Insurance Archives

Buying Contact Lenses Online: A Step-by-Step Guide

Written By Barry Silver

One-fifth of contact lenses buyers in the United States—and rising—now buy their contact lenses online, according to All About Vision. Of course, price and convenience both factor into the continued escalation of online purchases. Though the choices are many, the process of buying contact lenses online need not be confusing. Your prescription provides all the information you need.

Ready to begin buying contact lenses? Let’s look at the different types of contact lenses and how to order them properly.

Can You Use Vision Benefits to Purchase Eyewear Online?

Written By Barry Silver

Can you purchase eyewear online and use your vision benefits? It’s a question we hear often—and we’ll answer for you here.

First, let’s discuss what vision benefits actually are.

Understanding Vision Benefits

Confusion swirls around the topic of vision insurance. The term “insurance” is used loosely in the world of vision. What you may be calling insurance is actually a plan designed to offer vision benefits to cover some of your costs.

The benefits are likely to apply to:

Routine preventative eye care including eye exams
Prescriptive eyewear including eyeglasses and/or contact lenses

Some plans expand the coverage to include:

Discounts on options such as lens coatings and photochromic lenses
Reduced rates on elective correction surgery

Smart Shopping: Use Your HSA and FSA Funds to Buy Eyewear

Written By Oliver Torres

You have an HSA or FSA account. Were you aware it can be applied to buy prescription eyewear? The end of the year—or the tax year—may be the ideal time to look at spending your HSA or FSA funds on “qualified expenses.”

Remember, you don’t want to spend the funds on non-qualified items because you could be responsible for a 20% penalty. Here’s what does and doesn’t qualify.

Eyewear and services for correcting your vision are classified as a “medical product” and can therefore be purchased with an HSA or FSA:

Prescription eyeglasses
Prescription sunglasses
Contact lenses
Eye examinations and eye surgery
Reading glasses

You can’t use an HSA or FSA to buy:

Non-prescription eyeglasses (except reading glasses)
Non-prescription sunglasses
Insurance premiums
Non-prescription colored contact lenses