Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Karen Skvarna, O.D.

Optometrist · Laguna Hills, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
24401 CALLE DE LA LOUISA, Laguna Hills, CA 92653
9499512020
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1336106244 verify on NPPES ↗
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 4 of 4 federal sources
Measures public federal data availability — not provider quality
Informational, not a quality rating. This page presents federal public records about Dr. Skvarna from CMS (NPPES, Open Payments, Medicare Provider Utilization, PECOS). It is not medical advice, an endorsement, or a judgment of clinical quality. Always consult the provider directly and a licensed clinician for medical decisions. Read methodology →
Are you Dr. Skvarna? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Skvarna

Dr. Karen Skvarna is an optometrist in Laguna Hills, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Skvarna performed 2,364 Medicare services across 1,879 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Skvarna received a total of $7,536 from 25 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 196 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optometrist. Most payments are for meals and travel — low-value interactions common across virtually all practicing physicians. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.

The Data Coverage level for Dr. Skvarna is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.

✓ 19 years in practice ▲ Top 2% volume in CA $7,536 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
2,364
Medicare services
Top 2% in CA for optometrist
1,879
Unique beneficiaries
$61
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~124 Medicare services per year of practice

Top procedures by volume

Ranked by number of services performed for Medicare patients. Avg. submitted charge is what the provider billed; avg. Medicare payment is what CMS paid.

Procedure Volume Avg. paid Avg. submitted
Comprehensive eye exam, established patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider.
513 $98 $346
Retinal imaging (OCT scan)
This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye.
397 $31 $111
Office visit, established patient (30-39 min)
A follow-up office visit for an existing patient lasting between 30 and 39 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition.
322 $102 $342
Immunoassay substance analysis, multiple step method
A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay technique to analyze a substance. The process involves multiple steps to detect or measure the target material.
264 $11 $25
Microfluid analysis of tears
A laboratory test that analyzes tear fluid using microfluidic technology to measure specific biomarkers. This procedure helps evaluate the composition of tears for diagnostic purposes.
254 $22 $49
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan)
Imaging of the optic nerve.
161 $27 $100
Eye exam, established patient, focused
A limited examination of the visual system for an existing patient. The provider focuses on a specific eye-related concern or symptom.
124 $70 $246
Visual field test, extended
A test that maps your complete field of vision to detect blind spots or peripheral vision loss. Extended testing provides a more detailed assessment than a standard visual field exam.
81 $53 $173
Comprehensive eye exam, new patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a new patient.
71 $109 $409
Tear duct plug insertion
A procedure to insert a small plug into the tear duct opening to help retain tears on the eye surface.
56 $190 $781
Retinal photography (fundus photo)
This procedure involves taking photographs of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It is used to document the condition of the eye's interior structures.
50 $32 $104
Eyelash removal with forceps
This procedure involves the manual removal of eyelashes using forceps. It is a mechanical extraction method performed on the eyelid area.
27 $17 $56
Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness
An ultrasound procedure used to measure the thickness of the cornea.
16 $9 $35
New patient office visit (45-59 min)
An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter.
16 $105 $451
Removal of foreign body from external eye
This procedure involves the removal of a foreign object from the conjunctiva, which is the clear tissue covering the white part of the eye.
12 $24 $129
How to read this data: This reflects Medicare patients only (typically 65+). Payment amounts are what Medicare paid the provider, not your out-of-pocket cost. A higher procedure volume generally indicates more experience with that procedure.

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$7,536
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,077/year across 7 years
Top 3% in CA for optometrist
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
25
Companies
196
Individual payments
All payments are legal and publicly reported · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →

Payment profile

Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.

Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$6,821 (90.5%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$700 (9.3%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$15 (0.2%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$1,963
2023
$310
2022
$1,307
2021
$1,064
2020
$332
2019
$885
2018
$1,675

