Vision Insurance (And How To Evaluate Usefulness To You)

 Vision insurance either covers the following or offers discounts on the following:

• Specific eye care (such as yearly exams)
• Defined eyeware benefits (such as prescription eye glasses, contact lenses, and/or eye surgery)

A vision policy which covers care or eyeglasses may require that you pay a co-pay when you receive a service. 

With a discount plan, you pay the full amount of the service, but at a lower rate than normal because of the discount feature. Generally discounts only apply if you purchase your eye wear or obtain your eye care from a participating store or practitioner.

Some vision insurance benefits may be covered under:

• Medicare
• Medicaid 
• Health insurance policies
• Individual vision insurance policies

How To Evaluate The Usefulness Of A Vision Insurance Policy To You

Step 1. Try to calculate your current and present eye care needs. 

• Add up what you spent for eye care and eye wear in the past two years to get an idea of your current costs.
• Ask your health care team whether your health condition and/or treatments could affect your eyes in the future. If so, to what extent. If there will be an effect, speak with a local eye glass store or optometrist about the potential cost of eye wear, or a health professional such as an opthamologist about the cost of likely vision procedures. 
• Include the needs of your immediate family members.

Step 2. Look at available vision insurance plans that could cover your needs. Compare the features and premiums to find the best one for you.  AllAboutVision.com   provides worksheets to help compare vision insurance policies.(click on Vision Insurance).