For Patients
About NEEC
The New England Eye Center is a recognized leader in the medical and surgical treatment of disorders of the eye, serving as a local, national, and international consultation center. Our ophthalmologists hold appointments at Tufts University School of Medicine, and the New England Eye Center is part of Tufts Medical Center, the principal teaching hospital of the school of medicine located in downtown Boston. In addition to Boston, the New England Eye Center has locations in Brighton, Brookline, Cambridge, Framingham, and Wellesley, Massachusetts.
Plan Your Visit
We are looking forward to your visit to the New England Eye Center. As our patient, you will receive superb eye care. Please review the below information to prepare you for your appointment.
What to Expect
We are committed to providing the highest standard of care. Because of the complexity of the eye exam, please allow up to 3 hours for your appointment.
Your eye evaluation may include an assessment by an ophthalmic technician, diagnostic imaging testing, your clinician’s examination, and possible treatment.
An appointment consists of these steps
Your eye evaluation may include an assessment by an ophthalmic technician, diagnostic imaging testing, your clinician’s examination, and possible treatment.
An appointment consists of these steps
- Arrival and Registration (15 minutes): Upon arrival at your scheduled time, you will begin registration to update your health insurance, contact information, and provide payment for co-pays or deductibles. We will ask you to register for MyChart to access your medical records online. It provides a convenient method of communication with your doctor’s office. You can renew prescriptions, review test results, view your eyeglasses prescription, send messages, request appointments, and more – all online. You may also elect to receive notifications by text message for future appointments.
- Testing and Procedures (60 minutes): You will then be seen by an ophthalmic technician who will initiate the necessary preliminary questions regarding your history, medications, and testing. This may include dilation of your eyes and diagnostic imaging. During this time, you may also be seen by other members of our clinical care team.
- Clinician Evaluation (15 to 60 minutes based on the complexity of your eye condition): Once the above steps are completed and your eyes have dilated for at least 30 minutes (if needed), your doctor will perform an evaluation. An explanation of your diagnosis will be given and any questions you may have will be answered.
- Treatment (30 minutes): Based on the diagnosis, possible treatment may be done at this time.
- Check-Out (15 minutes): Future appointments will be scheduled and an After Visit Summary will be provided.
After Your appointment
Please be aware that eye drops for dilation may last several hours. During this time your vision may be blurry and you may have light sensitivity. It may not be safe to drive yourself after having your eyes dilated. You should plan to have someone drive you after your appointment.
What to Bring
For an adult visit, please being these items to your appointment
- Prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses
- Sunglasses (for light sensitivity after your examination)
- List of all your current medications (including eye drops)
- Pertinent medical records
- A photo ID
- Names, e-mail address, and fax numbers for your non-Tufts physicians
- Proof of insurance coverage
- Authorization or referral forms if required by your insurance company
- Questions for your doctor
- Bottles, baby formula, and diapers for infants
- Favorite toy or other special items needed for your child's comfort
- Blanket
- Snacks
- Any needed legal papers if applicable
Payments and Insurance/Health Plan Coverage
Co-payments and deductibles are collected at the time of your appointment. For payment, we accept credit cards. Cash or personal check are not accepted. If you have questions regarding your insurance coverage, contact your insurance carrier directly.
Cancel or Reschedule Your Appointment
If you must change or cancel your appointment, please call us at 617-636-4600 or 800-231-3316 (toll-free) to schedule a new appointment.
Language Services
At the New England Eye Center, video-telecommunication interpreters are available to assist communication between health care providers and patients whose primary language is not English.
Preparing For Surgery
In preparation for your surgery, you will need a medical health evaluation. Your medical provider must provide the surgeon's office the following information:
- Medical Clearance: The provider's office visit note must state that the patient is cleared to proceed with surgery as planned. It must be signed and dated within 30 days of your scheduled surgery date. This clinic note must be sent to our office at least 2 weeks prior to surgery date. Our contact information is:
- Mailing address: 800 Washington St., Box 450, Boston, MA 02111
- Telephone: 617-636-4600
- Fax: 617-636-4866
- List of medication(s) and doses
- Copy of the most recent EKG if applicable
- Patients with an ICD / Pacemaker need a note from the Cardiologist/Primary Care Provider with device name and pacer dependency
Anesthesia at Tufts Medical Center
After your medical history is submitted to our pre-procedure team at the Tufts Center for PreOperative Assessment/Anesthesia, the nurse screeners will contact you within the week before surgery. They will ask you questions about your medical and surgical history, and you will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss any concerns you may have. Their contact information is:
Anesthesia Nurse Line:
Anesthesia Nurse Line:
- Hours: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Telephone: 617-636-7235
- After Hours: 617-636-8463
Surgery Locations
Surgery may be performed in one of three locations depending on your surgeon and the type of surgery that you are having:
Tufts Medical Center:
Tufts Medical Center:
Patients are typically requested to arrive 2 hours before your scheduled start time to the surgery center which is located at:
Tufts Medical Center - South Building 5th Floor
860 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111
However, arrival times are subject to change. You will receive a call from the surgery department the day before your arrival time to confirm.