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$1,366
ABBVIE INC.
$256
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$160
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$54
CooperVision Inc.
$37
Alcon Vision LLC
$35
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$21
Thea Pharma Inc.
$20
Glaukos Corporation
$14
Top 3 companies account for 90.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$1,366
Alcon Laboratories Inc
$1,156
Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$724
Allergan Inc.
$596
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$520
ABBVIE INC.
$416
Shire North American Group Inc
$396
Sight Sciences, Inc.
$385
Allergan, Inc.
$338
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$297
Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$254
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$160
CooperVision Inc.
$136
Alcon Vision LLC
$128
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$121
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
$113
AbbVie Inc.
$95
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$89
Thea Pharma Inc.
$88
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$62
Glaukos Corporation
$27
Dompe US, Inc.
$20
Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc.
$17
Akorn, Inc.
$16
NEW WORLD MEDICAL,INC.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 43.1% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AcrySof · Acuvue · Ahmed Glaucoma Valve · BESIVANCE · BromSite · BromSite (bromfenac ophthalmic solution) 0.075% · CEQUA · COMBIGAN · Cequa · Clareon · Clariti Contact Lens · DAILIES · DUREZOL · DURYSTA · EYSUVIS · ILUX · INVELTYS · IYUZEH · LUMIGAN · MIEBO · Multiple Brands Contact Lens · MyDay Contact Lens · None Specified · OMNI(R) SURGICAL SYSTEM (US) · Oxervate · Precision 1 · RESTASIS · RESTASIS MULTIDOSE · Rhopressa · Rocklatan · TRAVATAN Z · TYRVAYA · TearCare · VUITY · VYZULTA · XDEMVY · XIIDRA · Zioptan · iStent infinite Trabecular Micro Bypass System · rhopressa · rocklatan
Should you be concerned? Payments from pharmaceutical and device companies are legal and common — 57% of U.S. physicians receive at least one. They often reflect legitimate consulting, research, or education. What matters is whether a recommended drug or device appears in your doctor's payment records. If so, consider asking your doctor about it. How to interpret this data →

Most payments (90%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians. Total industry engagement is in the top 3% for optometrist in CA.

Looking for an optometrist in Laguna Hills?
Compare optometrists in the Laguna Hills area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse optometrists nearby

Geographic Context

Optometrists within 10 mi
988
Per 100K population
31.2
County median income
$113,702
Nearest hospital
MEMORIALCARE SADDLEBACK MEDICAL CENTER
0.0 mi

Data Sources

Provider Registry NPPES Weekly updates
Medicare Enrollment PECOS Monthly updates
Practice Data Medicare Util. Annual (CY lag)
Industry Payments Open Payments CY 2024
Disciplinary History — Not public N/A

This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →

Summary

Dr. Skvarna is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 2% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 3% of CA peers, with 19 years of NPI registration.

This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Skvarna experienced with comprehensive eye exam, established patient?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Skvarna performed 513 comprehensive eye exam, established patient services. Research suggests that higher procedure volume is often associated with better outcomes, particularly for complex procedures. Note that Medicare data only captures patients aged 65 and older, so the total practice volume across all patients is likely higher.
Does Dr. Skvarna receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Skvarna received a total of $7,536 from 25 companies across 196 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common among physicians — 57% of all U.S. physicians receive at least one industry payment. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Dr. Skvarna's costs compare to other optometrists in Laguna Hills?
Dr. Skvarna's average Medicare payment per service is $61. Note that these figures represent what Medicare pays, not your out-of-pocket cost, which depends on your specific insurance plan and deductible. Procedure-level data above shows both what was submitted and what Medicare paid for each service type.
What does Data Coverage mean?
Data Coverage (currently Very High for Dr. Skvarna) measures how much public federal data is available about a provider. It is not a quality rating. A "Very High" or "High" level means the provider has data across multiple federal sources (NPPES, PECOS, Medicare Utilization, Open Payments), indicating a long track record of practice, Medicare participation, and industry disclosure. A "Low" or "Moderate" level may simply mean the provider is newer, does not see Medicare patients, or has not received any industry payments — none of which are inherently negative. Read our full methodology →
Is this data up to date?
Each data source has its own update cycle. Provider registry data (NPPES) is updated weekly. Medicare enrollment (PECOS) is updated monthly. Medicare practice data has a ~2 year lag — the most recent available is typically 2 years prior. Industry payment data (Open Payments) is published annually, usually in June, covering the prior calendar year. We display the data date prominently on each section so you always know how current it is. See our data freshness policy →
About this page

All data on this page is sourced verbatim from public federal records published by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): NPPES ↗, Open Payments ↗, Medicare Provider Utilization ↗, and PECOS. Publication is mandated by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (§6002 ACA, 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7h) and the Freedom of Information Act.

This page is not medical advice, an endorsement, a recommendation, or a quality rating. Data Coverage reflects data completeness — how much federal information exists for this provider — not clinical performance, patient outcomes, or quality of care. Always verify information directly with the provider and consult a licensed clinician before making medical decisions.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →