Payment Options

Vision Discount Plan vs. Medical Insurance Plans: What's the Difference?

To understand the difference, we must first explain how insurance companies define a "routine" eye exam. A "routine" eye exam involves checking vision, screening for eye disease, and/or updating eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions. The routine eye exam produces a final diagnosis such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and/or astigmatism.

A Vision Discount Plan typically covers a "routine" eye exam including the refraction which is the portion that determines your eyeglass prescription.
Some discount plans may have a copay, and some may not. Some discount plans cover you once a year, and some cover you every two years.
A Vision Discount Plan might also provide material benefits, which is a set amount of money that can be applied towards your eyeglass frames, eyeglass lenses, or contact lenses.
Some Vision Discount Plans will even provide benefits towards your contact lens fit and/or follow-up visit.

Medical insurance covers anything that is not a "routine" eye exam, such as pink eye, dry eye, diabetic eye exams, monitoring cataract development, glaucoma, eye injuries, and much more.

Most plans have a copay. If your medical visit requires a refraction, you may be responsible for the $50 fee.

No vision discount plan? No medical insurance plan? No problem.
We extend a variety of discounts to all patients who plan to pay out of pocket.

We hope you found this information helpful. If you have any questions or need clarification, please give us a call.