People often ask me to explain the difference between insurance, one being vision insurance.

So let’s talk about it.

There’s a big misconception about what vision insurance is. I’m going to try to help you understand that.

Vision insurance typically covers your exam, the copay, and an allowance for glasses or contacts. It will vary by the different company that you pick, but generally speaking, you get an allowance, and then you can get a percentage off anything additional over the allowance.

Yes, vision insurance makes sense, but only if you are prescribed glasses or contacts or anticipate wearing glasses or contacts. It can be as low as $17 a month for an individual, and if you do the math on that, you save way more by getting glasses or contacts.

What vision insurance does not cover is anything having to do with the disease of your eyes. That falls under your medical. If you have cataracts, or if you have glaucoma, or if you need surgery, you’re going to seek the care of an ophthalmologist which should fall under your medical plan. Medical plans do not pay for traditional regular eye exams. Sometimes they do but generally, they do not at the optometrist’s office, they certainly do not pay for glasses or contacts for adults. There are some plans out there that allow kids a free exam. Some of them even have a small allowance for glasses, but generally medical does not cover glasses, or hearing or dental.

So that’s an important distinction to understand, what vision covers, what it does not cover, and what your medical should cover and what your medical does not cover.

So if you wear glasses or contacts and when you like to have vision insurance, contact me! The vision insurance can be put in place anytime you are required to keep it for a year. If you’re unsure what your medical covers, or what the difference between medical and vision coverage is, call me and we’ll talk about it.