Academy offers guidance on health care reform’s vision benefits

In a national media release, the Academy encourages parents to take advantage of  benefits that provide full coverage of essential eye care services for kids.

The health care law provides coverage for child and adolescent vision screenings during well-child visits. Fully-dilated comprehensive eye exams and glasses or contact lenses to correct refractive errors also will be covered by plans participating in the exchanges, making it easier for families to follow up on any problems identified through screenings starting Jan. 1.

The Academy is working with the state ophthalmic societies to distribute an informational flyer detailing the benefit. Created by the physician associations and the National Association of School Nurses, it will be shared with patients and the public.

"Parents who previously avoided getting their child's vision checked or corrected due to cost concerns now have an affordable way to access these crucial services," said Michael X. Repka, MD, medical director for governmental affairs for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and pediatric ophthalmologist. "The new Affordable Care Act pediatric vision benefit makes it easy for parents to ensure that their children have a healthy start in life and aren't left behind due to sight problems."