Welcome!
To estimate the costs of services at an in-network eye care provider, take a few minutes to answer a few anonymous questions. At the end, you’ll be given a cost estimate and some additional information to help your experience at your eye doctor be a smooth one.
BCBS FEP Vision provides comprehensive vision coverage, including no copays for vision care exams, a frame allowance and set costs on popular lens options. There are a number of helpful lens upgrades you can make along the way, too.
Who are you?
a.
I'm a federal employee
b.
I'm a retired federal employee
f.
I'm a USPS employee
g.
I'm a retired USPS employee
c.
I'm a retired uniformed service member
d.
I'm a spouse of an active-duty service member
e.
Prefer not to answer
Would you like eye dilation or retinal imaging?
During vision care exams your provider will want to examine the back of your eyes for a more detailed view of the retina to look for possible signs of health issues. This is typically done by using eye drops to open or enlarge the pupil (dilation). After eye dilation, your vision will be temporarily blurred for a short time. However, for a copay of $29, you can replace eye dilation with retinal imaging, which uses specialized cameras to capture high-resolution images of your eyes. You can get back to your day without needing to wait for your vision to return to normal. This may not be available at all providers.b.
Eye dilation
a.
Retinal imaging
Do you prefer glasses or contacts?
Glasses offer cost-effective and stylish ways of correcting vision problems. For those who prefer less noticeable eyewear, contact lenses may be for you.a.
Glasses
Prescription eyeglasses are cost-effective, custom-designed eyewear with lenses that have specific optical corrections to improve a person's vision, correcting issues like nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Their benefits include enhancing visual clarity, reducing eye strain, and improving overall quality of life for individuals with vision impairments.
*Progressive-Glasses.com, 07/2021
*Progressive-Glasses.com, 07/2021
b.
Contacts
Prescription contacts are corrective lenses worn directly on the eye to address vision issues like nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, providing clear vision without the need for eyeglasses. Their benefits include natural-looking vision correction, a wide field of view, and freedom from wearing frames, making them a popular choice for many individuals.
*CDC, 11/2022
*CDC, 11/2022
A note about eyeglasses
All plans provide members with access to an Exclusive Collection of over 200 frames, which are covered in full.
Features
- One-year breakage warranty
- Available at thousands of independent provider offices across the country
- Refreshed annually with new styles, including our green sustainability collection
Do you only have difficulty seeing objects far away or do you also require vision correction to see up close?
Certain lenses are suited for different vision correction needs.a.
Trouble seeing far (nearsighted)
b.
Trouble seeing near (farsighted)
c.
Trouble seeing near and far
Base lenses have been pre-selected, but you can improve the quality of correction with improved lenses.
Plans include bifocal lenses (depending on vision correction needs).
Bifocals have two areas of corrective vision while trifocals offer a third. You can also eliminate the lines between each area by upgrading to progressive lenses. Tap the 'i' to learn more.a.
Standard single vision lenses
e.
Digital single vision lenses
Improves single viewing distance across the entire surface of the lens by either diverging or converging light rays to correct for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
*Digital Single Vision Lenses: Penczek, M. (Mar. 1, 2021). How Single Vision Lenses Work. Retrieved April 21, 2023 from https://progressive-glasses.com/how-single-vision-lenses-work/
*Digital Single Vision Lenses: Penczek, M. (Mar. 1, 2021). How Single Vision Lenses Work. Retrieved April 21, 2023 from https://progressive-glasses.com/how-single-vision-lenses-work/
c.
Lined bifocal lenses
Lenses that are designed for two corrective distances, usually for near and far distances.
*Progressive Lenses: Heiting, G. (Feb. 14, 2019). Progressive Lenses: No-Line Multifocals For a Younger You. Retrieved April 24, 2023 from https://www.allaboutvision.com/lenses/progressives.htm
*Progressive Lenses: Heiting, G. (Feb. 14, 2019). Progressive Lenses: No-Line Multifocals For a Younger You. Retrieved April 24, 2023 from https://www.allaboutvision.com/lenses/progressives.htm
b.
Progressive lenses
Corrects age-related farsightedness and provides a smooth transition from distance vision to near vision without the visible line found in bifocal lenses.
Lastly, there are a number of optional lens add-ons that can improve the look and feel of lenses. You can select multiple options. Click on an ‘i’ to learn more about them.
a.
