When your child tries on a new pair of eyeglasses, it can be an exciting day. Between the challenge of choosing the perfect pair or the stress from looking at the price tag, a glasses shopping trip can become a little overwhelming.
At Children’s Nebraska, we want to make shopping for your child’s glasses easy and stress-free. That’s why we offer the widest selection of glasses for infants and teens. With over 650 lenses on display and multiple manufactures including Flex Frames, one-stop shopping is easy. Our Opticians provide pediatric custom fitting from infancy through adolescence and are skilled in assessing and analyzing if eyewear is accurate.
Our Optical Shop is located right in our Ophthalmology Eye Clinic. The shop is open for all children, even if they are not a patient at Children’s.
We are open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. You don’t need an appointment — just come on in.
To reach the Optical Shop call 402-955-8294.
Our Glasses
Paying for Your Child’s Glasses
We accept the following insurance plans:
- March Vision
- Envolve Vision
- NE Healthy Blue
- Bright Health
- EyeMed Vision (Insight & Access Plans only)
What You Need to Know About Vision Insurance
Vision Insurance and the Affordable Care Act
If your child is on a medical insurance plan purchased on the Marketplace or is enrolled in Medicaid, there’s good news.
All insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) consider pediatric vision care as an “essential health benefit.” This means that if your child has a plan through the Marketplace, they will have certain vision benefits, including an annual exam and either eyeglasses (including the lenses and frames) or contact lenses. Medicaid also provides coverage for exams and eyeglasses.
Many private health insurance plans include similar coverage, but you may have to pay an additional monthly fee. You can also purchase a separate vision-only plan from a private vision insurance company.
The Difference Between Vision Insurance and Medical Insurance
In general, vision insurance covers services and products needed to correct your child’s everyday vision needs, like routine eye exams and eyeglasses.
Medical insurance covers medical conditions beyond the general, routine care that vision insurance provides. For instance, unlike vision insurance, medical insurance may cover diagnosis services and treatment for:
- Infections
- Eye disease, such as glaucoma
- Eye problems related to other conditions (e.g., diabetes) or that are side effects of medication (e.g., antidepressants)
- Allergies
- Dry eye
Benefits versus Discount Plans
When you’re looking for a private plan or for additional vision coverage, you have two main options: vision benefits packages and vision discount plans.
Vision benefits packages are similar to medical insurance. There are generally set copays for different products and services, like glasses or vision exams, and a monthly premium. These benefits packages typically have a limit on how much the insurance company will pay. For instance, the plan might have a fixed amount that they will cover toward a pair of glasses. If you want a pair that costs more, you will need to pay the difference.
Vision benefits packages do not always include coverage for elective services, such as LASIK surgery. However, many have optional add-ons to give you that coverage.
Vision discount plans are a little different. When you purchase one, it’s more like you’re paying a membership fee. Instead of having copays and set costs for individual products and services, you get discounts from eye care providers who participate in that plan. Depending on the plan you choose, you may get discounts on products and services that aren’t always covered by insurance plans, like LASIK surgery or sunglasses.
Both benefits packages and discount plans can help you save significantly on your child’s eye care. One isn’t necessarily “better” than the other — it’s all about what your child needs.
For example, benefits packages tend to cost a little more than discount plans. If your child gets new glasses every year, that extra amount may be worth it, since glasses can be fairly expensive. On the other hand, if your child doesn’t usually need new glasses every year, it might be better to go with the less expensive discount plan.
Next Steps
You do not need an appointment or a referral to buy glasses at the Optical Shop — make sure that you have your child’s prescription and insurance information on hand.
We are open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m..
Children’s Optical Shop:
8534 Cass St.
Omaha, NE 68114
Get Directions
Questions? Call us at 402-955-8294.