Vision benefits

Benefit plans are not written to be easy. These notes explain how vision coverage usually works for glasses, contact lenses and eye exams, what to check in your own plan, and how to avoid leaving money on the table at year end.

Workplace plans usually cover glasses or contact lenses up to a set dollar amount over a benefit period, often one or two years, and some cover part of an eye exam. The amount, the period, and whether it resets on January 1 or on your plan's anniversary all vary, so check your own plan before you count on it.

In Alberta, routine eye exams are covered by Alberta Health for children under 19 and adults 65 and over. Everyone in between usually relies on a workplace or private plan, and those plans rarely remind you before unused coverage expires.