Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about appointments, insurance, costs, cataract surgery, glaucoma and our doctors at San Gabriel Valley Eye Institute in Baldwin Park, CA. Still have a question? Call or text us at (626) 960-3741.
Last updated November 2026
Appointments and visits
San Gabriel Valley Eye Institute is located at 3000 Big Dalton Ave, Baldwin Park, CA 91706, in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County. We care for patients from Baldwin Park, West Covina, Covina, El Monte, Azusa, Irwindale, La Puente and nearby communities. See the map and directions.
No. Our former West Covina office at 1250 South Sunset Ave is closed. All visits are now at our Baldwin Park office at 3000 Big Dalton Ave, a short drive from West Covina.
We are open Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm, by appointment, and on some Saturdays by appointment. Call (626) 960-3741 to check availability.
Call or text (626) 960-3741, email reception@sgveyeinstitute.com, or send a request from our Contact page. A real person on our team answers and will find you a time.
Yes. We hold appointments every day for urgent eye problems, doctor referrals and same day visits. Call (626) 960-3741 right away if you have new flashes of light, a sudden shower of floaters, a curtain or shadow over your vision, sudden vision loss, a painful red eye, a chemical splash, or any problem after eye surgery. For a serious injury, or vision loss with stroke symptoms such as face drooping or arm weakness, call 911.
Usually not. Medicare and most PPO plans let you schedule directly. HMO, IPA and some military plans may need a referral or authorization from your primary care doctor before your visit, so tell us your plan when you call and we will check.
Please complete our New Patient Intake Form at least 72 business hours before your visit. You can download it from our Documents page. Sending your insurance information ahead of time lets our insurance team check your coverage and tell you your expected cost before you arrive.
Bring a photo ID, your medical and vision insurance cards, a list of your medications and eye drops, your current glasses and contact lenses (or the lens boxes), and the name of your primary care doctor. If you were referred, bring any records or the referral form your doctor gave you.
Plan for about 90 minutes to 2 hours. A complete medical eye exam often includes imaging or other testing and dilating drops, which take time to work. Follow up visits are usually shorter.
Most new patient and medical eye exams include dilation, which lets the doctor see the retina and optic nerve. Your vision may be blurry and sensitive to light for about 4 to 6 hours. Bring sunglasses, and if you are not comfortable driving with blurry vision, bring a driver.
Please call (626) 960-3741 as soon as you know. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late we may need to reschedule you so other patients are not delayed. Appointments missed without notice may be subject to a rebooking fee, as described in our Patient Agreement.
Yes. Let us know your preferred language when you schedule and we will arrange an interpreter. Many insurance plans also provide a free language line we can use during your visit.
Insurance, costs and payment
We accept Medicare, Railroad Medicare, Medicare supplement (Medigap) plans, Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Coventry, First Health, MultiPlan, PHCS, Tricare, CHAMPVA and Emanate Health IPA. For vision insurance we accept VSP. Plans change often, so call (626) 960-3741 to confirm your specific plan before your visit. See our Insurance page.
We are out of network for Kaiser. We do accept some managed care plans, such as Emanate Health IPA, that require a referral or authorization from your primary care doctor before your visit. Please call us first so we can check what your plan requires.
VSP is the only vision plan we accept at this time. Vision plans cover routine eye exams for glasses. Medical eye problems such as cataracts, glaucoma, dry eye or diabetes are billed to your medical insurance instead.
The test that measures your glasses prescription is called a refraction. Medicare and most medical insurance plans do not cover it, so it is billed separately as a self pay fee unless you have VSP. Glasses and contact lens prescriptions at our office are provided by our optometrists.
We collect your copay, and the patient cost your insurance company estimates, at check in. That amount is the insurance company’s best estimate, not ours, and it is not final until your insurance processes the claim. If you paid more than you owe, we refund the difference. Collecting up front means no surprise bills later.
We accept cash, checks, credit and debit cards, Zelle and Venmo. Credit and debit card payments include a processing fee. We do not accept PayPal.
We may still be able to help. San Gabriel Valley Eye Institute offers self pay pricing that can lower the cost of care for uninsured patients. Call (626) 960-3741 and we will explain your options before your visit.
Yes. Medicare and most insurance plans cover medically necessary cataract surgery with a standard lens implant, after your usual deductible and coinsurance. Upgrades that reduce your need for glasses, such as astigmatism correcting (toric) lenses, multifocal or extended depth of focus lenses, and laser assisted surgery, are not covered and are paid out of pocket. We give you a written quote before surgery.
