- Eight plan options
- $200 frame allowance available with upgraded plans
AP Buyline’s content is created independently of The Associated Press newsroom. Our evaluations and opinions are not influenced by our advertising relationships, but we might earn commissions from our partners’ links in this content. Learn more about our policies and terms here.
Updated March 7, 2024
Hundreds of millions of Americans need glasses or contacts to see clearly and live a fulfilling life. Many choose optional vision insurance to help defray the costs of those glasses or contacts.
In a nutshell
Vision insurance provides coverage for eye exams, frames and glasses lenses and contacts.
- Many plans also offer discounts on LASIK.
- These items and services are typically not covered by standard health insurance.
Check out seven of the country’s leading vision insurance plans, and see how they compare.
Compare the best vision insurance companies
| Company | Top-scoring plan | Annual cost* | Exam copay | Lens copay | Frame allowance | Network size | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anthem Blue View Vision | Value | $147 | $20 | $20 | $130 | 32,000 | Range of plan options |
Standard | $153 | $15 | $25 | $150 | 36,000 | Plan flexibility | |
Davis Vision | Essential | $161 | $15 | $25 | $125 | 150,000+ | LASIK discount |
EyeMed | Healthy | $60 | $0 | $55 | 35% discount** | 70,000 | Cost-conscious |
Guardian Vision | Core | $195 | $15 | $25 | $160 | NA | Frames allowance |
Humana | Vision Plus | $168 | $10 | $10 | $200 | 95,000 | Great value |
UnitedHealthcare | Plan A | $125 | $10 | $10 | $150 | NA | Contact lens benefits |
* Estimates based on publicly available data.
**EyeMed offers a frame discount rather than a frame allowance.
Our reviews of the best vision insurance companies
Best for wide range of plan options: Anthem Blue View Vision
Range of plan options
Anthem Blue View Vision
Range of plan options
Anthem Blue View Vision
Top-scoring plan
Value
Annual cost
$147
Lens copay
$20
Frame allowance
$130
Network size
32,000
If you like a lot of choices, check out Anthem Blue View Vision. Whereas many vision insurance companies offer two or three plans, our Anthem quote offered us eight plans at prices ranging from $12.26 to $22.52 per month ($147 to $270 per year). Its most economical plan, Value, includes $20 copays for exams and lenses and a $130 allowance for frames. The company also offers an $800 discount for LASIK.
Anthem was not included in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Vision Plan Satisfaction Study.
Pros:
Cons:
- Currently available only in 14 states
Best for plan flexibility: VSP
Plan flexibility
VSP® Individual Vision Plans
Plan flexibility
VSP® Individual Vision Plans
Top-scoring plan
Standard
Annual cost
$153
Lens copay
$25
Frame allowance
$150
Network size
36,000
Want more expensive frames? Maybe you need progressives or another type of specialty lens. Check out the VSP EasyOptions plan. An upgrade from VSP’s Standard plan, EasyOptions offers you the ability to increase your frame allowance or get full coverage for lens enhancements. VSP policies include additional benefits, such as up to $1,000 off of LASIK.
We quoted EasyOptions at $24.27 per month ($291 per year) and the Standard plan at $12.73 per month ($153 per year). The Standard plan includes a $15 exam copay, a $25 lens copay and a $150 frame allowance.
Earning 763 points, VSP came in sixth out of six companies in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Vision Plan Satisfaction Study.
Pros:
- Added flexibility with EasyOptions plan
- Standard plan offers excellent value
Cons:
- Lowest-ranked company by J.D. Power
Best for cost-conscious shoppers: EyeMed
Cost-conscious
EyeMed
Cost-conscious
EyeMed
Top-scoring plan
Healthy
Annual cost
$60
Lens copay
$25
Frame allowance
35% discount
Network size
70,000
The EyeMed Healthy plan costs just $5 per month ($60 per year)—less than half of what other plans in our review cost. The plan offers a $0 exam copay, a $55 charge for lenses (rather than a lens copay) and frames at 35% off the retail price. Just make sure you stay in-network, as the plan provides limited out-of-network benefits. The company does offer two upgraded plans (priced at $17.50 and $30 per month) with more generous out-of-network benefits. All plans offer a 15% discount on LASIK procedures.
EyeMed earned 767 points in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Vision Plan Satisfaction Study, placing it fourth out of six companies.
