Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Elliot Kirstein, O.D.

Optometrist · Cincinnati, OH
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Speaking/Promotional
8211 CORNELL ROAD, Cincinnati, OH 45249
5135300440
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1235226085 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. Kirstein 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. Kirstein? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Kirstein

Dr. Elliot Kirstein is an optometrist in Cincinnati, OH, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Kirstein performed 1,942 Medicare services across 1,503 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Kirstein received a total of $18,961 from 37 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 224 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. Kirstein 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 9% volume in OH $18,961 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,942
Medicare services
Top 9% in OH for optometrist
1,503
Unique beneficiaries
$42
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~102 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.
475 $57 $115
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.
334 $40 $120
Comprehensive eye exam, established patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider.
265 $74 $166
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan)
Imaging of the optic nerve.
205 $23 $100
Imaging of front third of eye
Imaging of the front third of the eye.
188 $18 $125
Retinal imaging (OCT scan)
This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye.
142 $25 $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.
134 $14 $60
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.
87 $38 $90
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.
55 $26 $130
Comprehensive eye exam, new patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a new patient.
33 $95 $195
Visual field test, intermediate
A test that measures your side vision to check for blind spots or other vision changes.
24 $27 $120
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 ↗
$18,961
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,709/year across 7 years
Top 2% in OH for optometrist
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
37
Companies
224
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
$10,176 (53.7%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$7,309 (38.5%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$1,476 (7.8%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$1,923
2023
$2,349
2022
$995
2021
$1,126
2020
$1,964
2019
$7,387
2018
$3,216

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Haag-Streit USA, Inc.
$750
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$292
Thea Pharma Inc.
$143
Alcon Vision LLC
$140
Harrow Eye, LLC
$132
CooperVision Inc.
$109
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$91
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$80
Glaukos Corporation
$62
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$58
Dompe US, Inc.
$23
ABBVIE INC.
$23
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
$20
Top 3 companies account for 61.6% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
OPTOVUE, INC.
$6,005
Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$3,246
Allergan, Inc.
$2,157
Glaukos Corporation
$1,403
Haag-Streit USA, Inc.
$750
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$653
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$609
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$575
Shire North American Group Inc
$379
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$285
Allergan Inc.
$283
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$231
ABBVIE INC.
$231
Alcon Vision LLC
$196
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$185
Thea Pharma Inc.
$178
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
$177
EYEVANCE PHARMACEUTICALS LLC
$172
CooperVision Inc.
$172
Ivantis, Inc
$143
Harrow Eye, LLC
$132
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$127
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$124
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
$86
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$80
Visionix USA, Inc
$76
Dompe US, Inc.
$61
Eyevance Pharmaceuticals LLC
$51
BioTissue Holdings, Inc.
$33
Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$30
Visioneering Technologies, Inc.
$25
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS, INC.
$22
Mallinckrodt Enterprises LLC
$21
Akorn, Inc.
$18
Mallinckrodt LLC
$16
Sight Sciences, Inc.
$16
MacuLogix, Inc.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 60.2% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · ALPHAGAN P · Acuvue · AdaptDx · BESIVANCE · BIOTRUE · BIOTRUE ONE DAY · BROMSITE · CEQUA · COMBIGAN · Cequa · Clariti Contact Lens · DAILIES · DEXTENZA · DURYSTA · Flarex · Hydrus Microstent · ILUX · INFUSE · INVELTYS · IYUZEH · LOTEMAX · LUMIGAN · MIEBO · MiSight Contact Lens · Multiple Brands Contact Lens · MyDay Contact Lens · OCT · OXERVATE · PROKERA · RESTASIS · RESTASIS MULTIDOSE · Radius XR · Rhopressa · Rocklatan · SIMBRINZA · TEPEZZA · TRAVATAN Z · TYRVAYA · TearCare SmartLid · TobraDex ST · ULTRA · VEVYE · VUITY · VYZULTA · XDEMVY · XELPROS · XIIDRA · XR · ZYLET · Zioptan · iVue · 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 →

The majority of payments (54%) 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 2% for optometrist in OH.

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

Geographic Context

Optometrists within 10 mi
353
Per 100K population
42.6
County median income
$70,816
Nearest hospital
BETHESDA NORTH
2.6 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. Kirstein is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 9% in OH), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 2% of OH 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. Kirstein experienced with eye exam, established patient, focused?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Kirstein performed 475 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. Kirstein receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Kirstein received a total of $18,961 from 37 companies across 224 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. Kirstein's costs compare to other optometrists in Cincinnati?
Dr. Kirstein's average Medicare payment per service is $42. 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. Kirstein) 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 →