The end of the year is a busy time for most families—between holidays, travel, and school breaks, eye care often gets bumped to the bottom of the list. But if your insurance plan follows the calendar year, those unused benefits could vanish on December 31.
Whether you’ve got a flex spending account (FSA), a health savings account (HSA), or private vision coverage, most plans do not roll over your remaining balance into the new year. That means if you don’t use your benefits before the deadline, you lose them.
And here’s the kicker: many families don’t even realize how much they could be using their plan for until it’s too late.
What Your Vision Benefits Actually Cover
Vision insurance doesn’t just cover your eye exam. Depending on your plan, you may also have coverage for:
- Prescription eyeglasses
- Contact lenses or scleral lenses
- Dry eye evaluations and treatments
- Eye disease screenings and management
- Pediatric exams and school vision needs
Not sure what your plan includes? We’re happy to help you find out. At Envision Ghent Optometry, our team can look up your benefits—even if your plan lists us as out-of-network—and help you make the most of what’s available.
Even better, our Direct Care pricing means you often save more by going through us directly. Many patients find that our transparent pricing model ends up being more affordable than using a restrictive in-network provider.
Your Vision Benefits Can Help the Whole Family
Eye care isn’t one-size-fits-all. Maybe your child needs updated glasses before the spring semester. Maybe your spouse has been putting off getting screened for dry eye. Or maybe it’s just time for you to finally grab that second pair of glasses you’ve been eyeing.
You’ve already paid for your benefits—let’s make sure your family actually gets to use them.
Why Direct Care Means More Choices—and More Savings
At Envision Ghent Optometry, we’ve been operating under a Direct Care model since 2021. That means while we’re out-of-network for most major vision insurance plans, we’re still able to help you use those benefits effectively. Here’s how:
- We look up your benefits and submit out-of-network claims on your behalf—so you still get reimbursed for eligible services.
- Our pricing is transparent and often more affordable than in-network options.
- You get more freedom to choose the eyewear and care you want, not just what’s covered by a limited frame or lens allowance.
Because we’re not locked into manufacturer or insurance-owned pricing tiers, we’re able to offer honest, easy-to-understand packages that include high-quality frames and lenses—without upselling or nickel-and-diming. You get exactly what you need, and nothing you don’t.
This model works particularly well for families trying to stay within a year-end budget. You know the costs up front, and we’ll guide you through how to use your benefits strategically, whether you’re paying with your FSA card or filing for reimbursement later.
We’re Here to Make It Easy
Using your benefits shouldn’t be stressful. Whether it’s fitting in a last-minute exam, finding a pair of glasses your child actually likes, or navigating a flex spending account before the December 31 deadline, our team is here to help.
Here’s how to get started:
- Call or text us at 757-622-3937
- Schedule an eye care appointment online
- Ask us to look up your benefits—we’ll show you what’s available and how to make it count
Appointments fill up quickly in November and December, so we encourage you to reach out today. Our staff is here to answer your questions, walk you through our Direct Care pricing, and make sure you—and your whole family—get the care you need before your benefits run out.