If you’re watching the end of the year approach and still have money left in your Flexible Spending Account (FSA), don’t panic. There are plenty of smart and sometimes surprising ways to spend it on your eye health. While many people know they can use FSA dollars for vision exams, eyeglasses and contact lenses, fewer people realize that there are many lesser-known options that can help improve eye comfort, performance and long-term visual wellness.
Unique FSA Options
If you’re looking for something beyond the basics, here are some innovative, beneficial and often overlooked ways to put your remaining flex dollars to work.
- Specialized Computer Glasses – If you spend hours in front of screens, you may benefit from task-specific computer lenses designed to reduce eye strain and improve focus. These are different from typical blue-light lenses, as the prescription lenses are customized for your exact working distance. Many people who use them notice reduced headaches, neck strain, and dry eye, making them an excellent choice for FSA dollars.
- Sport-Specific Prescription Eyewear – Performance eyewear is not just for professional athletes. FSA funds can often be used for prescription swimming goggles, ski or snow goggles, eyewear for tennis or cycling, or impact-resistant sport goggles for kids. This is a great option for active or athletic families, especially with sports that pick up in spring.
- Dry Eye Treatment Options – Dry eye is a very common vision complaint, especially in the winter months. FSA funds can cover some effective options to help with this issue, such as over-the-counter eye drops, prescription dry eye medications, moist heat therapy eye masks, omega-3 supplements for eye health, or punctal plugs when prescribed as a necessity.
- Low Vision Aids – People with reduced vision from conditions like macular degeneration or cataracts can find great benefit from specialized low-vision tools that make everyday life easier. In many cases, products like magnifiers, contrast-enhancing lenses or assistive reading devices can be eligible for FSA reimbursement.
- Vision Therapy Programs – These individualized treatment programs are effective at treating a wide range of visual conditions, and are specifically tailored to each patient according to their needs. Vision therapy can help correct binocular vision issues, eye teaming difficulty, visual tracking challenges or developmental vision conditions, and can even improve athletic ability. FSA benefits can often be used to cover evaluations and testing, treatment sessions and at-home therapy support materials.
Discuss FSA Options with Family Vision Development Center Now
The end of the year sneaks up quickly, and every year people inevitably let their FSA funds expire because they simply forget to schedule appointments or make purchases. If you’re unsure how much remains in your FSA, now is the perfect time to log in and check your balance. And of course, we are here to help in any way we can! Whether you need an exam, glasses, or advice on eligible products, our team is happy to assist you in making the most of your benefits before they expire. Contact our office today at 630-862-2020 to schedule an appointment.
Family Vision Development Center is a full-service vision center offering innovative vision therapy services, sports vision therapy services, post-concussive vision rehabilitation, comprehensive vision exams for eyeglasses and contact lenses, management of ocular diseases including glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration and cataracts, and a state-of-the-art optical center offering the latest designs in eyewear. We are dedicated to keeping our patients comfortable and well-informed and we will explain every exam and procedure and answer all of your questions. We accept both scheduled and emergency appointments, and offer convenient financing and insurance options to ensure that high-quality vision care is available and affordable to all of our patients.