Does vision insurance cover contact lenses? (2024)

FAQs

Does vision insurance cover contact lenses? ›

Nearly all vision insurance plans have a contact lens allowance that can offset some or all of the basic costs. With VSP Individual Vision Plans, most plans have a contact lens allowance, plus you'll be able to take advantage of additional member-only savings and offers with Exclusive Member Extras.

Most plans, including VSP insurance, provide a higher benefit for glasses, allowing for the cost of both frames and lenses and usually amounting to almost double to what is given for contact lenses.

They are more expensive due to the additional tests required for evaluating eye size and shape. For more about contact lens exams, visit Clarity Vision at our offices in Holly Springs. Call (919) 646-2900 to book an appointment today.

Medically necessary contact lens coverage is limited to hydrophilic lenses and applications that the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved, and hard and gas permeable lenses that conform to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Requirements for First Quality Contact Lenses (Z80. 2).

Contacts have a higher upfront cost than regular eyeglasses. That is because you can always buy glasses off-the-shelf at a lower cost.

Contacts: Pros

They give you more natural vision than glasses. They move with your eye, and nothing blocks what you see. They don't fog up or get wet when it's cold or rainy. Contacts don't get in the way when you play sports.

Comprehensive Eye Exam VS Exams for Contact Lenses

Comprehensive eye exams are an in-depth vision and eye health exams that test your visual acuity and for certain eye diseases. Exams for contacts, by contrast, only check your visual acuity and fit you for contact lenses.

Free contact lens assessment with every eye test (Includes NHS eye test entitlement).

Online vision tests cannot offer accurate prescriptions for patients that need irregular or high-power prescriptions. Online vision tests can test the power of eyeglass prescriptions, but are not effective at testing contact lens prescriptions.

How much is a box of contacts without insurance? ›

The cost of contact lenses can vary, but the average cost for an annual supply of contacts, if you're nearsighted, should be between around $200 and $300. If you need to replace your contacts throughout the year, plan to purchase around sic to 10 boxes total, with a cost of around $20 to $30 for each box.

Disposable contact lenses cost approximately $200 to $1,000 per year or $15 to $85 per month for regular wearers, if you're buying for both eyes. This range is so broad because it encompasses different types of contact lenses for different kinds of vision correction.

It generally takes more expertise for an eye doctor to fit a patient for toric contacts than it does for regular lenses. For this reason, a toric lens fitting may cost more than a regular contact lens fitting. Since torics are more complex in design, the cost of replacing them will be higher than most regular contacts.

However, contact lenses may not be a good option for people who: Have had repeated eye infections. Suffer from severe allergic reactions. Have problems with eye lubrication.

Medically Necessary Contact Lenses

Such medical conditions include: Aphakia – the removal or absence of the lens of the eye(s) due to surgery, injury, or abnormality. Anisometrophia – a refractive condition where the eyes have unequal focus or optical power.

Vision insurance plans often cover a portion of the cost of contact lenses. Coverage typically includes specific types of lenses, such as soft, disposable, or specialized lenses for conditions like astigmatism. However, insurance plans vary significantly in terms of co-pays, annual allowances, and limitations.

Because they sit on the surface of your eyes and move with them, contact lenses provide seamless vision correction. Their benefits extend to your peripheral vision and they won't have the same types of visual disruptions that glasses do, such as reflections or fogginess.

Even if you don't need eyeglasses or contact lenses, it might be a good idea to get a vision insurance plan. Most vision plans can help cover routine eye exams, and some plans include coverage or allowances for frames and corrective lenses.

Vision insurance typically does cover contacts and glasses. Adult health insurance alone often doesn't cover corrective lenses unless the plan includes vision coverage.

The answer is usually yes unless your doctor specifically tells you otherwise. Wearing your contacts will help your doctor get a more accurate measure of your prescription and determine if your lenses are causing any problems.