Vision Enhancement (Benefit Tips ® - © 2015)

Sight

It’s hard to imagine losing one’s sight but the risks are real. Conditions range from easily treated refractive to injuries and age-related macular degeneration. Employee benefit plans cover the examinations, surgery and refractive products (eyeglasses and contact lenses) that are not covered by provincial health plans.

Routine Eye Examinations

Annual eye examinations help detect developing eye diseases and changes in refractive disorder. The cost of exams for patients who have medical conditions or are in certain age ranges (under 20 and over 64) are covered by most provincial health plans.

Lenses for Refractive Disorder

We see clearly when our eyeballs are perfectly shaped and corneas are both perfectly shaped and flexible enough to focus light on our retina. Our vision blurs at certain distances when our corneas are imperfectly shape, when they lose their elasticity or our eyeballs are too long, too short or not spherical. We can compensate for these refractive disorders with eyeglasses, contact lenses or laser eye surgery.

Lenses for Colour Vision Deficiency

We perceive colour with red, blue and green cones in our retina. Some of us (8% of males and 0.5% of females) have one or more types of cones that are weak or missing, resulting in colour blindness. Tinted or colour enhancement lenses may help distinguish different colours better.

Benefit Coverage

Annual examinations, surgery as well as eyeglasses, contact lenses or other vision devices for the treatment of vision correction may be covered when prescribed by an optometrist or physician. Many jurisdictions require that vision aid devices be dispensed by an optician, optometrist or ophthalmologist. Health insurance plans often have frequency limits and spending maximums for examination as well as products and corrective surgery.

Claim Tips

  • Retain a copy of your prescription to submit with your benefit claim.
  • Health insurance plans often have frequency limits and spending maximums for examination as well as products and corrective surgery.
  • Some plans do not cover tinted lenses to avoid paying for sunglasses.
  • Some plans require a minimum strength for corrective lenses to avoid paying for fashion eyewear or sunglasses.