Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Kunal Merchant, M.D.

Ophthalmology · Glen Rock, NJ
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
65 HARRISTOWN RD STE 302, Glen Rock, NJ 07452
2017975100
In practice since 2014 (12 years)
NPI: 1821417098 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. Merchant 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. Merchant? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Merchant

Dr. Kunal Merchant is an ophthalmology specialist in Glen Rock, NJ, with 12 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Merchant performed 1,848 Medicare services across 1,363 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Merchant received a total of $5,127 from 28 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 129 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. Merchant 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.

✓ 12 years in practice ▲ 1,848 Medicare services $5,127 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,848
Medicare services
Bottom 43% in NJ for ophthalmology
1,363
Unique beneficiaries
$97
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~154 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
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.
580 $76 $248
Comprehensive eye exam, established patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider.
309 $99 $356
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.
169 $22 $50
Comprehensive eye exam, new patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a new patient.
113 $114 $426
Corneal topography and eye depth measurement
This procedure measures the curvature and depth of the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye.
96 $33 $134
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.
74 $445 $1,300
CT scan of cornea
A computed tomography scan used to create detailed images of the cornea, the clear front part of the eye.
67 $32 $90
Retinal imaging (OCT scan)
This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye.
62 $32 $131
Eye photography
Photographic imaging of the interior structures of the eye.
54 $22 $63
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan)
Imaging of the optic nerve.
51 $28 $90
Slit lamp examination of the eye
This procedure uses a specialized microscope to examine the front portion of the eye.
47 $34 $200
New patient eye exam, problem focused
A focused examination of the visual system performed during a new patient visit.
42 $68 $210
New patient office visit (30-44 min)
An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range.
28 $86 $260
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.
27 $52 $150
Amniotic membrane placement on eye surface
This procedure involves placing amniotic membrane on the surface of the eye to promote wound healing.
23 $1,268 $3,600
Tear film imaging of one or both eyes
This procedure involves imaging the tear film on the surface of one or both eyes to assess its structure and stability.
22 $25 $100
Laser removal of recurring cataract
A laser procedure to remove a recurring cataract within the lens capsule.
21 $283 $780
Extended eye exam with retinal drawing
A detailed examination of the back of the eye that includes creating a drawing of the retina.
21 $19 $85
Ultrasound scan to determine eye length and lens power
An ultrasound procedure used to measure the length of the eye and calculate the power of the lens.
17 $45 $160
Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness
An ultrasound procedure used to measure the thickness of the cornea.
14 $9 $30
Eye drainage system examination
An examination of the internal drainage system of the eye to assess how fluid flows and drains from the eye.
11 $21 $77
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.
4.0% high complexity
12.6% medium
83.4% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$5,127
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $732/year across 7 years
Top 18% in NJ for ophthalmology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
28
Companies
129
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
$5,127 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$1,969
2023
$965
2022
$699
2021
$912
2020
$275
2019
$186
2018
$121

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$597
Glaukos Corporation
$320
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$214
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$172
ABBVIE INC.
$154
Harrow Eye, LLC
$120
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$105
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$95
Dompe US, Inc.
$51
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$49
Thea Pharma Inc.
$37
Amgen Inc.
$27
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$14
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 57.5% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Glaukos Corporation
$1,278
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$1,011
Dompe US, Inc.
$327
GLAUKOS CORPORATION
$272
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$214
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$204
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$200
ABBVIE INC.
$181
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$172
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$154
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS, INC.
$144
Allergan, Inc.
$136
BioTissue Holdings, Inc.
$134
Alcon Laboratories Inc
$121
Harrow Eye, LLC
$120
Eyevance Pharmaceuticals LLC
$61
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
$59
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$56
Thea Pharma Inc.
$54
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$49
Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$43
Alcon Vision LLC
$30
Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$27
Amgen Inc.
$27
Sight Sciences, Inc.
$14
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$14
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$13
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$12
Top 3 companies account for 51.0% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AcrySof · Cequa · DEXTENZA · DURYSTA · ELAHERE · ELIQUIS · Flarex · IHEEZO · INVELTYS · IYUZEH · KXL SYSTEM · KXL System · LOTEMAX SM · MIEBO · OMNI(R) SURGICAL SYSTEM (US) · OXERVATE · Oxervate · PROKERA · Photrexa · RESTASIS · RESTASIS MULTIDOSE · Rhopressa · TECNIS IOL · TEPEZZA · TYRVAYA · Tecnis 1-piece IOL · Tecnis IOL · Tecnis Simplicity · Tobradex ST · VEVYE · VUITY · VYZULTA · XDEMVY · XIIDRA · Zerviate · enVista Aspire IOL · enVista MX60 IOL · iStent inject W · 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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

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

Geographic Context

Ophthalmologists within 10 mi
1,211
Per 100K population
126.8
County median income
$123,715
Nearest hospital
VALLEY HOSPITAL
3.0 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. Merchant is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 18% of NJ peers.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Merchant experienced with eye exam, established patient, focused?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Merchant performed 580 eye exam, established patient, focused 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. Merchant receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Merchant received a total of $5,127 from 28 companies across 129 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. Merchant's costs compare to other ophthalmologists in Glen Rock?
Dr. Merchant's average Medicare payment per service is $97. 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. Merchant) 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 →