Rachel Mercer, MD, is an ophthalmologist at Midwest Eye Care, P.C., a multi-doctor practice in Omaha, Nebraska. The practice's eyelid and cosmetic services page names her specifically as the doctor who specializes in eyelid surgery, both functional (droopy eyelid repair) and cosmetic (blepharoplasty, Botox).
Training and board certification
Dr. Mercer earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology (2007) and her Doctor of Medicine (2011) from Texas Tech University. She completed a one-year internal medicine internship and a three-year ophthalmology residency at the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education (2011-2015), followed by a fellowship in neuro-ophthalmology at the University of Iowa (2015-2016). She is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology (November 2016) and has practiced at Midwest Eye Care since September 2016. Hospital affiliations: CHI Mercy Hospital, CHI Immanuel Hospital, Jennie Edmundson Hospital, Midwest Eye Surgery Center, Nebraska Medicine, Nebraska Methodist Hospital, and Nebraska Orthopedic Hospital. She is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Medical Association, and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. (https://www.midwesteyecare.com/team/rachel-mercer-md/)
Eyelid surgery work
The practice's eyelid and cosmetic services page states: "Dr. Rachel Mercer is a Midwest Eye Care doctor who specializes in eyelid surgery," performing both functional repair of droopy eyelids that restrict vision or cause chronic dry eyes, and cosmetic lid surgery and Botox injections, plus minor lid surgery for age-related bumps and lesions. The droopy eyelids (ptosis) page describes blepharoplasty, or lid reshaping, as the elective surgical procedure used to remove excess eyelid skin tissue and fat, for either functional vision obstruction or purely cosmetic reasons. When a patient's droop may qualify as functional, Dr. Mercer documents visual field impairment with photographs and a visual field test to support insurance pre-authorization. The practice site has no before-and-after photo gallery for eyelid surgery.
Other procedures
Dr. Mercer's listed specialty is cataract surgery, laser surgery, and medical and surgical treatment of eye disease; her neuro-ophthalmology fellowship training is also noted. The practice overall offers laser vision correction, cataract surgery, corneal disease treatment, glaucoma treatment, and retinal disease care.
Insurance and cost
The practice's page states that if an eyelid droop is severe enough to obstruct vision, the patient's insurance company may provide coverage for surgical correction; Dr. Mercer documents the functional impairment and the office requests pre-authorization when the insurer requires it. The pre-operative evaluation exam is billed to insurance (subject to co-pay/deductible). No specific dollar price for blepharoplasty is published on the site. (https://www.midwesteyecare.com/midwest-eye-surgery-center/eyelid-and-cosmetic-services/eyelid-conditions/droopy-lids/)