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A vision insurance policy is not the same as health insurance. Regular health insurance plans protect you against financial losses due to unexpected eye injuries or disease. Vision insurance, on the other hand, is a wellness benefit designed to provide routine eye care, prescription eyewear and other vision-related services at a reduced cost.
Because we provide both medical and routine eye care, we accept a number of insurance plans to help cover the cost depending on your individual needs.
Here are just some of the plans that we accept:
Whether your vision insurance plan is one you choose as an additional benefit in your employer health benefits package, or vision coverage you seek on your own through an insurance company or vision benefits provider, there are basics you should understand to make the most of vision insurance.
Types of Vision Plans
The options available to you in vision plans can be a little daunting. If you’ve chosen your vision insurance through your employer, your HR department and the insurance company literature—and websites—are a good place to start to understand what your vision insurance plan does and does not cover.
In general, there are two types of vision insurance plans:
Vision Benefits Package
Often purchased as an addition to traditional employer-provided healthcare, this type of vision insurance includes a fixed set of benefits related to eye health and maintenance, such as routine eye exams and testing, discounts for corrective eyewear, even benefits that reduce the cost of eye surgery. Vision insurance like this typically includes a network of participating eyecare professionals who have agreed to honor the plan particulars.
This type of vision insurance plan has evolved over the years to include more personalized choice for the consumer in the form of defined contribution vision coverage—where you, the consumer, choose the particular services and discount offerings based on what you expect your vision expenses to be.
Many of these vision plans involve using pre-tax dollars deducted automatically by your employer in the form of Flexible Spending Accounts, 'Cafeteria' Plans, Health Savings Accounts or Health Reimbursement Accounts. Each has particular tax advantages and drawbacks you should discuss in full with your vision plan administrator or provider, and if necessary, a tax professional.
Vision Discount Plans
While similar to traditional vision benefits, this type of vision insurance is generally less flexible than a vision benefits package because it offers flat discounts across the board for a wide menu of vision-related services, including specified discounts on eye exams, eyeglasses and contact lenses, even many surgical procedures.
You agree to pay the difference in cost in full—however these types of plans generally offer lower premiums than traditional vision benefit plans.
Vision insurance like this typically includes a “network” of participating eyecare professionals who have agreed to honor the stated discounts within the vision plan, so long as you agree to pay the difference.
Vision Insurance Planning
It may sound confusing at first, but you can plan to use your vision insurance to your maximum benefit by fully understanding what is specifically covered or not covered under your vision insurance plan, and by also discussing options with your eyecare professional to see how best to apply your particular vision coverage to your eyecare expenses.
This planning includes fully understanding any traditional health insurance coverage you may have. Unexpected eye injury, or the onset of certain eye diseases and their related treatments is often covered by your traditional health insurance rather than your specific vision insurance plan.
The point here is—it’s your vision insurance, your vision coverage—understanding your particular vision insurance plan is critical to maximizing those benefits.
Use it or lose it. Vision insurance benefits do expire.
Depending upon the type of vision insurance plan you’ve enrolled in, your vision insurance benefits may expire annually. This means if you don’t “use it” you “lose it” until the next year. Since you are contributing your hard-earned money toward your vision coverage, there’s really no excuse to skip your annual eye exam or see your optometrist should you experience any changes in your vision.
What’s more, many of the defined contribution vision insurance plans (Flexible Spending Accounts in particular) don’t allow for your deposited money to roll over into the next year. If you don’t spend what you’ve allocated, you may be at risk of losing that money entirely.
Think beyond the traditional examination to a second pair of eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses, photochromic lenses, or eyewear that’s specifically designed to fit your lifestyle. All might be within ready reach if you maximize your vision insurance coverage.
Special thanks to the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, for source material that aided in the creation of this website.
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Very helpful, friendly and informative. Highly recommend!!
I have always been very satisfied and happy with the thorough examinations of my eyes over the past years.
Everyone was extremely helpful and courteous they got me in and out of my appointment in a timely manner
Thorough, asked good questions, listened. A delightful experience
Always friendly, professional and keeps on schedule which is important. The quality of care is also top notch.
I have no complaints! Dr. Mitchell was very thorough! The girls were all very professional!
Excellent Service the office girls are so nice and my experience was just awesome love my eye doctor .
I was very pleased with my visit. Everyone was very nice and performed their job well
Dr. Mitchell is amazing! He really takes the time to make sure your eyes are the best they can be. I highly recommend, 10 out of 10, Dr. Mitchell and his team for your vision care needs.
This was a great experience for our first eye appointment in Bluffton after moving back to the area. Very friendly staff, thorough exam and no pressure to purchase new frames.
Kind, helpful staff. I typically have anxiety about going to the doctor in general, but everyone truly made me feel so comfortable. The doctor was thorough and explained everything to me.
Shortly upon returning to the US after traveling abroad, floaters began appearing in one eye. I immediately contacted BFEC for an appointment and was fitted in for the following afternoon. Gratefully, the condition is known as Vitreous Detachment, which you'll have to Google. Dr. Mitchell was extremely knowledgeable of this condition; discussed risks; provided me an info sheet. I shall return in 30 days for a follow-up. Thank you BFEC! Extraordinary!!
Everyone made me feel comfortable. I started out with Dr. VanWinkle years ago. Comfort is still the same.
I was very pleased with the way you got me in quickly with my emergency. You connected me with a surgeon very fast. Now I am getting my eye fixed tomorrow morning. Thank you.
Dr. Mitchell has gone beyond my expectations to correct or control my dry eye condition and improve my site
I had a great time with the professional people at your office. Very nice and kind. Was a worry free visit. Thank you for your help.
A++++
I really appreciate the expertise and the kindness of Dr. Frye. She takes time to explain my situation.
We always love visiting the office of Family Eye Care where we are greeted warmly as we walk in. The wait is always short to see a physician and the office staff is professional and friendly. The exam is extremely thorough and the physicians are well trained and very knowledgeable. Holly Mitchell makes the process of choosing new eyeglasses easy and enjoyable. I love my glasses and frequently get compliments on them wherever I go. Bravo to the great staff at Family Eye Care!
I am always pleased coming in to get my eye exams. All the staff is very pleasant and helpful. Thank you!