Pros:
- Low-cost ideal for those with a tight budget
- $0 exam copay for in-network providers
Cons:
- Minimal out-of-network benefits for most economical plan
- Lower than average rating by J.D. Power
Best for LASIK discount: Davis Vision
LASIK discount
Davis Vision
LASIK discount
Davis Vision
Top-scoring plan
Essential
Annual cost
$161
Lens copay
$25
Frame allowance
$125
Network size
150,000+
If you find glasses and contacts to be a bit of a hassle, consider Davis Vision. While LASIK is not typically covered by vision plans, many companies offer discounts on the procedure from specific providers. Davis Vision offers the best such discount in our review – up to 50% off.
The company’s Essential plan offers a $15 exam copay, a $25 lens copay and a $125 frame allowance, all for $13.41 per month ($161 per year). Two upgraded plans are available.
Davis Vision ranked fifth out of six companies, with 766 points, in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Vision Plan Satisfaction Study.
Pros:
- Most generous LASIK discount of the companies in our review
- More than 150,000 providers
Cons:
- For glasses, one of the lower-value plans in our review
- Below average J.D. Power ranking
Best for frames allowance: Guardian Vision
Frames allowance
Guardian Vision
Frames allowance
Guardian Vision
Top-scoring plan
Core
Annual cost
$195
Lens copay
$25
Frame allowance
$160
Network size
N/A
If you have more expensive taste in frames, Guardian Vision could be a good choice. Its Core plan, quoted to us at $16.27 per month ($195 per year) includes a $160 frame allowance. That’s the highest for any budget plan in our review. Bump up to Guardian’s Achiever plan, quoted at $25.86 per month ($310 per year), and enjoy a $225 frame allowance.
Guardian does not publish a provider network size. But it does state that customers can choose providers from three affiliate networks, Davis Vision, VSP and Avesis. The plan offers up to a 15% discount for LASIK from participating VSP network providers.
Guardian Vision was not included in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Vision Plan Satisfaction Study.
Pros:
- Generous frames allowance
- Access to many providers
Cons:
- Most expensive quoted budget-level plan in our review
Best for great value: Humana
Great value
Humana
Great value
Humana
Top-scoring plan
Vision plus
Annual cost
$168
Lens copay
$10
Frame allowance
$200
Network size
95,000
At around $14 per month ($168 per year) for its cheapest plan, Humana is one of the more expensive companies in our review. But if you want a lot of bang for your buck, it’s one worth checking out. Its plan, called Vision Plus, includes exam and lens copays of just $10 and a generous $200 frame allowance. If you opt for one of the company’s PLUS network providers, you get even greater value: $0 copays and a $250 frame allowance. Humana also offers a discount of up to 15% for LASIK.
Humana was not included in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Vision Plan Satisfaction Study.
Pros:
- $0 copays and $250 frame allowance if using a PLUS network provider
- 15% LASIK discount
Cons:
- Offers only a single vision plan
Best for contact lens benefits: UnitedHealthcare
Contact lens benefits
UnitedHealthcare
Contact lens benefits
UnitedHealthcare
Top-scoring plan
Plan A
Annual cost
$125
Lens copay
$10
Frame allowance
$150
Network size
N/A
Looking for contact lenses? Check out UnitedHealthcare. With its quoted $10.40-per-month ($125 per year) Plan A, you can choose either glasses or contacts. The latter includes a $10 exam copay and a $0 copay for select contact lens makes and models from an in-network provider. With a quoted $14.30-per-month ($172 per year) Plan B, you get coverage for both glasses and contacts: same copays with a $150 frame allowance. UnitedHealthcare also offers a 35% discount on LASIK surgery. That’s among the highest in our review.
UnitedHealthcare placed second out of six companies in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Vision Plan Satisfaction Study, with 817 points.
The company does not appear to publish a network size. But it does state on its website that it has a “large, national network.”
Pros:
- Excellent contact lens benefit.
- No. 2 rated company by J.D. Power.
Cons:
- Limited options for upgrade.
Methodology
The objective of this review is to help readers make a more informed choice when considering the purchase of a vision insurance plan.
We received online quotes from seven leading vision insurance providers (we quoted a 35-year-old in Indiana). These quotes were the basis of the pricing and policy information in our review.
To determine our top-scoring plan for each company, we subtracted the sum of the exam copay, lens copay and frame allowance from the annual premium.
The following was our equation for calculating what each firm’s top-scoring plan was:
Top-scoring plan = annual premium – (exam copay + lens copay + frame allowance)
Whichever plan produced the lowest dollar amount was our top scorer. Our capsule reviews and “best of” picks may include details from other plans.
We also evaluated companies’ performance in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Vision Plan Satisfaction Study.
What does vision insurance cover?
Vision insurance plans typically cover the following:
- Routine eye exams.
