Who Needs Vision Insurance?

Specialized eye care, like dentistry, is something that is not covered under most health insurance plans, but while most people who have health insurance also pick up dental insurance, fewer still bother with a vision insurance rider or separate plan as well. This is because many people don’t think about eye care in the same way they do the rest of their body. Modern treatments for eyes is reducing blindness around the world at an impressive rate compared to the elimination of other diseases or conditions, and the question becomes one of “Who needs vision insurance?

What is vision insurance?

There are many different insurers that offer vision plans at different levels and different fee schedules for your convenience. While the types of coverage provided may vary, the types of basic coverage provided in insurance plans will include at least one comprehensive eye exam per year as well as a certain number of prescription lenses covered with basic frames.

Do you have specialized needs?

If you have need of eyeglasses or contact lenses, a vision insurance plan which will reduce the price of your corrective eye wear is something you will want to seriously consider. If you were born with certain eye conditions that require medical treatment, you also will want to keep hold of a good vision insurance plan to help defer costs.

Are you at risk?

Certain groups of people are at risk for eye diseases and may want to consider, at a minimum, a health insurance plan that allows for regular, annual or semi-annual checkups with a licensed optometrist who can screen for these diseases. Many eye conditions such as glaucoma, are treatable if caught early, but have very few symptoms in the early stage of the disease, so are rarely caught in a timely enough manner to prevent blindness. The regular checkups afforded by a vision insurance plan go a long way to preventing these diseases. For example, persons of African descent are three times more likely to develop glaucoma than others. Users of steroids are also more susceptible to glaucoma and other eye diseases as well.