Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Joshua Johnston, OD

Optometrist · Atlanta, GA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Speaking/Promotional
550 PEACHTREE ST NE STE 1500, Atlanta, GA 30308
4048976810
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1013929520 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. Johnston 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. Johnston? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Johnston

Dr. Joshua Johnston is an optometrist in Atlanta, GA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Johnston performed 1,974 Medicare services across 1,155 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Johnston received a total of $831,387 from 42 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1474 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optometrist. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.

The Data Coverage level for Dr. Johnston 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 10% volume in GA $831,387 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,974
Medicare services
Top 10% in GA for optometrist
1,155
Unique beneficiaries
$75
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~104 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
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.
698 $22 $35
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.
365 $89 $228
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min)
An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition.
330 $64 $154
Tear duct plug insertion
A procedure to insert a small plug into the tear duct opening to help retain tears on the eye surface.
161 $122 $543
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.
110 $111 $349
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.
72 $11 $35
Retinal imaging (OCT scan)
This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye.
69 $28 $95
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan)
Imaging of the optic nerve.
46 $27 $95
Amniotic membrane placement on eye surface
This procedure involves placing amniotic membrane on the surface of the eye to promote wound healing.
35 $1,060 $2,500
Office visit, established patient (10-19 min)
An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition.
30 $43 $93
Nasal tear duct probing
A procedure to examine and clear the tear ducts in the nose. It helps restore normal drainage of tears from the eye.
28 $131 $567
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.
16 $22 $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.
14 $50 $165
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 ↗
$831,387
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $118,770/year across 7 years
Top 0% in GA for optometrist
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
42
Companies
1,474
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.

Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$729,877 (87.8%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$95,918 (11.5%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$5,592 (0.7%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$148,590
2023
$121,981
2022
$164,736
2021
$138,523
2020
$103,440
2019
$55,335
2018
$98,780

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$51,899
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$34,215
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$33,691
Harrow Eye, LLC
$7,695
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$5,811
Nordic Pharma, Inc.
$3,500
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$2,928
Alcon Research LLC
$2,925
Alcon Vision LLC
$2,282
Sight Sciences, Inc.
$2,099
ABBVIE INC.
$1,136
Topcon Healthcare, Inc.
$217
Dompe US, Inc.
$81
Alimera Sciences, Inc.
$45
RxSight Inc
$25
Amgen Inc.
$25
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$18
Top 3 companies account for 80.6% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$153,226
Allergan, Inc.
$139,925
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$132,467
Allergan Inc.
$123,650
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$48,216
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$46,485
Sight Sciences, Inc.
$44,016
ABBVIE INC.
$34,371
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$33,691
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$8,426
Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$8,329
Alcon Laboratories Inc
$8,107
Harrow Eye, LLC
$7,695
BioTissue Holdings, Inc.
$6,317
Alcon Vision LLC
$4,866
Nordic Pharma, Inc.
$3,500
Alcon Research LLC
$3,487
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS, INC.
$3,426
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$2,928
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$2,344
Shire North American Group Inc
$2,297
TissueTech, Inc.
$2,106
Glaukos Corporation
$2,000
TearLab Corp
$1,672
Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc.
$1,535
NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
$1,520
Seagen Inc.
$990
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$987
Dompe US, Inc.
$979
Quidel Corporation
$634
Thea Pharma Inc.
$250
Topcon Healthcare, Inc.
$217
RxSight Inc
$175
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$144
Eyevance Pharmaceuticals LLC
$115
Stryker Corporation
$88
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$48
Alimera Sciences, Inc.
$45
Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$39
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
$33
Amgen Inc.
$25
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$18
Top 3 companies account for 51.2% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · ALDEN SCLERAL ZENLENS · AcrySof · BLINK NUTRITEARS · BOTOX · BROMSITE · BromSite (bromfenac ophthalmic solution) 0.075% · CEQUA · CIRRUS HD-OCT · Cequa · DAILIES · DOCTORS ALLERGY FORMULA · EYSUVIS · Eye Health · Flarex · HYDRUS Microstent · ILUX · INVELTYS · InflammaDry · LASTACAFT · LIGHT ADJUSTABLE LENS (LAL) AND LIGHT DELIVERY DEVICE (LDD) · LOTEMAX · LOTEMAX SM · LUMIGAN · Lacrifill · MAKO · MIEBO · OMNI(R) SURGICAL SYSTEM (US) · OXERVATE · Ophthalmic Surgical Adjuncts · Oxervate · PROKERA · PURIFIED CORTROPHIN GEL · Prokera · RESTASIS · RESTASIS MULTIDOSE · RXSIGHT CONTACT LENS · ReSure Sealant · Rocklatan · SCOUTPRO · Simbrinza · TEARCARE SYSTEM · TEARLAB OSMOLARITY SYSTEM · TEPEZZA · TIVDAK · TYRVAYA · TearCare · TearCare SmartLid · Tecnis Multifocal Family of 1-piece IOLS · Tobradex ST · VEVYE · VUITY · VYZULTA · XDEMVY · XELPROS · XIIDRA · YUTIQ · enVista Aspire IOL · enVista MX60 IOL · iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass Stent System · 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 →

The majority of payments (88%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in optometrist and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 0% for optometrist in GA.

Looking for an optometrist in Atlanta?
Compare optometrists in the Atlanta area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Optometrists within 10 mi
625
Per 100K population
58.5
County median income
$91,490
Nearest hospital
EMORY UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL MIDTOWN
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. Johnston is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 10% in GA), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 0% of GA 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. Johnston experienced with microfluid analysis of tears?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Johnston performed 698 microfluid analysis of tears 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. Johnston receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Johnston received a total of $831,387 from 42 companies across 1,474 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. Johnston's costs compare to other optometrists in Atlanta?
Dr. Johnston's average Medicare payment per service is $75. 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. Johnston) 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.

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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 →