Vision Insurance: Eye Care Plans and Benefits
Make eye care more affordable with individual vision insurance coverage for exams, prescription glasses, contacts, and more.
What is vision insurance?
Insurance for vision helps protect the health of your eyes. How? Vision insurance plans cover routine eye examinations and help pay for glasses, frames, and contact lenses. Even if your eyes don't need correction, modern life – and digital screens – can create stress and problems for your eyes. Regular eye examinations are also important for general health because they can detect diseases like glaucoma and diabetes.1 That's why everyone in the family needs it.
Why adults need coverage
More than 83% of Americans report using digital devices for more than 2 hours per day, and 60% report digital eye strain.1
Why children need coverage
Poor eyesight can lead to misdiagnosis of learning and psychiatric disorders, which can result in behavioral problems.3
Vision insurance plans complement health insurance because preventive eye care is essential to your overall health. Vision problems are the fourth most prevalent disability in the United States and one of the most prevalent conditions in childhood.2
- Who is it for?
Even if you have perfect eyesight, it's important to have regular eye exams to make sure you still see clearly. Most of us eventually need vision correction.
- What does it cover?
It covers routine eye exams and helps pay for glasses, contact lenses - things not typically covered by health insurance.
- Why should I get it?
Vision care is vital to overall health, and coverage helps encourage an annual eye exam. It also makes glasses and contacts easier to afford.
You depend on your eyes every day. Take care of them.
Corrective lenses, preventive care, and annual exams help ensure that your eyes perform at their best. Studies suggest that 75% of us need vision correction, and nearly 64% choose eyeglasses.2 No matter what shape your eyes are in now, at some point in your life, you'll likely need vision correction. That's why more and more people who care about their health ensure they have access to quality vision care.
Frequently asked questions about vision plans
- What is vision insurance?
A vision insurance plan helps protect eye health, which is related to overall health and wellness. The plans provide coverage for routine exams and there are typically no waiting periods before you can start using your benefits with network providers. Vision plans also help make it easier to pay for glasses and contacts with discounts at participating network providers. Even if your eyes don’t currently need correction, modern life – and digital screens – can create stress and problems for your eyes. Vision coverage helps promote regular eye examinations and care, which is vital for general health because an eye exam can detect diseases like glaucoma, diabetes.1
- How much does vision insurance cost?
These plans typically fit most budgets, with options starting at just a few dollars a month. Combined vision and dental insurance plans are also available. You can buy a plan directly from an insurance company, such as Guardian. Many employers also include vision insurance plans as part of their employee benefits package; that may be a good choice to consider if available.
- How does vision insurance work?
Like a dental plan, a vision plan provides coverage for routine exams with a network provider. It also provides a discount on glasses and contacts needed to correct eyesight issues. To access your benefits and discounts (and/or cost-share allowance), you typically need to go to a network provider. If you get vision coverage from an insurance company, it's usually easy to find the care you and your family need. For example, Guardian offers thousands of providers to choose from, including convenient retail vision service locations such as Costco, Walmart, and Visionworks.
- Do vision plans cover eye surgery?
Coverage for many serious treatments, such as non-elective surgery to correct an eye injury, typically isn't covered by a vision plan.
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