SurgiSite BostonPatients will receive a call from the surgery center 2-3 days prior to their surgery date and be provided with an arrival time. On the day of surgery, patients will arrive to:
SurgiSite Boston
1440 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02451
Patients will receive a call from the surgery center 2-3 days prior to their surgery date and be provided with an arrival time. On the day of surgery, patients will arrive to:
Boston Vision
24 Webster Place, Brookline, MA 02445
Eye Emergency
IMPORTANT: If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.
The New England Eye Center provides emergency eye care through the Tufts Medical Center Emergency Department at our Boston location.
Seek emergency eye care for the following symptoms:
Seek emergency eye care for the following symptoms:
- Severe eye injury
- Change in eyesight or sudden loss of all or part of your vision
- Sudden onset of double vision
- Severe or sharp pain in or around your eye
- Sudden onset of flashes or floaters
- Curtain or veil covering part of your vision
- Redness with eye pain
- Bulging, painful eye
- Tearing associated with pain in or around your eye
- Severe pain or pressure sensation after an eye injection, surgery, or trauma
- A liquid or powder chemical contacting your eye that causes irritation
Hours Of Operation
The Tufts Medical Center Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Location and contact:
Tufts Medical Center Emergency Department
830 Washington St.
North Building, 1st floor
Boston, MA 02111
Tel: 617-636-5566
Location and contact:
Tufts Medical Center Emergency Department
830 Washington St.
North Building, 1st floor
Boston, MA 02111
Tel: 617-636-5566
Medical Records
Accessing and Requesting your medical records
We understand that your medical records are very personal and should be kept confidential. We take this very seriously and follow the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) strictly to ensure that your records are always safe and secure.
Before releasing any documents, you must fill out and sign the Authorization for the Release of Health Information form. This is to make sure that your information is going to the right person. Sometimes, we may also need your physician's approval.
If you ever need to access your medical records, please don't hesitate to make a request. You have the right to access them at any time, and we're here to help. We can provide you with a copy or transfer them to another facility. You can also instantly access recent visit notes and lab and radiology findings in myTuftsMed.
Before releasing any documents, you must fill out and sign the Authorization for the Release of Health Information form. This is to make sure that your information is going to the right person. Sometimes, we may also need your physician's approval.
If you ever need to access your medical records, please don't hesitate to make a request. You have the right to access them at any time, and we're here to help. We can provide you with a copy or transfer them to another facility. You can also instantly access recent visit notes and lab and radiology findings in myTuftsMed.
Request Online
We've made it easy for you to request your medical records through an online portal. Please note that we'll need to verify who you are so you will need to provide a valid email and government-issued ID.
Insurance and Billing
Accepted Insurance
We accept most major health insurance so that you can receive more affordable and comprehensive coverage. It’s important to note that each insurance carrier may offer different kinds of plans. Always check with your insurance carrier before scheduling an appointment.
Checking Insurance Coverage
Whether your coverage is through your employer or is independent, please contact your health insurance company to ensure we are participating providers with your health plan. Your insurance carrier will be able to provide that information as well specific information regarding your coverage. Several things to be aware of:
- Many insurance plans have different levels of costs for their members depending on where they receive care. Contact your insurance provider to better understand what your medical plan covers and what you may need to pay out of pocket.
- Check with your insurance plan to see if you need additional referrals, authorizations, or both before receiving care at Tufts Medicine.
- Emergency department doctors may not be in-network with all the insurance payors or plans listed below. Please contact your insurance company regarding coverage for emergency services at Tufts Medicine.
Medical Bill
It's important to note that your health insurance plan will cover a portion of the bill, but there may be additional costs such as deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or services that are not covered. Your policy is a contract between you and your health insurance provider, and it's ultimately your responsibility to pay your medical bill.
Billing Question
For billing inquiries, please contact us via myTuftsMed and submit a billing inquiry. On the application, you will select the ‘Ask a customer service question’ and be able to indicate that it is a billing inquiry:
Alternatively, you may leave a message at the following number: 617-377-7569.
Contact Us
New England Eye Center – Boston (Main Office)
Tufts Medical Center
Biewend Building, 9-11th Floor
260 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02116
Telephone: 617-636-4600
Fax: 617-636-4866
New England Eye Center Optical Shop
Biewend Building, 11th Floor
260 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02116
Telephone: 617-338-9595
Fax: 617-636-1264
Pediatric Ophthalmology
Floating Hospital for Children, 6th Floor
755 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02111
Telephone: 617-636-6769
Fax: 617-636-3305
Brighton at Steward St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center
11 Nevins Street, Suite 205
Brighton, MA 02135-3503
Toll Free: 800-391-7890
Telephone: 617-783-5050
Fax: 617-783-0734
Brookline
1371 Beacon Street, Suite 100
Brookline, MA 02446
Telephone: 617-734-1396
Fax: 617-734-1397
Cambridge
725 Concord Avenue, Suite 2200
Cambridge, MA 02138
Telephone: 617-876-3660
Fax: 617-876-2542
Framingham
959 Concord Street Suite 302
Framingham, MA 01701
Telephone: 508-879-3204
Fax: 508-620-0098
Wellesley
1 Washington Street, Suite 212
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
Toll Free: 800-452-2084
Telephone: 781-237-6770
Fax: 781-237-4727
