Healthy and comfortable vision is essential to a high quality of life. If you are unable to afford routine eye exams or prescription eyeglasses, there are a number of public and private organizations that can help.
The Alberta Health Care Insurance plan provides Alberta residents with partial optical coverage. Read on to find out what is and is not covered when you visit our Lethbridge eye doctors.
Optical Coverage for Eye Exams
Regular eye exams are very important to maintain healthy vision. Do not pass up on yearly exams with your eye doctor because they can provide early diagnosis of vision problems and detect chronic systemic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
Alberta health care will provide eye exam costs for:
- Albertans aged 0-18 & 65+: One eye exam per year in Alberta only. These benefits are limited to one complete eye exam, one partial exam and one diagnostic procedure per benefit year. (July 1-June 30.) Some follow-up exams may be provided for patients with specific medical needs.
Contact our Lethbridge eye clinic for more information.
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Ages 19-64: Only medically necessary eye exams are covered. Some examples of medically necessary, emergency eye care include:
- Eye injuries
- Foreign objects
- Sudden changes to vision
- Eye pain
It is important to note that what is deemed as ‘medically necessary’ is ultimately up to your eye doctor so make sure to check about any costs before the eye exam begins.
Optical Coverage for Eyeglasses
During a visit to your eye doctor, Alberta Health does allow the eyeglasses prescription to be checked. However only partial testing will be done and this is not a full eye exam.
Currently, this optical coverage doesn’t cover the cost of eyeglasses unless you meet certain criteria. If you are over the age of 65, Alberta Health may contribute a certain amount towards your eyeglasses, depending on your income. To be eligible for such coverage, you must:
- Be 65 years or older
- Have resided in Alberta for at least 3 MONTHS prior to applying for coverage
- Be a permanent resident or Canadian citizen
Want to know more? Visit the Alberta Seniors Services page for more information.
Optical Coverage for Diabetic Patients
Alberta Health recognizes the benefit of yearly dilated eye exams for patients with diabetes, regardless of their age. These visits to the eye doctor will check for the presence or absence of diabetic related problems in the eye and DO NOT include a check for your eyeglass prescription.
Learn more about Diabetic Retinal Examinations at our Lethbridge Eye Clinic
Choosing the Right Vision Insurance
Private vision insurance plans are designed to reduce your costs for routine preventative eye care (eye exams) and prescription eyewear (eyeglasses and contact lenses.)
When purchasing such insurance, you should fully understand the costs and benefits associated with the plans you are considering.
Vision insurance plans typically fall into 2 categories:
- Vision Benefits Package: You pay a monthly premium and possibly a co-payment when visiting your eye doctor, and the plan will cover the rest.
- Vision Discount Plan: You pay the full amount for the services but at a discounted rate.
Both kinds of insurance plans can be tailored to meet the unique requirements of your circumstance and generally provide discounts on:
- Annual eye exams
- Eyeglasses
- Contact lenses
- Discounted for LASIK eye surgery
Learn More
To learn more about your public and private optical insurance options, contact our Lethbridge eye clinic at 403-327-4166 or book a consultation today.
