Vision insurance helps pay for expenses related to eye care, such as eye exams, glasses and contact lenses. It can help people access proactive care to preserve eye health and even detect overall health issues.
There’s more to vision care than prescribing glasses or contact lenses. Even if someone has 20/20 vision, a routine eye exam can reveal the early stages of eye disease, such as glaucoma or diabetes. Prompt treatment can potentially lead to a better outcome.
Eye exams can also provide a time to discuss issues such as eye strain or fatigue caused by blue light in devices, such as phones and computer screens.
Vision insurance works much like other types of insurance coverage. A plan helps cover vision care expenses in exchange for a monthly cost. Plans may be offered through an employer group plan or purchased as individual policies.
Many vision insurance companies cover the cost of an annual eye exam performed by an in-network provider. These policies may also offer help paying for glasses and contact lenses up to an annual maximum amount.
Vision and health insurance cover different aspects of health. Much like a dental plan provides specialized coverage for oral health, a vision plan focuses on providing specialized eye care. Meanwhile, health plans offer broad coverage for the rest of the body.
Most health plans do not cover vision issues unless there is a medical reason to see a health care provider or in an emergency. Medical eye concerns include eye infections, floaters, eyelid styes, chronic dry eyes, glaucoma treatments and loss of vision caused by a medical eye condition. Vision plans will defer to health plans for coverage in these medical situations.
Here are some common types of eye care coverage. Plans vary, so check individual plan details.
Vision Insurance Coverage | Health Insurance Coverage | |
---|---|---|
Routine eye exams | Yes | No |
Glasses or contact lenses | Yes | No |
Eye disease | Detection | Treatment |
Emergencies | No | Yes |
Loss of vision caused by a medical condition | No | Yes |
In addition to medical eye conditions, vision insurance typically does not cover the following:
Vision plans may be accessible through:
Vision coverage may have fixed co-pays or cover a percentage of expenses. When researching policies, check for details to understand how the plan functions. Here are some common terms:
Take advantage of routine eye exams to detect issues early that, if left undetected or untreated, could require more extensive and costly care. For plans with networks, select in-network eye care providers for the lowest costs. If eligible, pay for qualified vision expenses with pre-tax money from a Health Savings Account (HSA).
At GuideStone, we offer vision plans to promote your well-being, along with guidance on preventive care, tips for exercising on a budget, encouragement to rest and much more. For more information, contact us at Insurance@GuideStone.orgor 1-844-INS-GUIDE (1-844-467-4843), Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT.
GuideStone welcomes the opportunity to share this general information. However, this article is not intended to be relied upon as legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
1DOL.gov/agencies/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/publications/an-employees-guide-to-health-benefits-under-cobra
2NEI.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/healthy-vision/get-free-or-low-cost-eye-care