Photochromic lenses (Transitions®)
Transitions® XTRActive® Polarized™ lenses offer dynamic polarization
*UV is inherent to Transitions, Poly and High-index.
This option is incompatible with the selected lenses.
Clear lenses indoors that darken outdoors depending on the amount of UV light, reducing glare and providing always-on protection by helping to protect from UV, and filtering blue-violet light.* Learn more about the different Transitions technology and color options here.
*Performance improvements are when using authentic Transitions lenses
*Transitions lenses block 100% UV & filter at least 26% of blue-violet light indoors & at least 86% outdoors. Tests performed on grey lenses with premium anti-reflective coating. Blue-violet light is between 400 and 455nm (ISO TR 20772:2018).] *Transitions®. How Do Photochromics Work? Retrieved April 24, 2023 from https://www.transitions.com/en-us/why-transitions/the-technology/photochromic-tech
*Transitions lenses block 100% UV & filter at least 26% of blue-violet light indoors & at least 86% outdoors. Tests performed on grey lenses with premium anti-reflective coating. Blue-violet light is between 400 and 455nm (ISO TR 20772:2018).] *Transitions®. How Do Photochromics Work? Retrieved April 24, 2023 from https://www.transitions.com/en-us/why-transitions/the-technology/photochromic-tech
d.
Blue light filtering
*Included if Transitions is selected.
*Included with anti-reflective coatings
This option is incompatible with the selected lenses.
Reduces the amount of blue light that reaches the eye, which can help minimize digital eye strain and improve sleep quality by blocking or absorbing blue light and UV light from screens.*
*Blue Light Filtering: Lenses For Harmful Blue Light Protection. (Dec. 2022). Essilor. Retrieved April 21, 2023 from https://www.essilorusa.com/products/blue-light-eye-protection
*Blue Light Filtering: Lenses For Harmful Blue Light Protection. (Dec. 2022). Essilor. Retrieved April 21, 2023 from https://www.essilorusa.com/products/blue-light-eye-protection
g.
Ultraviolet coatings
*Included if Transitions is selected.
*Included with anti-reflective coatings
*Included with polycarbonate lenses
*Included with Polarized lenses
This option is incompatible with the selected lenses.
Protects eyes from harmful UV rays.
b.
Anti-reflective coatings
This option is incompatible with the selected lenses.
Reduces reflective light by eliminating reflections from both sides of the lens, which can enhance comfort, reduces eye strain and improves the cosmetic appearance of your eyeglasses.*
*Anti-Reflective Coating: Ayaga, V. (Feb. 1, 2023). Are Anti-Glare Coatings Worth it? Pros, Cons & Costs. Retrieved April 21, 2023 from https://www.visioncenter.org/eyeglasses/anti-glare/
*Anti-Reflective Coating: Ayaga, V. (Feb. 1, 2023). Are Anti-Glare Coatings Worth it? Pros, Cons & Costs. Retrieved April 21, 2023 from https://www.visioncenter.org/eyeglasses/anti-glare/
c.
Polycarbonate lenses
*UV is inherent to Transitions, Poly and High-index.
*SRC is inherent to Poly and High-index
This option is incompatible with the selected lenses.
Thinner and lighter than regular plastic lenses and more impact-resistant. Ideal for sports and children’s eyewear.
*Trivex Lenses: Heiting, G. (Feb. 27, 2019). Polycarbonate vs. Trivex Eyeglass Lenses. Retrieved April 24, 2023 from https://www.allaboutvision.com/lenses/polycarb.htm
*Trivex Lenses: Heiting, G. (Feb. 27, 2019). Polycarbonate vs. Trivex Eyeglass Lenses. Retrieved April 24, 2023 from https://www.allaboutvision.com/lenses/polycarb.htm
e.
Lens color tints
*Tint is available for 1.67 High index, but currently not for 1.74 High Index
This option is incompatible with the selected lenses.
Designed to enhance contrast and reduce glare while also helping with color perception to improve visual comfort in bright light.*
*Lens Color Tint: Eldridge, M. (Aug 10, 2022). How Do You Choose the Best Lens Tint? Retrieved April 24, 2023 from https://blog.safetyglassesusa.com/how-do-you-choose-the-best-lens-tint/
*Lens Color Tint: Eldridge, M. (Aug 10, 2022). How Do You Choose the Best Lens Tint? Retrieved April 24, 2023 from https://blog.safetyglassesusa.com/how-do-you-choose-the-best-lens-tint/
f.
