Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Thomas Unger, O.D.

Optometrist · Troy, IL
Practice pattern: Cardiac Surgery — Surgically focused practice
Low-engagement
534 EDWARDSVILLE RD, Troy, IL 62294
6186672020
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1629158092 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. Unger 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. Unger? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Unger

Dr. Thomas Unger is an optometrist in Troy, IL, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Unger performed 4,088 Medicare services across 1,075 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Unger received a total of $2,450 from 18 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 49 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. Unger 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 7% volume in IL $2,450 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
4,088
Medicare services
Top 7% in IL for optometrist
1,075
Unique beneficiaries
$19
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~215 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
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.
2,427 $1 $2
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.
244 $92 $159
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.
221 $24 $100
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.
204 $22 $30
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.
196 $38 $95
Retinal imaging (OCT scan)
This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye.
137 $26 $90
Dark adaptation test
This test evaluates how well your eyes adjust to changes in light and dark conditions. It includes an interpretation of the results and a formal report.
120 $29 $90
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.
104 $62 $109
Visual field test, intermediate
A test that measures your side vision to check for blind spots or other vision changes.
99 $30 $80
Retinal and optic nerve function test
A diagnostic test that measures how well the retina and optic nerve are functioning.
80 $87 $189
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan)
Imaging of the optic nerve.
75 $24 $90
Extended color vision testing
A comprehensive eye exam that includes specialized tests to evaluate color vision.
53 $34 $70
Pattern electroretinogram (PERG)
A test that records the electrical responses of the retina to visual stimuli. The procedure includes interpretation and a written report of the results.
47 $52 $225
Eye drainage system examination
An examination of the internal drainage system of the eye to assess how fluid flows and drains from the eye.
25 $17 $56
Visual evoked potential test
A test that measures how quickly electrical signals travel from the eye to the brain in response to visual stimuli.
23 $48 $195
Ultrasound of eye using water bath method
An ultrasound imaging test of the eye that uses a water bath technique to visualize internal eye structures.
20 $89 $200
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.
13 $91 $209
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.
59.4% high complexity
5.7% medium
35.0% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$2,450
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $350/year across 7 years
Top 13% in IL for optometrist
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
18
Companies
49
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
$2,375 (96.9%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$50 (2.0%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$25 (1.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$358
2023
$486
2022
$50
2021
$139
2020
$152
2019
$667
2018
$599

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Alcon Vision LLC
$100
LKC Technologies, Inc.
$90
CooperVision Inc.
$66
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$62
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$39
Top 3 companies account for 71.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$557
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$418
MacuLogix, Inc.
$240
Spark Therapeutics, Inc.
$200
CooperVision Inc.
$194
LKC Technologies, Inc.
$140
Marco Ophthalmic, Inc.
$125
Alcon Vision LLC
$100
Alcon Laboratories Inc
$96
Ivantis, Inc
$75
Shire North American Group Inc
$65
ABB Con-Cise Optical Group LLC
$54
Visioneering Technologies, Inc.
$50
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$39
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
$39
Optos, Inc.
$26
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$17
Allergan Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 49.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AdaptDx · BIOTRUE ONE DAY · BTOD · Contact Lens · DAILIES · Hydrus Microstent · INFUSE · LUXTURNA · MiSight Contact Lens · MyDay Contact Lens · NFC-700 · None Specified · OPD-III · Onefit Contact Lens · RESTASIS · TOTAL30 · ULTRA · VYZULTA · XDEMVY · XIIDRA
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 (97%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

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

Geographic Context

Optometrists within 10 mi
209
Per 100K population
79.0
County median income
$74,800
Nearest hospital
ANDERSON HOSPITAL
5.3 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. Unger is a cardiac surgery specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 7% in IL), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 13% of IL 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. Unger experienced with cataract surgery with lens implant?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Unger performed 2,427 cataract surgery with lens implant 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. Unger receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Unger received a total of $2,450 from 18 companies across 49 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. Unger's costs compare to other optometrists in Troy?
Dr. Unger's average Medicare payment per service is $19. 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. Unger) 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 →