Individual eye insurance plans
Individual Eye Insurance Plans are often referred to as Vision Insurance Plans and can be a cause for much confusion. This type of insurance plan provides cover for routine and preventative eye care. This may include eye examinations, eyewear such as glasses or contact lenses and other eye related services. You will generally find that these benefits are either offered once a year or once every 24 months.
Eye Insurance is not typically included in the majority of health insurance plans. If your health insurance is offered through an employer, you may need to check whether it is available on an employee paid basis. However, you can, of course, apply for an Individual Eye Insurance Plan separately. You may find that an employer offers a flexible spending account (FSA) which will allow you to use your pre-payments for any health related costs, including for any form of eye examination or treatment.
Vision insurance will typically require you to pay an annual premium in exchange for various eye care services. As with most forms of insurance, you will need to pay a deductible or excess payment before a claim can be satisfied. There are also companies who offer discount vision plans, which allow you to receive benefits at a fixed premium rate. You will usually be required to pay a membership fee to secure a fixed rate payment.
There are numerous benefits for people who have an Individual Eye Insurance Plan. These include:-
- You will receive coverage from an experienced and well respected company
- You will receive benefits for eyeglass frames and lenses and indeed contact lenses
- There is the benefit of receiving annual eye exams and this is inclusive of dilation
- You will also receive discounts on LASIK vision correction or eye surgery, if required
You may also find that many plans offer additional discounts for materials that are not generally covered. This could include an extra pair of glasses, specialized lenses, conventional contact lenses and even lens treatment. It is also recommended that you research the size of your policy’s network. It is imperative that the plan offers the option of using providers of this service in your local area. However, it must be said that, many of these retail locations can offer the utmost in convenience and can often complete orders in under an hour.
You may consider that having an Individual Eye Insurance Plan is yet another unnecessary out-of-pocket expense. Although you should be aware that eye care and examinations contribute much more to your overall health and wellbeing than you may realise. Regular eye exams can offer an insight into potential major health conditions such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In addition to this there are, unfortunately, absolutely no warning signs to alert you to the risk of eye diseases and you may, therefore, be putting yourself at risk of impaired vision or blindness.
You may believe that you have perfect 20-20 vision however you should not underestimate the importance of a regular eye check up. Diseases such as Glaucoma or Macular Degeneration can develop without warning and few people will ever notice the symptoms of Cataracts developing. It is highly recommended that everyone should have an eye examination at least once every two years and at least once a year if you are over the age of 65.
It is estimated that up to 50% of Americans wear prescription eye glasses or contact lenses. However, there are equally as many individuals who may have perfect vision now, but belong to a family who have a history or wearing glasses or related eye problems. You will find that Individual Eye Insurance plans are amongst the least expensive of all Insurance policies and provide access to a whole host of eye doctors, optometrists and opthamologists.
The average cost of an eye exam can range from $50-$100. The cost of frames or lenses may set you back anywhere from $75 up to $500 depending on the specific type of equipment you require. Surely a one-off annual fee will more than make up for any expenses you may incur in the future and it is important to remember that early detection of any possible eye problems can make the difference between you losing your vision in early life or retaining it until well into your latter years.
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