Vision Insurance Coach

What Medicare covers

• Original Medicare: covers cataract surgery + ONE pair of glasses afterward. Otherwise, no coverage.
• Diabetic eye exam — fully covered annually if you have diabetes.
• Glaucoma screening — covered annually if high risk.
• Macular degeneration treatment — covered.
• Routine eye exams + glasses for vision correction — NOT covered by Original Medicare.

Vision plans

• Medicare Advantage — most plans include eye exam + $100-200 frame allowance + lens coverage.
• VSP Vision — biggest standalone vision insurer. About $15-30/month.
• Davis Vision / EyeMed — competitors.
• AARP Eye Care — discounts for members at 7,500+ providers.
• Costco Optical — even non-members get great prices on cash-pay.

Cheap glasses online

• Zenni Optical — $7-30 frames. $50-100 even with progressive lenses.
• EyeBuyDirect — similar prices, more design.
• Warby Parker — $95 single-vision, $150 progressive. Premium feel, "home try-on" of 5 frames free.
• GlassesUSA — wide range.

All require a current prescription (under 1-2 years old). Get prescription from any optometrist — they MUST give it to you (federal law).

Get a copy of your prescription

1. After your eye exam, ask: "May I have a copy of my prescription?". They MUST hand it over.
2. Includes both glasses + contact lens prescription if applicable.
3. Take a photo of it. Save in your phone Notes for online ordering.
4. Valid for 1-2 years depending on state.

PD measurement (online glasses)

PD = Pupillary Distance. Online glasses sites need it. The optometrist may not include it on the prescription. Options:

• Ask the optometrist — they MAY include for free, or charge.
• Use an online tool — Warby Parker has a free app to measure.
• Measure with a friend and a ruler (look up "how to measure PD").