Save Money On Eye Care
Posted by michelle on Oct 11, 2012 in Saving Money | 24 comments
As someone who has worked for two different reputable eye care companies, I’ve been on the inside and I know all the secrets! First and foremost, if you live in the US, you want to make sure you are aware of all the fees involved in your eye care insurance, as it is entirely separate and different from your medical coverage. Some plans will automatically give you a standard set of benefits, but if you know that your eye care needs will be above and beyond what most people need, you might want to talk to your Human Resources Department to find out if there are other plans available. Since I only wear glasses part-time (although I probably should wear them more often to stave off the headaches I sometimes get) and my husband only wears them while on the computer, the standard plan is more than adequate. If and when our children need glasses as well, it might be a different story.
Now that you’ve figured out your plan, find a good Optometrist. You can look for one who is great with kids, or one that offers the newest technology, or simply the one that is closest to your house. Do make sure that the doctor you choose is in your network. They might not know when you call them as all plans are different, so take the time to call your insurance company and make sure. There are also interactive online services through most insurance companies where you can search. I’m sure you’re wondering how going to the doctor is going to save you money since you’ll likely owe a small copay at least, the truth is that preventative care is much cheaper than diagnostic testing and surgery. Say hello your eye doctor once a year and make sure everything checks out. At the office I most recently worked, they also offered imaging of the retina for a small fee. This is also something I would recommend springing for, but only every couple of years or if you have any concerns.
I know what you’re thinking; so far, all I’m doing is spending your money, not saving it, but we’re getting to the good part! When the doctor tells you the dreaded words that you need glasses or contacts, there are many ways to save some dough.
Use your old frame. If your prescription changed, but your frame is still in great shape, you could always get new lenses for the frame. Some places don’t like doing this, but most eye care shops will if you ask. They likely have a machine they don’t want you to know about that can “trace” your current glasses with the lenses out. Then, once the new lenses are ready, they can just swap out the lenses and you’re ready to roll. The downside: if you didn’t purchase your old frames from your current eye care company, you might have to sign a waiver releasing them of any liability in case anything breaks while replacing the lenses. It sucks, but breaking glasses does happen occasionally. I remember breaking a patient’s BURBERRY reading glasses once and I’m pretty sure there were tears…from both me and the patient.
Shop prices. Just because you love the eye doctor doesn’t mean you have to buy your glasses or contacts from the same place. The company I most recently worked for had really reasonable prices, so we rarely lost customers to anyone, except occasionally Wal-Mart. More often, we would have patients come in with a new Rx wanting to shop our frame selection. We also had a lot of Ophthalmologist patients coming to us needing glasses and contacts. There were occasionally patients who couldn’t find what they were looking for in our store. Some patients wanted to find the spooky and crazy contact lenses, whereas we only carried the basic colors. If someone wanted something a little out of the box, we had to refer them to places like 1800Contacts.com. Even though we matched prices to them by the box, we couldn’t match their prices when they had sales or bulk discounts. Subsequently, I spent a lot of time checking and rechecking patients’ prescriptions when 1800 Contacts would call our office to verify orders.
Watch out for the up sells! As someone who has worked in eye care, I would recommend only one of the many coatings they will try to sell you. It’s an anti-reflective treatment. I can’t stand wearing glasses without it, so to me–it’s important. The anti-reflective coating that I liked was fairly inexpensive and came with uv and scratch coating. That’s all I needed! Now, I do have a very mild prescription and therefore didn’t require the “high index” materials to make my lenses thinner. If you are told that you need the higher index lens materials, ask to see their recommendations chart or something that tells you that your prescription is in the range. Hint: if you need the higher index lens materials, you probably know it. Unless you’re a child and this is your first pair of glasses, you will likely know if your eyes are that bad. If you’re not sure, ask the store what their policy is for someone who is dissatisfied with the thickness of their lenses and wants to upgrade. If there’s no additional costs (there weren’t at the two places that I’ve worked) and you’re not sure if you have a high prescription, might as well go for the less expensive and see what they look like! Also, if your vision is worse at a distance, you’re what’s called near-sighted, and your lenses will be thicker on the outer edges. Going with a smaller frame can help with some of the thickness in that case.
