Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Thomas Eck, M.D.

Ophthalmology · San Diego, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
3405 KENYON ST STE 513, San Diego, CA 92110
6192261877
In practice since 2012 (13 years)
NPI: 1518221381 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. Eck 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. Eck? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Eck

Dr. Thomas Eck is an ophthalmology specialist in San Diego, CA, with 13 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Eck performed 1,925 Medicare services across 1,295 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Eck received a total of $307 from 5 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 14 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in ophthalmology. 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. Eck 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.

✓ 13 years in practice ▲ Top 48% volume in CA $307 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,925
Medicare services
Top 48% in CA for ophthalmology
1,295
Unique beneficiaries
$99
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~148 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
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.
396 $30 $100
Eye drainage system examination
An examination of the internal drainage system of the eye to assess how fluid flows and drains from the eye.
369 $23 $50
Comprehensive eye exam, established patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider.
305 $97 $200
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan)
Imaging of the optic nerve.
152 $29 $100
Eye photography
Photographic imaging of the interior structures of the eye.
123 $21 $40
Retinal imaging (OCT scan)
This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye.
121 $32 $100
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.
101 $117 $250
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.
93 $76 $150
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.
75 $48 $120
Amniotic membrane placement on eye surface
This procedure involves placing amniotic membrane on the surface of the eye to promote wound healing.
70 $1,235 $1,900
Tear duct plug insertion
A procedure to insert a small plug into the tear duct opening to help retain tears on the eye surface.
64 $178 $300
Cataract surgery with lens implant
Surgical removal of the clouded natural lens of the eye and replacement with an artificial prosthetic lens to restore vision.
19 $446 $1,400
Corneal topography and eye depth measurement
This procedure measures the curvature and depth of the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye.
19 $39 $150
Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness
An ultrasound procedure used to measure the thickness of the cornea.
18 $9 $50
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.
1.0% high complexity
15.1% medium
83.9% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$307
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $51/year across 6 years
Bottom 23% in CA for ophthalmology
5
Companies
14
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
$307 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$47
2022
$26
2021
$23
2020
$21
2019
$21
2018
$169

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Alcon Vision LLC
$47
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$116
Alcon Vision LLC
$96
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$61
Allergan, Inc.
$21
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 88.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AcrySof IQ PanOptix UV IOL · BESIVANCE · BromSite (bromfenac ophthalmic solution) 0.075% · Clareon · LUMIGAN · PROLENSA · Tecnis Multifocal Family of 1-piece IOLS · Tecnis iTec Preloaded Delivery System · VYZULTA
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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Looking for an ophthalmology specialist in San Diego?
Compare ophthalmologists in the San Diego area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse ophthalmologists nearby

Geographic Context

Ophthalmologists within 10 mi
284
Per 100K population
8.7
County median income
$102,285
Nearest hospital
UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH HILLCREST - HILLCREST MED CTR
2.3 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. Eck is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Eck experienced with retinal photography (fundus photo)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Eck performed 396 retinal photography (fundus photo) 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. Eck receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Eck received a total of $307 from 5 companies across 14 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. Eck's costs compare to other ophthalmologists in San Diego?
Dr. Eck's average Medicare payment per service is $99. 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. Eck) 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 →