Best vision insurance companies of July 2024
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BLUEPRINT
Updated 1:20 p.m. UTC July 1, 2024
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Humana is the best vision insurance company of 2024. The Humana Vision Plus plan has low copays and high allowances for frames and contact lenses at a competitive price.
Best vision insurance companies of 2024
- Humana: Best vision insurance.
- UnitedHealthcare: Best budget vision insurance.
- Anthem: Best vision insurance for bifocals and trifocals.
- EyeMed: Best vision insurance for additional discounts.
- VSP: Best vision insurance for glasses.
Why trust our vision insurance experts
Our team of vision insurance experts evaluates hundreds of insurance products and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best product for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.
- 12 vision plans analyzed.
- 120 data points compared.
- 5 levels of fact-checking.
Compare vision insurance costs
Anthem
Top scoring plan
Blue View Vision Enhanced
Vision insurance network
More than 40,000 providers at over 30,000 locations
UnitedHealthcare
Top scoring plan
Plan A
Vision insurance network
More than 120,000 access points
Top-rated vision insurance of 2024
Compare the best vision insurance plans
| VISION INSURANCE COMPANY | Top-scoring vision insurance plan | OUR RATING | Sample monthly cost | LEARN MORE | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Humana | Humana Vision Plus | $14 | Learn More Via Healthcare Marketplace’s website | |||||||
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 UnitedHealthcare | VisionWise Premier | $13 | Learn More Via Healthcare Marketplace’s website | |||||||
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 Anthem | Blue View Vision Enhanced | $19 | Learn More Via Healthcare Marketplace’s website | |||||||
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 EyeMed | EyeMed Bold | $18 | Learn More Via Healthcare Marketplace’s website | |||||||
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 VSP | Standard | $17 | Learn More Via Healthcare Marketplace’s website | |||||||
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Vision insurance rates are based on a 30-year-old shopping for vision insurance in California. Your rates may differ.
Methodology
We analyzed 12 vision insurance plans to determine the best vision insurance. Each vision insurance plan was eligible for up to 100 points, based on its performance in the following key categories:
- Cost: 40 points.
- Exam copay: 20 points.
- Glasses copay: 10 points.
- Contacts copay: 10 points.
- Bifocal/trifocal copay: 10 points.
- Frames/Contacts allowance: 10 points.
Vision loss statistics
Vision loss and related disabilities affect millions of Americans each year, making vision insurance an important part of your overall healthcare efforts. The most recent CDC statistics provide a high-level look at optical health and vision care in the U.S.
- 12 million people in the U.S. age 40 and older have vision impairment.
- 6.8% of children under 18 in the U.S. have a diagnosed eye and vision condition.
- Nearly 3% of children under 18 in the U.S. have blindness or vision impairment.
- 93 million adults in the U.S. have a high risk of serious vision loss, but only half have visited an eye doctor within the past 12 months.
The economic cost of major vision problems is estimated to increase to $373 billion by 2050.
How much does vision insurance cost?
Vision insurance can cost as low as $5 per month. The cost may vary based on where you live, your age and the insurance company and plan you choose.
The average vision care coverage premium is between $5 and $30 monthly. The price increases for plans with more comprehensive coverage options.
Family vision insurance plans cost more than individual policies, but the more family members your benefit plan covers, the more cost-effective it can be.
How to save on vision insurance
Although vision insurance is less expensive than even the most affordable health insurance plans, there are still ways to save:
- Only buy a plan if the benefits outweigh the cost. If you have good vision, you probably don’t need the expense of vision insurance coverage. But vision policies are usually worth the cost if you have vision problems and wear glasses or contact lenses.
- Compare vision insurance policies. Like other types of insurance, comparing plan options and out-of-pocket costs like copays and allowances can help you determine which plan best fits your individual needs.
- Stay in-network to reap maximum benefits. Most vision insurance plans have a network of eye care providers that offer yearly eye exams at the lowest price, sometimes at no cost. But if you go out of network, you’ll pay higher copays, may not have an allowance and could even be denied coverage.
- Use an HSA or FSA to pay for care, products and services. A health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) allows you to use pre-tax dollars for eligible healthcare expenses. If you’re eligible for either an HSA or FSA, you can use the money to pay for things like eyeglasses, contacts, eye exams, cataract surgery and LASIK surgery — whether your vision plan covers it or not.