Finally, ask lots of questions. For example, ask the optician if you’re eligible for a material that is shatter and scratch-resistant based on your prescription. If you are, a lot of times upgrading your lens material to one that comes with scratch coating and uv protection is cheaper than buying those two coatings separately for a more basic material. Also, asking lots of questions lets the optician know that you are a smart cookie that’s going to do your research, which is never a bad idea!
24 Comments
Leave a Reply
eBook with Michelle & Jefferson for only $4.99!
As Seen On
About Us
Designed by Nuts and Bolts Media | © 2013 See Debt Run
Business
Good tips! We don’t have anyone with glasses yet, and I am hoping that the kids have good vision since we don’t have vision insurance. Thanks for sharing!
Holly@ClubThrifty recently posted..House Shopping: The Addiction Continues
I hope so too, Holly. It can add up quickly!
Michelle, what about lasik as an option to save on eye care? I know there is huge upfront cost, but not having to buy lenses or glasses can save money in the long run, not to mention the headache and time it will save you.
Rohit @ The Money Mail recently posted..How to Set Goals and achieve them – Going beyond the SMART framework
My wife just got a new pair of glasses and you’re right the upselling is crazy. When we left I told her I felt like we just worked with a sleazy used car salesman.
That’s awful, Sean! I didn’t work on the sales floor, but I did help with the selling when there wasn’t a salesperson available. Thankfully, the office I worked at most recently didn’t pay commission! That took care of the sliminess that sometimes accompanies commission-based sales.
Thanks for the tips. My insurance allows a new pair every 18 months or so, but I always end up spending more than what my insurance covers. I don’t get the fancy eye wear, but what they offer as what I don’t have to pay out of pocket is terrible. Ever seen military issued glasses? Worse than that. Maybe I should look for a new eye Dr.
Seth, yes I’ve seen the military issued glasses aka birth control! You know, if you really like and trust your eye doctor, there’s no reason to look for another doctor, but the prescription is yours. Ask for a copy of your rx signed by the doctor and you can take it anywhere that sells glasses. I would recommend going to a smaller eye care facility versus a chain store as they tend to give better customer service and usually have decent prices as well.
I do have glasses but wow do I need some new ones. These ones are about 12 years old and I keep putting off getting new ones because I want to pay down debt or save for other stuff. Eventually the wife is going to make me go to the eye doctor though. I will definitely shop around when I get new ones. I know they can get crazy expensive and I don’t really care about style.
Stan @DebtsnTaxes recently posted..Riddle Me Some Finance
Stan, I for one definitely understand wanting to put off everything possible to pay off more debt, but I would recommend at least getting your eyes looked at by an Optometrist. They’re not only checking your vision. They look at a lot of things. The doctor I worked closely with used to say that the eyes aren’t just the windows to your soul; they’re the window to your health as well! Also, a friend of mine recently discovered that she gets a FREE eye check up annually. Her plan says nothing about it, so she’d just been paying for one unnecessarily for years. So call your Human Resource department or the eye insurance company themselves and find out if you have anything like that.
I’m on my way to a new pair in the next few months. Thanks for the tips, Michelle!
AverageJoe recently posted..How Do You Stay Inspired?
Sweet! With your coloring, you should go with dark grey, not silver.
I need to get in for an eye exam, but I’m pretty lazy when it comes to the various doctor visits. I just visited my dentist two weeks ago for the first time in 3 years. lol.
I have pretty good vision though and that’s the reason I haven’t gone for a checkup; probably something I should do though.
