Does Medicare Cover Vision

Medicare excludes most routine eye exams, though it does cover conditions like glaucoma, detached retinas, and cataracts.

Glaucoma is an eye disease that affects your optic nerve, resulting in vision loss. A detachment of a retina happens when the retina tears away from the underlying tissue. Certain health conditions or some form of trauma can lead to this severe injury. If a detached retina doesn’t correct with surgery, it can ultimately lead to a permanent loss of your vision.

Cataracts cause a cloudy lens over your eye that can create blurry eyesight. Certain chronic diseases like cataracts require surgery to repair the eye. In a situation like this, Medicare will extend coverage to the lens replacement surgery. The doctor will remove the existing cataract and replace it with a manufactured lens.

When you have replacement surgery, Medicare covers a pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses. Also, Medicare covers exams to diagnose vision issues you may be feeling due to an eye ailment. Medicare will provide coverage if you have diabetes or if you’re high-risk for glaucoma. But, if you aren’t high risk, paying out of pocket could be a requirement.

If you want to run into your local vision center for a simple exam to get glasses, Medicare won’t cover. You’ll be 100% responsible for the cost of your prescription eyewear, as well as your routine exam.

If you’re in the market for preventive screenings and tests to check for glaucoma or macular degeneration, you’re in luck. Medicare will cover preventive screenings to help keep the health of your eyes in check. Not only will Medicare cover the exams for macular degeneration, but they’ll include any doctor visits to treat the disease.

If a doctor performs surgery using either lasers or traditional techniques, Medicare will cover your cataract surgery. You’ll pay 20% of the health care costs after meeting the Part B deductible. If you have a Medigap plan, that 20% will be covered as well.

Part A and B won’t pay for Lasik procedures unless they’re necessary, and that is rare. One example is a traumatic injury in which Lasik could benefit. Lasik is a procedure that treats farsightedness, astigmatisms, and nearsightedness in the eyes.

Lasik surgery is the most common eye surgery and has proven to improve eyesight, immediately following the procedure drastically. It’s a surgery that uses a laser and is virtually pain-free for patients. Most times, Medicare will not pay for the eye exam given before a Lasik procedure.