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Vision insurance costs $10 to $25 a month for an individual plan. That’s $120 to $300 a year. The question is whether you get more than that back in exams and eyewear.
For most people who wear glasses or contacts, the answer is yes. For everyone else, it’s usually no.
What vision insurance covers
A standard vision plan covers an annual eye exam with a copay of about $10 to $15, instead of the $100 to $200 you’d pay out of pocket. It includes an allowance for frames, typically around $150, plus discounts of 20 to 30% on whatever the frames cost beyond that. Contact lens plans usually include an allowance of about $120 a year toward lenses.
What it doesn’t cover: medical eye problems. Glaucoma treatment, cataract surgery, eye infections, and injuries go through your health insurance, not your vision plan. Vision insurance is for routine care and corrective eyewear only.
The math
Take a $20-a-month plan: $240 a year in premiums. You get an exam ($10 copay instead of $150), and glasses with a $150 frame allowance plus lens discounts. Out of pocket, that same year costs you roughly $150 for the exam and $300 or more for glasses: $450 total. With the plan, you pay $240 in premiums plus the $10 copay plus whatever the glasses cost above the allowance. You come out ahead by $100 or more, and the gap widens if you buy nicer frames or need progressive lenses.
Contact lens wearers see similar math. A year’s supply of basic lenses runs $150 to $400 out of pocket. A $120 annual allowance plus the discounted exam usually beats paying cash.
When it’s not worth it
If you have perfect vision and only get an exam every few years, you’re paying $240 a year for a $150 exam. Skip the plan and pay cash. Same if your employer doesn’t subsidize it and you’d be buying at full individual rates for coverage you barely use.
Also worth knowing: some independent optometrists charge less for cash-pay exams than the insured route ends up costing once you add uncovered extras like retinal imaging or contact lens fittings. If you go this route, call around for cash prices first. Discount retailers like Costco can do an exam plus glasses for well under $200 total, which beats many insurance scenarios for basic needs.
How to pick a plan
Check that your eye doctor is in the plan’s network before you buy. Ask whether the plan covers glasses and contacts in the same year or makes you pick one. Look at the frame allowance and the lens enhancement coverage if you need progressives or high-index lenses. And confirm whether there’s a waiting period before benefits kick in.
VSP is the largest vision insurer in the US, with over 80 million members, but EyeMed and plans bundled through health insurers are worth comparing on price.
If you wear corrective lenses and get yearly exams, vision insurance is one of the few insurance products that reliably pays for itself. If you don’t, it’s $240 a year for peace of mind you won’t use. For keeping up with general care on a budget, our guide to the cheapest way to see a doctor without insurance covers the medical side.
