Lena Muhtadi Borrelli is a seasoned insurance writer with several years of experience writing as an authority for respected financial sites such as Forbes, Time, Newsweek, Bankrate, CNET, Investopedia and Insurance.com. She is a financial expert who.
Lena Borrelli Insurance WriterLena Muhtadi Borrelli is a seasoned insurance writer with several years of experience writing as an authority for respected financial sites such as Forbes, Time, Newsweek, Bankrate, CNET, Investopedia and Insurance.com. She is a financial expert who.
Written By Lena Borrelli Insurance WriterLena Muhtadi Borrelli is a seasoned insurance writer with several years of experience writing as an authority for respected financial sites such as Forbes, Time, Newsweek, Bankrate, CNET, Investopedia and Insurance.com. She is a financial expert who.
Lena Borrelli Insurance WriterLena Muhtadi Borrelli is a seasoned insurance writer with several years of experience writing as an authority for respected financial sites such as Forbes, Time, Newsweek, Bankrate, CNET, Investopedia and Insurance.com. She is a financial expert who.
Insurance Writer Les Masterson Deputy Editor, InsuranceLes Masterson is a deputy editor and insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. Before cove.
Les Masterson Deputy Editor, InsuranceLes Masterson is a deputy editor and insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. Before cove.
Les Masterson Deputy Editor, InsuranceLes Masterson is a deputy editor and insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. Before cove.
Les Masterson Deputy Editor, InsuranceLes Masterson is a deputy editor and insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. Before cove.
| Deputy Editor, Insurance
Updated: Aug 12, 2022, 7:00am
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They say the eyes are the window to the soul, but they’re also your window to your world. They help you see and experience all that the world has to offer, like how twilight gleans off the surface of water or how a dragonfly’s wings thrum so furiously on their way to adventure.
But none of that is possible if you can’t see, which is why taking care of your eyes is so important. That begins with a regular eye exam, but first, you need to know the cost of an eye exam and other eye exam costs so you can budget accordingly.
You want an annual eye exam because it can detect issues at their earliest stage. Eye problems are also more common than you may think. According to the CDC, 12 million people over age 39 have vision impairment. It only reiterates the need for regular eye exams to ensure that your eyes remain healthy as you grow older.
Your eye doctor will use various tests to check your eyesight and ensure that there are no developing problems, such as glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration. It is also an opportunity to test your eyesight and issue a new prescription, if necessary.
While the cost of an eye exam varies, vision insurance provider Vision Service Plan (VSP) estimates the average cost of an eye exam without insurance is $184. The cost of your eye exam all depends on where you go for your eye exam.
But you may be able to find cheaper exams. Vision Center provides a breakdown of the average cost of an eye exam without insurance at these large providers.
LensCrafters America’s Best $50 ($0 with purchase of 2 pairs of eyeglasses) Source: Vision Center See More See LessAn eye exam will typically cost the amount of your vision insurance copay, and the rest of the cost will be covered by the vision insurance. The amount of your copay, as well as the amount of coverage, depends on the vision insurance plan.
For example, Humana Vision charges a $15 copay for one annual eye exam when you visit a participating provider.
The type of eye exam you choose also impacts eye exam costs. Here are three factors that go into the cost of an eye exam:
Eye doctors offer several different types of eye exams.
A visual acuity test evaluates the clarity of your vision. This is where the eye chart comes in, with your doctor asking you to identify and read aloud different letters on the chart. Your doctor performs the evaluation on each eye separately to ensure that both eyes have clear vision.
Known as perimetry, a visual field test measures how well you can see from side to side without moving your eyes. Your doctor will likely conduct a confrontation exam where you cover one eye and watch for a hand to move into view. You may also be asked to identify an item in your periphery, or you may use an automated machine that allows you to identify flashing lights.
You may not need all of these exams, or you may need a more specialized exam from your provider. Either way, ask your medical provider to explain each procedure and the results so you can be on the same page.
You may have a color deficiency when you can’t accurately see colors. This is where your doctor may show you color-coded sheets and ask you to identify the different patterns hidden within the colors.
During an eye muscle test, your doctor tracks the movement of your eye to ensure that the muscles are healthy and provide good control with excellent coordination. This is usually conducted with the help of a pen or small flashlight that is slowly waved in front of your face.
Your doctor checks your eye’s fluid pressure through a glaucoma screening. This exam can detect if there are any damages to your optic nerve from glaucoma.
This is a test that measures how light focuses on the back of the eye. If it does not, this is where you are typically prescribed corrective glasses, contact lenses or even refractive surgery. This greatly improves vision clarity and acuity, and it enhances comfort, as well.
To complete your refraction assessment, a doctor will typically shine a light in your eye, conducting what is known as retinoscopy.
This exam is when a doctor uses a slit lamp to shine light in your eyes. A common dye named fluorescein may also be used to better reveal any problems affecting the film of tears that cover your eye.
Your doctor may dilate your eye, keeping your pupils large even when a light is shined into them. From there, your doctor will likely conduct both a direct and indirect exam to ensure that both the interior and exterior of your eyes are healthy.
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Insurance WriterLena Muhtadi Borrelli is a seasoned insurance writer with several years of experience writing as an authority for respected financial sites such as Forbes, Time, Newsweek, Bankrate, CNET, Investopedia and Insurance.com. She is a financial expert who previously worked for Morgan Stanley and now specializes in all forms of finance with an emphasis on insurance. Based in sunny Tampa Bay, Florida, Lena also advises and provides content services for prominent athletes, including several current and former NFL and WWE athletes.
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