adhesive can be very inflammatory and is not without its own potential complications. Furthermore, the adhesive is not FDA-approved for this purpose; its use would be considered off-label.   For these reasons, coverage for sealing corneal perforations with tissue adhesive is not included within the Surgery Class 1 rate.

For a list of common procedures covered under each of OMIC’s four coverage classifications, please click here.