Although vision care is typically not covered by health insurance, it can still have an impact on your general health.
Compared to other insurance kinds, vision insurance is typically far less expensive. To identify the top vision insurance providers, we thoroughly examined the data for twelve different vision insurance plans.
The Best Vision Insurance Companies
- Best Overall Coverage: Anthem
- Best Low-Cost Vision Plan: UnitedHealthcare
- Best Frame and Contacts Allowance: EyeMed
- Best For Glasses Wearers: VSP
Methodology
We compared 12 vision insurance plans using the following data points to determine which companies offered the best vision insurance:
- Cost (30%): We made use of the costs associated with a 30-year-old looking for California-only vision insurance.
- Exam fee (20%)
- Copay for glasses: 10%
- Copay for contacts (10%)
- Percentage of the frame
- Allowance for contacts (10%)
- Copay for two or three units (10%)
What Is Vision Insurance?
In addition to helping with the cost of eye exams, contacts, and glasses, vision insurance may also provide a discount on other services like LASIK surgery.
You must purchase separate vision insurance coverage because it is usually not included in health insurance. Insurance companies offer direct coverage, or your employer may include vision insurance in their benefits package.
What Does Vision Insurance Cover?
An annual eye exam is usually covered by vision insurance, and it may also assist with the cost of glasses once a year or every other year. The following is a list of goods and services that vision insurance frequently covers:
- annual examination of the eyes
- Permission to purchase spectacles, either annually or every other year
- allowance, usually yearly, for contact lenses
- Improvements to lenses such as UV protection, anti-glare, blue light reduction, and scratch resistance coatings
- The trifocal and binocular
- discounts over the policy allowance on glasses and/or contact lenses
What Doesn’t Vision Insurance Cover?
LASIK and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) are two examples of laser vision correction procedures that are not covered by vision insurance. These procedures are regarded as elective. Discounts for those services are frequently offered by vision insurance plans at participating locations.
For example, at over 900 QualSight LASIK locations, UnitedHealthcare’s Plan A offers a 35% discount on laser surgery; EyeMed policies discount the retail price at U.S. Laser Network locations by 15%; and at contracted facilities, VSP offers an average 15% off the regular price or 5% off the promotional price.
What to Look for in a Vision Insurance Plan
When comparing vision insurance plans, take into account the following aspects and choose the one that best suits your needs.
Wide coverage
It’s easiest to obtain coverage for vision insurance from a plan that is available in all states and has a large provider network of doctors. Indeed, it’s more practical and helps avoid coverage lapses in the event that you move or require medical attention while traveling.
Over 120,000 access points accept UnitedHealthcare’s vision insurance policies, Humana’s network of vision insurance providers includes 95,000 locations, and the EyeMed Advantage network boasts over 70,000 locations and providers.
Low monthly premiums
The cost varies according to your plan and degree of coverage. When searching for a new vision insurance plan, it is crucial to take your budget into account and stay away from more expensive plans if you do not require extensive coverage. For example, if you do not require glasses, a generous frames allowance might not be necessary; however, if you do require glasses, that allowance might be an essential component of your plan.
According to our research, Anthem’s Blue View Vision Value ($12 a month), UnitedHealthcare’s Plan A ($11 a month), and EyeMed Healthy ($5 a month) are the least expensive vision insurance plans.
Full or partial coverage of annual eye examinations
Annual eye exams are covered by vision insurance, though not all vision insurance plans pay for them entirely. According to our research, EyeMed Healthy does not have a copay for eye exams, despite the fact that most vision insurance policies do.
Eyewear and contact lens allowances
Recognize the coverage offered by your vision insurance plan for contacts or glasses, whether you need them now or in the future. Contact lens and eyeglass frames are covered by vision insurance up to a certain dollar amount, like $150 or $200. You might be required by a plan to select between contacts and frames, and you might only receive a single allowance each year. Should you surpass the sum, the policy might provide a reduction on the remaining expenses.
Ease of access
When looking into and signing up for a vision insurance plan, as well as when you need to contact customer service or file a claim, accessibility is crucial. Examining reviews can help you determine how responsive the prospective vision insurance provider is when you need them—not just when you’re trying to get coverage.