No. LASIK, PRK and EVO ICL are elective procedures, so insurance does not cover them. Your consultation is free, and we will give you the full cost in writing. Learn about LASIK, PRK and EVO ICL.
Cataract surgery
Cataract surgery replaces the cloudy natural lens of your eye with a clear lens implant. It is an outpatient procedure done at a surgery center with numbing drops and light sedation, usually takes less than 30 minutes, and you go home the same day. Learn about cataract surgery.
You may be ready when cataracts make daily activities hard, such as driving at night, reading, seeing glare from headlights or recognizing faces, and new glasses no longer help. Cataracts do not need to be “ripe”. Your doctor measures your vision and glare and helps you decide on the right time.
It depends on the lens you choose. With a standard lens most people see well at a distance and use reading glasses up close. Toric lenses correct astigmatism, and multifocal or extended depth of focus lenses can reduce or eliminate the need for glasses for most daily tasks.
No. We operate on one eye at a time, and the second eye is usually done a few weeks after the first once it has healed well.
Most patients see more clearly within a few days and return to light activities the next day. You will use eye drops for a few weeks and should avoid rubbing your eye, swimming and heavy lifting for about 1 to 2 weeks. We see you the day after surgery and again over the following weeks.
No, a cataract cannot grow back. Some patients later develop a haze behind the lens implant, called posterior capsule opacification. It is treated with a quick, painless in office laser called a YAG capsulotomy.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a disease that damages the optic nerve, usually related to pressure inside the eye. It often has no symptoms until vision is lost, and that loss is permanent, which is why regular eye exams matter. Learn about glaucoma.
Treatment lowers eye pressure to protect the optic nerve. Options include prescription eye drops, in office laser treatment, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), and traditional glaucoma surgery for advanced cases. Your doctor tailors the plan to your eyes and your lifestyle.
MIGS stands for minimally invasive glaucoma surgery. It uses tiny incisions and devices to improve the eye’s natural drainage and lower eye pressure, with faster recovery and a higher safety profile than traditional surgery, and it can often be done at the same time as cataract surgery. Dr. Philip Ngai is a fellowship trained glaucoma specialist who performs MIGS.
There is no cure for glaucoma yet, but it can be controlled. With early diagnosis, regular checkups and consistent treatment, most people with glaucoma keep useful vision for life.
Most patients being treated for glaucoma are seen every 3 to 6 months, with visual field tests and optic nerve scans to watch for changes. Your doctor sets the schedule based on how stable your glaucoma is.
Eye care services
Yes. Dr. Thomas Vo, our cornea and refractive surgeon, offers bladeless LASIK, PRK and EVO ICL implantable lenses. EVO ICL is often a good choice for high nearsightedness or thin corneas. Book a free consultation.
Yes. We diagnose the cause of dry eye and treat it with prescription drops, lid and gland care, punctal plugs and amniotic membrane treatment when needed. Dr. Atalie Liu sees many of our dry eye patients.
Yes. Dr. Atalie Liu provides contact lens exams and specialty contact lens fittings. A contact lens fitting is a separate service from a glasses exam and has its own fee.
Our doctors are Dr. Philip Ngai, MD, a board certified, fellowship trained glaucoma and cataract surgeon; Dr. Thomas Vo, MD, a cornea, cataract and refractive surgeon; and Dr. Atalie Liu, OD, an optometrist providing comprehensive and medical eye care. Dr. Ngai and Dr. Vo were named Castle Connolly Top Doctors in 2025 and 2026.
An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor (MD) who diagnoses and treats eye disease and performs eye surgery. An optometrist (OD) provides eye exams, glasses and contact lens prescriptions, and diagnoses and treats many eye conditions. At our practice they work as one team, so you see the right doctor for your needs.
Records, referrals and billing
Doctors and optometrists can download our referral form from the Referral Forms page and fax it to (877) 991-4762. We call referred patients to schedule, usually within one business day, and keep the referring doctor updated.
Call (626) 960-3741 or email reception@sgveyeinstitute.com. We will ask you to sign a records release form, and we can send your records to you or to another doctor.
Call our billing team at (626) 960-3741. We can take a card payment by phone, answer questions about your insurance claim, and explain any balance.