LASIK vs Contacts Cost Calculator
Compare the long-term cost of LASIK eye surgery versus continuing to buy contact lenses and solution. Find your break-even year.
Vision Plan Value Calculator
Calculate whether your vision insurance plan is worth the premium based on your expected eye exams, glasses, and contact lens purchases.
Plan Details
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Your Expected Costs (Retail)
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With Insurance⧉
$340.00
Including $180.00 premium
Without Insurance⧉
$600.00
Full retail cost
Annual Savings⧉
$260.00
144% ROI — worth it!
Planning notes, formulas, and examples
About the Vision Plan Value Calculator
Vision insurance is one of the most debated voluntary benefits. With typical premiums of $10–20/month ($120–$240/year) and a narrow set of covered services — usually one exam, one pair of glasses or contacts per year — many people wonder if they're actually saving money.
The answer depends entirely on your vision care usage. If you wear prescription glasses and need annual adjustments, the exam coverage plus frame/lens allowance can easily exceed the premium cost. But if you have 20/20 vision and only need a checkup, you may be paying more in premiums than you receive in benefits.
This calculator compares the total cost of vision care with and without insurance to determine if your plan delivers positive value. These are educational estimates only and not actual insurance quotes.
When This Page Helps
Vision plan premiums are relatively small, but so are the benefits. This calculator shows whether the specific services you use make the plan a net positive or negative, helping you make an informed enrollment decision.
How to Use the Inputs
- Enter your monthly vision plan premium.
- Enter the plan's frame allowance and contact lens allowance.
- Enter the exam copay with insurance vs. the retail exam cost.
- Enter the retail cost of frames and lenses you typically buy.
- Enter your contact lens annual cost if applicable.
- Compare total costs with and without the vision plan.
Formula used
With Insurance = Annual Premium + Exam Copay + max(Frame/Lens Cost − Allowance, 0)
Without Insurance = Retail Exam + Retail Frames + Retail Lenses
Plan Value = Without Insurance − With Insurance
ROI = Plan Value / Annual Premium × 100%Example Calculation
Result: With plan: $290 | Without: $600 | Savings: $310
With insurance: $180 premium + $10 exam copay + ($250 frames − $150 allowance) + $50 lens overage = $290. Without: $150 exam + $250 frames + $200 lenses = $600. Plan saves $310, a 172% ROI.
Tips & Best Practices
- If you only need an exam with no glasses or contacts, vision insurance rarely pays for itself.
- Buying glasses online (Zenni, EyeBuyDirect) can be cheaper than using your insurance allowance at retail.
- Some vision plans offer additional discounts on LASIK, which can be very valuable if you're considering it.
- Contact lens wearers often get better value since annual contact costs are high.
- These are educational estimates only, not actual plan quotes.
- Compare your plan's in-network providers to ensure your preferred eye doctor is included.
The Vision Insurance Value Equation
Vision insurance has the smallest spread between premium and benefit of any insurance type. With $180/year in premiums and $200–$400 in typical benefits, the maximum annual savings are modest. The plan's value comes from predictability and the network discount structure rather than catastrophic protection.
When to Skip Vision Insurance
Consider skipping vision insurance if: you have stable vision and don't wear corrective lenses, you buy budget glasses online for under $50, or you have an HSA that can cover eye exams pre-tax. In these cases, you're better off self-insuring.
Maximizing Vision Plan Value
To get maximum value: use your full frame allowance (buy frames worth at least the allowance amount), schedule your exam annually even if your prescription hasn't changed (eye exams also screen for health conditions), and take advantage of any LASIK discounts or additional eyewear discounts your plan offers.
Sources & Methodology
Last updated:
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your usage. Regular glasses wearers who update annually typically save $100–$300/year. Contact lens wearers may save more. People with stable prescriptions and no vision correction needs will usually lose money on premiums.
Standard coverage includes one annual eye exam (copay $10–25), one pair of frames with lenses (allowance $130–$200), OR one year of contact lenses (allowance $130–$200). Coverage alternates between glasses and contacts each year.
Frame allowances typically range from $130–$200 for in-network purchases. Premium plans may offer up to $250. If your frames exceed the allowance, you pay the difference. Some plans offer a higher allowance for certain frame brands.
Some vision plans (like VSP) now offer out-of-network reimbursement for online purchases, though the benefit is typically lower than in-network. Check your specific plan. Often, buying glasses online without insurance ($30–$100) costs less than using insurance at a retail optician.
Most vision plans offer a LASIK discount (15–20% off or up to $1,000 off) through partner providers, but LASIK is not covered as a standard benefit. This discount alone can make one year of vision insurance worthwhile if you're planning LASIK.
VSP and EyeMed are the two largest vision networks. VSP has more independent eye doctors; EyeMed has more retail chains (LensCrafters, Target Optical, Pearle Vision). Your choice should be based on which network includes your preferred providers and eyewear retailers.