Jason @ WorkSaveLive recently posted..Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip
Like I told Stan, Jason…they’re checking so much more than your vision! Just go in already and make sure everything looks good. 3 years?! Your dentist probably slapped your wrist!
Its actually crazy how much glasses cost. Luckily, I have fine vision and don’t need them, but I hear my mother complaining about it all of the time. I actually saw a commercial the other day (I think from Walmart) talking about how expensive glasses are. Its always best to do research and compare prices before going out to a store where a salesperson can get you.
Kelly@Financial-Lessons recently posted..Simple E-Mail Marketing Tips
The place I worked for didn’t pay the salespeople commission thankfully, so no one was a pressure salesperson. I can’t stand those types of places! I want to buy what’s best for me and only what’s necessary. I think it’s so wrong to lie to people just to make more money. Sickening really. Anyway, back to eyes…yes, you are super lucky! They are pretty insanely priced at some places.
It would really be a wise idea if you visit a very good Optometrist if you really wanted to save money so you will get the best eye care advice.
Nicholle Olores recently posted..Timber Windows and Doors versus Aluminium
When I was looking for an optometrist I had two requirements: In-network and a small business. I didn’t want to go to Wal-Mart or Target where they were going to try to get the job done as quick as possible. I’m happy I went with a small business owner as she did a great job and spent plenty of time with me going over the results of the tests. If I can give one piece of advice it’s go with a small biz that’s in your network.
DC @ Young Adult Money recently posted..We Bought a House!
Great tips. I hate going to the eye doctor and being hawked everything under the sun. I understand they need to make money, but at what expense? Now that that’s off my chest
I totally agree with checking around for prices. I wear contacts primarily and can get them significantly cheaper online. My wife though has perfect vision, so I hope the kids get that from her.
John S @ Frugal Rules recently posted..Frugal Friday: Posts That Ruled This Week, the BCS Edition
I spend an ungodly amount at my eye doctor each year for an eye checkup and contacts.(astigmatism in BOTH eyes, and no insurance.) Thank you for these mindful tips. They are sorely needed in this household.
Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy recently posted..Financial Lessons I’ve Learned From Scrooge McDuck
What an excellent post. I almost hate doing those on my own site as people might think I am biased. I have never been a great salesman, and would never hawk things that aren’t needed. Anti glare is wonderful and if you ever have it, you’ll see why. Living in small town with a lower median income is perfect for me. People tend to buy what they need and we don’t stock high end frames for the most part. I end up trying to get the patient better deals all the time, very PF, but not business like of me, I guess. It has worked well for me, and I sleep better at night knowing I didn’t take someones money for 360 HD lenses that really don’t have any better vision than plain old plastic.
Kim@Eyesonthedollar recently posted..A Valedictorian’s Advice On How to Raise a Scholarship Kid
Great tips. I am sadly near-sighted and have been for a long time. I usually wear contacts but I also have a pair of glasses as well.
One thing I like to do is before leaving a job is to make sure you use up your vision care benefits. So last time I switched jobs, I stocked up on contact lenses. This time, before leaving my job, I got a new pair of frames and glasses.
CF recently posted..My weekly meals #3
I’ve been wearing reading glasses for quite some time. This post is great and timely since I’m due for a visit to my opthalmology doctor tomorrow. I have this stinging, burning and sometimes itchy sensation in my eyes and I need to know if it’s early cataract. I have older glasses that I’m bringing along just in case I need a change, I can still use the old frames.
CreditDonkey recently posted..Americans in Debt – and Know It
Most people have to pay for eye exams and eye wear out of pocket. Even people with vision plans find they are still reaching into their pocket.
Anyone with vision needs should learn to utilize a flexible spending account for these unreimbursed medical expenses. Pretax dollars go much further than people expect.
Kevin @ Ask For Benefits recently posted..Common Question: Can I Cancel My Policy Anytime?
Perform eye exercises. SImple as that. You will not only improve your vision, but will also save money by avoiding visual aids (glasses, lens etc)