Scratch-resistant coatings
*Included with anti-reflective coatings
This option is incompatible with the selected lenses.
Protects eyeglass lenses from scratches and other damage caused by everyday wear and tear.*
*Scratch-Resistant Coating and Ultraviolet Coating: Branch, J. (May 2, 2022). What You Need to Know About Eyeglass Lens Coatings. Retrieved April 24, 2023 from https://www.consumerreports.org/eyeglasses/what-you-need-to-know-about-eyeglass-lens-coatings-a4818329583/
*Scratch-Resistant Coating and Ultraviolet Coating: Branch, J. (May 2, 2022). What You Need to Know About Eyeglass Lens Coatings. Retrieved April 24, 2023 from https://www.consumerreports.org/eyeglasses/what-you-need-to-know-about-eyeglass-lens-coatings-a4818329583/
h.
High-index lenses
*UV is inherent to Transitions, Poly and High-index.
*SRC is inherent to Poly and High-index
This option is incompatible with the selected lenses.
Made of materials that bend light more efficiently than traditional glass or plastic lenses, making them thinner and lighter.*
*High-Index Lenses and Polycarbonate Lenses: Polycarbonate Vs. High-Index Lenses: Which Is Better? (Nov. 17, 2022). Retrieved April 21, 2023 from https://www.yesglasses.com/blog/polycarbonate-vs-high-index-lenses
*High-Index Lenses and Polycarbonate Lenses: Polycarbonate Vs. High-Index Lenses: Which Is Better? (Nov. 17, 2022). Retrieved April 21, 2023 from https://www.yesglasses.com/blog/polycarbonate-vs-high-index-lenses
i.
Polarized lenses
This option is incompatible with the selected lenses.
Reduces glare from surfaces such as water, snow, and glass. Can improve visual clarity and comfort.*
*Polarized Lenses: Morgan, E. (Feb. 27, 2019). Are Polarized Sunglasses Right for You? Retrieved April 24, 2023 from https://www.allaboutvision.com/sunglasses/polarized.htm
*Polarized Lenses: Morgan, E. (Feb. 27, 2019). Are Polarized Sunglasses Right for You? Retrieved April 24, 2023 from https://www.allaboutvision.com/sunglasses/polarized.htm
Refer here for Lens Options and Treatments available with either a set copay or no additional cost.
Estimated Costs
This is our best estimate of your out-of-pocket costs based on your needs. Actual results will vary based on your specific plan and upgrades.
*Scroll left to see the whole table
*You selected both glasses and contacts. Keep in mind that most plans only cover one or the other rather than both.
| Your estimated cost with High Option | Your estimated cost with Standard Option | Pricing without coverage | |
| Item | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Item 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Item 3 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total Out-of-Pocket Cost | $0 | $0 | $0 |
You might save between $25.50 and $150 on your visit by having a vision care plan!
Costs and amounts shown are for guidance only and should not be relied upon as the actual costs for specific vision care administration services. The estimated costs may be higher or lower as they are calculated based on average cost and frequency data with an understanding of provider networks. These costs are not intended to reflect your exact costs for services and are subject to change based on your coverage, benefits and authorization for services. The information presented does not indicate medical advice, actual costs, guarantee of payment, prior approval for services or judgement of a claim.
*With High Option, you receive $150 per calendar year toward contact lenses, plus 15% off charges over $150. You pay nothing for evaluation, fitting and follow-up for non-specialty lenses, plus 15% off charges over $60 for specialty contacts. With Standard Option, you receive $140 per calendar year toward contact lenses, plus 15% off charges over $140. Effective Jan 1, 2025, you pay a $55 copay for evaluation, fitting and follow-up for non-specialty lenses.
*With High Option, you receive $200 per calendar year toward frames, plus 20% off charges over $200 at our independent provider locations. With Standard Option, you receive $140 per calendar year toward frames, plus 20% off charges over $140 at our independent provider locations.
Before Your Appointment
Be sure to have the following information handy when visiting your eye doctor:
- Member ID card
- Health history
- The kind of eyewear you’re interested in, including frames or contacts and add-ons
More Resources
Want to learn more about eye health and wellness? Check out these resources:
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