Don’t Wait Until December 31 to Spend Your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Funds on Eye Care (USE IT OR LOSE IT)

Now is the time to take advantage of using your FSA for your eye care needs. Schedule an eye exam today to ensure you stay on top of your eye health.

Q: So what eye care needs can you use your FSA funds on?

A: Every FSA plan can be different, so it’s very important for you to review your plan prior to using those funds. Usually, a FSA will cover  eye care expenses  such as:

• insurance co-payments and deductibles
• refraction fee (the fee for vision testing to determine your new glasses prescription)
• annual eye exams
• prescription eyeglasses (frames and lenses)
• contact lenses and supplies
• prescription sunglasses (frames and lenses)
• premium intraocular lens (IOLS for cataract surgery)
• surgery center costs that insurance does not cover
• LASIK

First Step: Call your eye doctor to schedule an eye exam.
Schedule an eye exam and we’ll let you know if you have any vision issues that need to be addressed with new glasses or contact lenses. Before your eye exam visit, be sure to note any concerns to discuss with your eye doctor such as vision changes, blurry vision, trouble seeing at night, and dryness. It’s also very important to let your eye doctor know if you have any health issues such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Second Step: Purchase your eyeglasses or contacts.
If you need new glasses or contact lenses, we make it easy. All 5 Ophthalmic Consultants of the Capital Region office locations have convenient optical services (Riverfront Optical) to select your eyeglass frames and lenses within steps of your eye doctor’s door.

Our Riverfront Optical shops offer a wide variety of designer and standard frames and sunglasses to choose from. Our opticians are qualified to help you select the perfect frames, lens options, and correct single vision, bifocal, trifocal, or progressive lenses for your needs.

LASIK
If you’ve been wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses, now is a good time to discuss your interest in LASIK. FSA usually covers the cost of LASIK.

Cataract Surgery
The staff at Ophthalmic Consultants of the Capital Region will help you navigate the insurance process with cataract surgery. Every insurance plan is different and your cataract surgery cost will vary depending on your medical needs and IOL choices. For example, you may choose premium IOLs to reduce your reliance on reading glasses. Standard IOLS are usually covered by insurance but premium IOLs are considered an elective upgrade and are not covered. However, you can usually use your FSA to cover the cost of premium IOLs.

Give us a call to schedule your eye exam. Don’t wait—December 31 is just around the corner.

Ophthalmic Consultants of the Capital Region offers comprehensive eye care services. We have locations in Albany, Clifton Park, Schenectady, Schodack, and Troy. To make an appointment call 777-2777 or visit myoccr.com.