What to look for in a vision insurance plan
Consider the following factors when searching for a vision insurance plan to meet your specific needs.
- Low monthly premiums. Look for a low-cost vision insurance plan that has the coverage you need, such as a high allowance for frames or contacts. If you need bifocals, trifocals or progressive lenses, focus on vision insurance companies that offer lower copays for these types of lenses.
- Annual eye exam coverage. Routine eye exams are essential for eye health. According to the CDC, an eye exam can reveal common eye conditions that can cause vision loss or blindness, including cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Look for an eye insurance plan with low-cost annual eye exams or one with a $0 copay if you go in-network.
- Glasses and contact lenses allowance. Eyeglasses and contacts can be expensive, so finding a good vision insurance policy with a generous allowance makes the plan cost worth it. Policy benefits vary, but most policies offer a fixed allowance, usually between $100 and $250 per year, for either contacts or glasses. If you expect to pay more, look for a plan offering a discount for the remaining balance.
- Ease of access and customer service. Check vision insurance reviews online to get a good idea of which vision insurance company will meet your needs during enrollment and after signing up.
- Network coverage. Choose a vision insurance plan with a vast coverage network and a long list of eye doctors to ensure coverage even while traveling.
How to buy vision insurance
There are multiple ways you can buy vision insurance:
- As part of a health insurance plan.
- Combined with a dental insurance plan.
- As a stand-alone vision plan.
Your employer may offer vision insurance combined with health or dental insurance, or as a stand-alone policy. This is usually the most affordable option, but the available plan might not offer the best vision insurance for your needs.
All plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace include vision coverage for children, but only some include vision coverage for adults. The Marketplace does not offer stand-alone vision insurance plans.
You can purchase vision insurance directly through an insurance company or by contacting a vision insurance agent or broker.
What does vision insurance cover?
Although vision plans can vary by insurance company and plan type, in general, vision insurance covers the following products and services:
- Annual eye exam.
- Annual allowance for eyeglass frames and single-vision corrective lenses.
- Annual contact lens allowance, though you typically have to choose between the glasses and contacts allowance — you can’t use both.
- Lens enhancements such as anti-glare, blue light coatings, UV protection and scratch-resistant coatings.
- Bifocals, trifocals and progressive lenses.
- Discount programs for contact lenses and glasses purchases that exceed the plan allowance.
What does vision insurance not cover?
Typical vision insurance exclusions include:
- Eye exams required by an employer as a condition of employment.
- LASIK surgery and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), though you may get a discount on corrective laser eye surgeries through your vision insurance plan.
- Medical or surgical treatment of the eyes.
- Non-prescription items.
- Optional lens extras.
- Oversize lenses.
Does the ACA cover vision care?
The Affordable Care Act doesn’t require vision care coverage for adults but does require coverage for pediatric vision. Here is what’s covered by the ACA for children under the age of 19:
- Eye exams.
- Vision screening.
- Glasses to correct vision issues.
Note that HealthCare.gov does not offer stand-alone vision plans, but several fully state-run exchanges have partnerships with providers through which visitors can purchase stand-alone coverage directly from the provider (VSP, in most cases: California, Colorado, DC, Idaho, Kentucky and Nevada).
Best vision insurance FAQs
How much vision insurance coverage you need depends on whether you prefer contacts or glasses and if you need annual eye exams. If you have good vision but want to get an annual exam for your eye health, consider a low-cost policy with a low exam copay. But if you wear contacts or eyeglasses, pay attention to the frame and contact lens allowance amounts and relevant discount programs.
If you don’t have perfect vision, insurance may be worth it. Vision insurance can lower the cost of eye exams, glasses and contacts. You can also get discounts on lens enhancements and LASIK surgery. To know if a plan is worth it, determine how much you spend on an annual exam, contacts or glasses to see if it will save you money.
Our research indicates the best vision insurance for glasses is Humana Vision Plus, which gets 5 stars in our rating. This plan offers a frame allowance of $250 with an additional 20% off any balance over that amount.
Our research indicates that the best vision insurance plan for contacts is Humana Vision Plus. Humana offers a $200 allowance for contact lenses and an additional 15% off if you exceed the allowance.
Humana Vision Plus has the highest frame allowance of our top-scoring vision insurance plans. With this plan, you get a frame allowance of $250 with 20% off the balance of any amount over $250.
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Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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