Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Carter Kirk, M.D.

Cornea and External Diseases Specialist Physician · River Forest, IL
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
7427 LAKE ST, River Forest, IL 60305
7087713334
In practice since 2012 (14 years)
NPI: 1083979181 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. Kirk 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. Kirk? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Kirk

Dr. Carter Kirk is a cornea and external diseases specialist physician in River Forest, IL, with 14 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Kirk performed 2,933 Medicare services across 2,228 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Kirk received a total of $3,440 from 32 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 120 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cornea and external diseases specialist physician. 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. Kirk 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.

✓ 14 years in practice ▲ Top 11% volume in IL $3,440 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
2,933
Medicare services
Top 11% in IL for cornea and external diseases specialist physician
2,228
Unique beneficiaries
$81
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~210 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.
644 $82 $200
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.
538 $65 $146
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.
410 $22 $35
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.
250 $27 $104
Corneal topography and eye depth measurement
This procedure measures the curvature and depth of the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye.
243 $29 $130
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.
235 $392 $2,520
Comprehensive eye exam, new patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a new patient.
189 $89 $234
Retinal imaging (OCT scan)
This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye.
103 $27 $86
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.
85 $47 $115
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan)
Imaging of the optic nerve.
82 $26 $86
Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness
An ultrasound procedure used to measure the thickness of the cornea.
49 $9 $30
CT scan of cornea
A computed tomography scan used to create detailed images of the cornea, the clear front part of the eye.
28 $26 $75
New patient eye exam, problem focused
A focused examination of the visual system performed during a new patient visit.
21 $38 $143
Laser removal of recurring cataract
A laser procedure to remove a recurring cataract within the lens capsule.
19 $259 $719
Eye drainage system examination
An examination of the internal drainage system of the eye to assess how fluid flows and drains from the eye.
14 $12 $53
Tear duct plug insertion
A procedure to insert a small plug into the tear duct opening to help retain tears on the eye surface.
12 $160 $416
Slit lamp examination of the eye
This procedure uses a specialized microscope to examine the front portion of the eye.
11 $30 $102
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.
8.0% high complexity
8.9% medium
83.1% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$3,440
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $491/year across 7 years
Top 18% in IL for cornea and external diseases specialist physician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
32
Companies
120
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
$3,440 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$641
2023
$724
2022
$505
2021
$524
2020
$121
2019
$341
2018
$584

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
RxSight Inc
$162
Harrow Eye, LLC
$131
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$85
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$59
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$50
Alcon Vision LLC
$45
ABBVIE INC.
$40
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$30
Glaukos Corporation
$23
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 59.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$850
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$408
Alcon Vision LLC
$325
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$217
RxSight Inc
$162
Allergan, Inc.
$157
Harrow Eye, LLC
$155
Shire North American Group Inc
$152
ABBVIE INC.
$128
Eyevance Pharmaceuticals LLC
$119
NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
$92
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$85
EYEVANCE PHARMACEUTICALS LLC
$63
Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc.
$58
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$50
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$49
Omeros Corporation
$41
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$38
Marco Ophthalmic, Inc.
$37
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$30
Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$24
Glaukos Corporation
$23
Carl Zeiss Meditec USA, Inc.
$23
Rayner Intraocular Lenses Limited
$21
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$19
TISSUETECH, INC.
$19
Mallinckrodt Enterprises LLC
$18
Thea Pharma Inc.
$18
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS, INC.
$17
Mallinckrodt LLC
$16
NEW WORLD MEDICAL,INC.
$14
Allergan Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 46.0% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · Ahmed Glaucoma Valve · CATALYS Laser System · Cequa · Clareon · DUREZOL · DURYSTA · Flarex · HYDRUS Microstent · IHEEZO · INVELTYS · LOTEMAX · LOTEMAX GEL · LUMIGAN · MIEBO · OPD-III · Omidria · Ophthalmic Surgical Adjuncts · PROKERA · Phacofragmentation Accessories · RESCAN 700 · RXSIGHT CONTACT LENS · Rocklatan · SYMPHONY · Simbrinza · TRAVATAN Z · TYRVAYA · Tecnis 1-piece IOL · Tecnis IOL · Tecnis Multifocal Family of 1-piece IOLS · Tecnis Simplicity · Tecnis iTec Preloaded Delivery System · TobraDex ST · VERITAS Vision System · VEVYE · VUITY · VYZULTA · VisuMax · Wavelight · Whitestart Phacoemulsficiation System · XDEMVY · XELPROS · XEN GLAUCOMA TREATMENT SYSTEM · XIIDRA · Zerviate · enVista MX60 IOL · iDose · rhopressa
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 a cornea and external diseases specialist physician in River Forest?
Compare cornea and external diseases specialist physicians in the River Forest area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Cornea and external diseases specialist physicians within 10 mi
10
Per 100K population
0.2
County median income
$81,797
Nearest hospital
WEST SUBURBAN MEDICAL CENTER
1.5 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. Kirk is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 11% in IL), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 18% of IL peers.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Kirk experienced with comprehensive eye exam, established patient?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Kirk performed 644 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. Kirk receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Kirk received a total of $3,440 from 32 companies across 120 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. Kirk's costs compare to other cornea and external diseases specialist physicians in River Forest?
Dr. Kirk's average Medicare payment per service is $81. 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. Kirk) 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 →