Use It or Lose It: Maximize Your FSA for Eye Care This Year

A flexible spending account (FSA) helps you cover medical expenses while lowering your taxable income. Bottom line: An FSA saves you money.

Ophthalmologists Vicki Lin, MD, and Maryam Khatami, DO, offer eye exams (including diabetic eye exams) and other essential eye care services covered by your FSA at iSight Vision Care in Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach, California. 

Be sure to book the eye care services you need before the year ends so you can maximize your FSA. 

How an FSA works

A flexible spending account allows you to reserve money for certain out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. Your employer may also add money to this account, but not all employers do. 

FSAs are limited to $3,300 per year per employer. If this is your only job that offers an FSA, then $3,300 is the total amount you can set aside tax-free for medical expenses. You can use this money for deductibles, copayments, prescriptions, and medical devices. 

Your spouse and children can use your FSA, too. If your spouse also has an FSA through their employer, that simply means you both manage separate accounts. 

Why you should use your FSA

Not all of your FSA funds roll over into the next year, so be sure to spend it. Some employers allow you to carry up to $660 of your FSA into the next year, but not all do. 

You can use your FSA for preventive care and services you’ve been putting off, including optometry services. (But if you have a limited FSA, check with your FSA administrator to make sure it can cover eye care expenses.) 

Eye care services you can get with your FSA

Your FSA can pay for many eye care services to keep your eyes healthy and your vision intact, such as:

Eye exams for the family

Annual eye exams involve a series of tests to check your vision and your eyes’ ability to focus. During this exam, your eye care specialist also looks for signs of eye conditions, like glaucoma, that may need monitoring or treatment. 

Glasses and contact lenses

FSAs often cover contact lenses and glasses if you need them. This includes a range of specialty options, such as bifocals, progressive multifocals, and prescription safety goggles. 

FSAs can also cover services and items you need to maintain glasses and contact lenses, including contact lens solution, eyeglass repair, and lens cleaning wipes. 

Laser surgery

iSight Vision Care uses in-office lasers to treat common conditions affecting your eyesight, like cataracts and glaucoma. An FSA might also cover laser surgery to correct your vision. 

Book your visit today

With the year coming to an end, now is the time to book eye care services for yourself and your family using your FSA. Call iSight Vision Care or request an appointment online today.