- Glasses lenses.
- Glasses frames.
- Contact lens fittings.
- Contact lenses.
Be aware that coverage varies between plan and insurer. Always check plan benefits carefully when shopping for coverage.
What does vision insurance not cover?
Vision insurance typically does not provide coverage for the following types of treatments and products:
- Medically necessary eye surgery or treatment for glaucoma and cataracts and other conditions. These procedures may, however, be covered by primary health insurance.
- Anti-glare, scratch-resistant or other specialized lenses. Some coverage for these may be available with upgraded plans.
- LASIK or other optional procedures. However, many insurers, including those we’ve reviewed, offer discounts on LASIK from specific providers.
How to choose a vision insurance company
You have many options for vision insurance. Ask yourself these questions to help choose the company that’s right for you.
What coverage do I really need?
If you have excellent eyesight, you may be able to skip buying vision insurance. But if your vision is getting blurrier and you think a visit to the eye doctor is in your near future, buying coverage may make of sense.
Is coverage available from my primary health insurance company?
Standard health insurance plans typically do not cover vision for those over age 19. But many offer it as an option. Consider what your plan offers as you evaluate vision insurance providers.
Note that the Affordable Care Act requires qualified health insurance plans to include vision coverage for those under age 19.
What am I willing to pay?
The cost of coverage varies between insurance companies: In our review, budget plans ranged from $60 to nearly $200 per year. So check with at least three or four companies to make sure you’re getting the coverage you need and the options you want at the lowest possible price.
What plan options do I want?
As with cost, coverage details vary by insurer and plan. Some offer more generous coverage for contacts or out-of-network services. Others provide higher discounts for LASIK. Be sure to choose a plan that fits your needs.
Will I be satisfied with the provider network?
Vision insurance plans typically offer higher levels of coverage for in-network services. So you’ll pay less if you go to providers (such as ophthalmologists and optometrists) affiliated with the insurer. Make sure you’re comfortable using the providers in your insurer’s network. Most have “find a provider” search tools on their websites that allow you to find doctors in your area.
When to get vision insurance
Vision insurance is not required, and the decision to buy it should be based on your needs. The policies we reviewed range from $60 to nearly $200 per year. So make sure the money you spend on a policy results in even greater return.
These are some typical vision-related expenses, according to insurer VSP.
| Exam | $203 |
|---|---|
Frames | $238 |
Contacts | $382 |
Lenses | $111 |
Lens enhancements | $212 |
Based on these numbers, an exam and basic glasses cost approximately $550. A vision insurance policy could reduce those costs significantly.
How to get vision insurance
There are a couple of ways to get vision insurance.
Through your health insurance plan
If you have health insurance, either a group plan or an individual policy, your insurer may offer vision as an add-on. Look for either a coverage “rider” (an optional coverage added to your primary policy), a separate vision policy or coverage through a partnership with a company that specializes in vision insurance.
But please note that if you go this route, you may be limited to buying vision insurance during your health plan’s open enrollment period. That’s typically near the end of a year for coverage in the following year.
On the open market
You can also shop for insurance outside of your health plan. All of the companies in our review offer the ability to get online quotes, review plan options and buy a policy. You can do this at any time of the year.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is a copay?
An insurance plan copay is your out-of-pocket cost for a service or item.
For example, say your vision insurance has a $10 exam copay. An exam costs $150. You’ll pay $10 to the eye doctor when you receive the exam. The doctor will, in turn, bill the insurance company for the remaining $140.
What is a frame allowance?
In vision insurance, a frame allowance is the maximum amount of money your insurance company will pay toward a pair of frames. You’ll be responsible for any costs over the allowance.
For example, say your vision insurance policy has a $150 frame allowance. You pick out a $200 pair of frames. The optometrist will bill the insurance company $150. You’ll pay the optometrist the remaining $50.
How much does vision insurance cost?
The companies in our review offer budget plans ranging from $60 to around $200 per year. Upgraded plans with higher benefits and more options can cost up to $360 per year.
What does “in-network” mean?
The terms “in-network” and “out-of-network” refer to the providers, such as ophthalmologists and optometrists, who provide vision care services. Vision insurers typically contract with one or more networks of providers to provide eye exams, glasses, contacts and other services to the insurer’s customers. Choosing an in-network provider usually results in lower out-of-pocket costs for the customer.
AP Buyline’s content is created independently of The Associated Press newsroom. Our evaluations and opinions are not influenced by our advertising relationships, but we might earn commissions from our partners’ links in this content. Learn more about our policies and terms here.