Helping federal employees focus on what matters most

Every day, we use our eyes to see the world around us. We depend on them for just about everything—from working and household activities to spending time with our families. But how often do you think about caring for your eyes?

With Open Season running November 11 through December 9, 2024, now’s the time to start thinking about your vision care needs for next year. Choosing quality vision coverage like Blue Cross Blue Shield FEP Vision helps ensure you and your family have the care you need.

Vision care is an essential part of your overall health

Vision care exams are important because they can help detect eye diseases and conditions with no obvious symptoms, such as glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration. Early detection and treatment can help prevent vision loss or blindness from these diseases. It can also help you avoid unnecessary costs for care later.

If you currently wear glasses or contact lenses, you’re not alone. Nearly 79% of adults in the U.S. need some form of vision correction. And it’s not just adults—6.8% of children younger than 18 in the U.S. have a diagnosed eye and vision condition, which can impact their daily lives. Vision care can help them succeed in school and sports.

It’s probably no surprise, but our frequent use of phones, tablets and TVs has taken a toll on our vision health. Over 80% of adults and more than 70% of children in the U.S. use digital devices for more than two hours a day. This explains why nearly 60% of adults report digital eye strain symptoms, such as headaches, blurred vision and dry eyes.

And if you think you don’t need vision coverage because you have good eyes, think again. The eyes are the only place in your body where a doctor can look directly at your blood vessels. During a vision care exam, your vision care provider can detect non-vision related conditions that affect your eyes and your whole body, such as hypertension, diabetes and even cancer.

Blue Cross Blue Shield FEP Vision can help

As a Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) vision plan, we offer comprehensive vision coverage to active and retired federal and USPS employees and their families. In fact, more people choose us for their vision coverage than any other FEDVIP vision plan.

It’s easy to see why, thanks to our nationwide coverage. You can use your benefits at over 175,000 independent providers, national retailers and online retailers, including MyEyeDr., Walmart, Warby Parker, Visionworks, Costco, Target Optical, glasses.com, 1800contacts.com, and many more.

There are two plans to choose from, High Option or Standard Option, and both offer fully-covered, comprehensive vision care exams for all members. Eyeglass lenses are free with High Option and just $10 with Standard Option.

You’ll pay nothing out-of-pocket for our BCBS Exclusive Collection frames, a collection of 220 designer frames, each valued up to $195. If you want a frame that’s not in the Exclusive Collection, you can use your frame allowance toward any pair of frames. We cover contact lenses, too.

Before Open Season starts, visit our website to learn more about vision care and take a closer look at our coverage and benefits for 2025.

You can also use the AskBlueSM BCBS FEP Vision Plan Finder to easily compare our plans. In just a few minutes, you can answer some simple questions and get a recommended plan based on you and your family’s vision care needs.