Most plans include an eye exam and a $130–$230 eyewear allowance every year — and if you don't use it, it resets to zero. Pick your insurer below to see what you likely have, and we'll remind you before you lose it.
A reminder only helps if there's still time to act. If you'd rather just use the money now, buying online stretches it a long way — Zenni starts at $6.95 a pair, so an allowance that covers a single pair in-network can cover several, plus prescription sunglasses or a backup.
Most FSA and HSA cards work at their checkout, which makes it an easy way to spend down a balance before December 31 — if yours declines, you can pay another way and submit the receipt for reimbursement.
They're factory-direct rather than in-network, so a carrier allowance means paying up front and filing for out-of-network reimbursement — only if your plan includes an out-of-network benefit. Many plans, including most VSP plan designs, don't. Check your member portal before you buy.
Shop Zenni — glasses from $6.95 → Affiliate link. We may earn a commission if you buy through it, at no extra cost to you — it's what keeps the reminders free. We're not partnered with or endorsed by Zenni.The short version: they disappear, and nobody tells you when.
No. Vision plans almost never roll over. Your eye exam coverage and eyewear allowance reset at the start of each plan year, and anything you didn't use is simply gone — there's no refund and no credit. You paid premiums for that allowance either way.
Most plans follow the calendar year and reset on January 1, which makes December 31 the real deadline. But not all — plans tied to an employer's benefit year can reset in other months, so yours may expire in, say, June. If you're not sure, your insurer's member portal will show your plan year, and we'll ask for your reset month so reminders arrive at the right time.
Most plans include a covered or low-copay eye exam plus roughly $130–$230 toward frames or contact lenses each year. Some plans give a bit more for contacts, or a separate allowance for lens upgrades like anti-glare and transitions.
Yes. Prescription glasses, prescription sunglasses, contact lenses, solution, and eye exams are all FSA/HSA-eligible. This matters in December because FSA funds are use-it-or-lose-it and expire on the same deadline for most people. You can stack them: use your vision allowance first, then pay the remaining balance with FSA dollars.
Most FSA and HSA cards work directly at online retailers' checkouts, which makes them an easy way to spend down a balance before the deadline — and if yours declines, you can pay another way and submit the receipt for reimbursement. Zenni has prescription glasses from $6.95 and a large under-$30 range, so even a small leftover FSA balance is enough for a spare pair or prescription sunglasses. Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
FSA holders alone forfeit an estimated $4.5 billion a year — averaging around $441 per person — and about half of account holders lose something every year. Unused vision allowances are on top of that, and they're harder to track because nothing shows up as a "balance" anywhere.
A short email before your plan year ends, telling you what you likely still have and that it's about to reset. That's it — a few emails a year, timed to your plan. No app to download, no account to manage, and we don't sell your information.