Does Insurance Cover Vision Correction Surgery?

If you struggle with refractive errors like farsightedness, nearsightedness, or astigmatism, vision correction surgery may feel like a necessary procedure to improve your life. However, insurance companies do not always take the same view. Your team at Heart of Texas Eye Care is committed to making these procedures available to as many people as possible. 

What is Vision Correction Surgery?

The term “vision correction surgery” can cover many different procedures. While it can be performed in a variety of ways, the goal is to correct refractive errors or treat age-related vision changes like presbyopia. These procedures can provide dramatic improvements in your quality of life, especially if wearing glasses or contact lenses interferes with your activities. 

Does Insurance Cover Vision Correction Surgery?

Unfortunately, health insurance companies do not usually cover vision correction surgery. Because you can live with glasses or contacts, even if they are bothersome or expensive, these procedures are considered elective surgery. 

While insurance may not cover your procedure, they may provide some assistance. Some health insurance and vision care plans offer to cover a percentage of vision correction surgery. For those few providers, this typically falls into the range of 15% to 20%. 

For health plans that include a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA), funds saved in these plans can be used to pay for elective medical procedures such as vision correction surgery.  

You also have a range of financing options to make your procedure affordable on your budget. Our financing partners offer a simple, convenient application process and low rates that put clearer sight within reach for you. 

Types of Vision Correction Surgery: Beyond LASIK

When people think of vision correction surgery, they typically think of laser procedures, especially LASIK. However, you have many other options, each with its unique benefits. 

Laser Eye Surgery

While LASIK is the most familiar name in laser eye surgery, these procedures also include SMILE and PRK, which may be better options for many people. Laser eye surgery corrects your vision by altering the shape of your corneas. 

IntraCameral Lens (ICL)

During this procedure, a vision-correcting lens is placed into your eye behind the iris (colored part of the eye) and over your natural lens. This ICL corrects refractive errors and can stay in place for a lifetime. 

Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)/ Clear Lens Replacement (CLR)

During this type of vision correction surgery, your natural lens is removed and replaced with an artificial one. The new lens you receive during RLE will never undergo age-related changes such as cataracts. 

Am I a Good Candidate for Vision Correction Surgery?

Because you have so many options at Heart of Texas, we can find the right type of vision correction for almost everyone. However, you must be an adult with healthy eyes and realistic expectations. Different procedures may be recommended based on your age, type of vision problem, and other factors. 

Take the Next Step

If you’d like to learn more about vision correction surgery, schedule a consultation with our Heart of Texas Eye Care team, serving Dripping Springs, Austin, Kyle, Bee Cave, Marble Falls, and other surrounding areas. Contact us at (512) 213-2220 today!

*Individual results may vary