Like other types of insurance, the cost for vision insurance can be different for everyone. Your premium can depend on many things including your age, where you live and what type of coverage you need.1
Let’s explore a few types of vision insurance benefits and what they typically cost.
Many vision plans come with standard benefits for eye care, plus a few options for specialty lenses and other services.
Preventive coverage
Preventive coverage helps keep your eyes healthy and catch eye conditions before they get serious. Many vision insurance plans include some type of coverage for preventive care including routine eye exams, vision tests and glaucoma testing. The out-of-pocket cost to you can vary by plan.
Glasses and contact coverage
Many vision insurance plans offer allowances for eyeglasses and contact lenses. For example, your plan may give you a $200/year allowance on frames. Once you spend more than $200 on frames in a year, you pay the difference out of pocket.
Vision surgery and procedures
It’s rare for vision insurance to cover eye surgery procedures. Typically, vision insurance plans only cover laser eye surgeries such as laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) if they are medically necessary. On average, Lasik eye surgery in the U.S. costs around $2,200 per eye or $4,400 for both eyes.2
Vision insurance could help you pay for important procedures like an annual eye exam. Even if you don’t have vision problems, your healthcare provider might suggest you get a routine eye exam every 2 years. And if you have impaired vision or a family history of eye disease, you should get your eyes checked once a year.3
All things considered, keeping your eyes healthy could make vision insurance worth the cost.
Understanding the financial side of vision insurance can help you choose the best plan your needs and budget. For more information, read about the costs of vision plans and procedures.
