Nov. 14, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by Vance Thompson Vision.

Balancing insurance and health care can feel like a complicated task. Perhaps you have noticed changes in your vision that feel cloudy or blurry, but you’re nervous about affording the procedure to remove the cataracts causing it.

There’s good news! By this time of year, insurance deductibles often are met, so getting cataract surgery becomes one step easier. If you don’t need to pay an out-of-pocket deductible to achieve clear vision, why not get it now?

Even more good news: When a doctor determines that cataract removal surgery is medically necessary, the procedure is billable to your medical insurance. Coverage varies by plan and provider, so it’s important to check on your policy, including deductibles and copays.

You also should consider the type of cataract surgery best suited to your lifestyle and visual goals: traditional or advanced. Insurance typically covers the cost of a traditional procedure that uses a standard lens. For patients hoping for a premium lens option that reduces dependence on glasses, advanced cataract surgery is a good choice, and insurance likely covers some of the medical portion of surgery and postoperative care. Advanced cataract surgery is considered an elective procedure, so the premium lens and refractive postoperative care is an out-of-pocket expense to patients that can be paid for through financing options.

Because cataracts affect vision gradually, it’s easy to fall into just getting by with less-than-perfect sight. But many patients don’t realize how much their changing vision has started to impact their day-to-day life. A good way to tell if cataracts might be affecting your lifestyle is if you have trouble driving at night or if reading becomes difficult even with reading glasses.

When a maxed-out deductible offers an optimal moment for regaining vision, the clear choice is to look into a procedure now.