Does Medicare cover eye exams and glasses?
Medicare draws the line between seeing clearly and eye disease. The exam for a new glasses prescription is yours to pay; the exam that looks for diabetic damage or glaucoma is covered.
Not for routine vision care. Original Medicare doesn't cover routine eye exams (refractions) for glasses or contact lenses, and it doesn't usually pay for glasses or contacts. Part B does cover eye care tied to disease: a yearly eye exam for diabetic retinopathy if you have diabetes, a glaucoma test once every 12 months if you're at high risk, certain tests and treatments (including injected drugs) for age-related macular degeneration, and cataract surgery. After each cataract surgery that implants a lens, Part B pays for one pair of glasses with standard frames or one set of contact lenses from a Medicare-enrolled supplier. For covered services you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), plus a facility copay in a hospital outpatient setting. Some Medicare Advantage plans add routine vision benefits.
What Original Medicare doesn't cover
- Routine eye exams, sometimes called refractions: the exam that measures you for a glasses or contact lens prescription. You pay the full cost.
- Glasses and contact lenses, with one exception after cataract surgery (below). You pay the full cost of most glasses and contacts.
What Part B does cover
| Service | Who qualifies and how often |
|---|---|
| Eye exam for diabetic retinopathy | People with diabetes, once a year, from an eye doctor legally allowed to do the test in the state |
| Glaucoma test | People at high risk (diabetes; family history of glaucoma; African American and 50 or older; Hispanic and 65 or older), once every 12 months |
| Age-related macular degeneration | Certain diagnostic tests and treatments, including certain injected drugs |
| Cataract surgery | When medically necessary; see does Medicare cover cataract surgery? |
| Glasses or contacts after cataract surgery | One pair of glasses with standard frames, or one set of contact lenses, after each surgery that implants an intraocular lens, from a Medicare-enrolled supplier |
What you pay for covered eye care
- Original Medicare: 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026). In a hospital outpatient department you also pay a facility copay. For macular degeneration injections, the 20% applies to the drug as well as the doctor's services.
- With Medigap: the plan pays some or all of the 20%, depending on the letter plan. Upgraded frames or lens features on post-cataract glasses stay your cost.
- Medicare Advantage: the plan's own copays for covered eye care, usually with in-network eye doctors, and sometimes prior authorization for procedures.
A practical point: if a covered exam also includes a refraction for a new glasses prescription, the refraction isn't covered. Ask the office what you'll owe for it before the exam.
Medicare Advantage vision benefits
Many people choose an Advantage plan partly for routine vision coverage, which Original Medicare doesn't have. These benefits are extras, so they vary widely: some plans include a yearly routine exam and an allowance toward frames, lenses or contacts; others include less. The plan may also use its own vision network. If vision care is one of your reasons for picking a plan, compare it alongside the doctor network, drug coverage and yearly out-of-pocket maximum, which matter more when something serious happens. With Original Medicare, a separate stand-alone vision policy is another way to cover routine exams and glasses.
How I help
I can check what your current plan pays for eye exams and glasses, whether your eye doctor is in network, and how plans compare on vision during the enrollment period. Related: cataract surgery · hearing aids · dental · Ask.
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- Eye exams, routine (Medicare.gov) — routine exams not covered; Advantage plans may offer vision; checked October 14, 2026
- Eye exams, if you have diabetes (Medicare.gov) — diabetic retinopathy, once a year, 20% after deductible
- Glaucoma screenings (Medicare.gov) — once every 12 months; high-risk groups
- Macular degeneration tests and treatment (Medicare.gov) — Part B may cover tests and injectable drugs; 20%
- Eyeglasses and contact lenses (Medicare.gov) — one pair after each cataract surgery with an intraocular lens
- Medicare costs 2026 (Medicare.gov) — Part B deductible $283
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 10 organizations which offer 81 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Insurers' legal names and home offices: carriers page.
Common questions
Short answers to what people ask before they call.
Still have a question? Call (518) 902-8822 or book a call.
Does Medicare cover eye exams?
Not routine ones. Original Medicare doesn't cover an eye exam (refraction) for glasses or contact lenses, and you pay all costs for it. Part B does cover certain exams tied to eye disease: a yearly exam for diabetic retinopathy if you have diabetes, a glaucoma test every 12 months if you're at high risk, and tests for age-related macular degeneration.
Does Medicare pay for glasses?
Usually not. The exception is cataract surgery: after each surgery that implants an intraocular lens, Part B covers one pair of glasses with standard frames or one set of contact lenses, from a supplier enrolled in Medicare. You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible, plus any extra for upgraded frames.
Does Medicare cover eye exams for diabetics?
Yes. If you have diabetes, Part B covers an eye exam for diabetic retinopathy once a year, done by an eye doctor who's legally allowed to do the test in New York. You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), plus a copay if it's done in a hospital outpatient department.
Is glaucoma testing covered by Medicare?
Yes, once every 12 months if you're at high risk: you have diabetes, a family history of glaucoma, you're African American and 50 or older, or you're Hispanic and 65 or older. An eye doctor legally allowed to do glaucoma tests in your state must do or supervise it. You pay 20% after the Part B deductible.
Does Medicare cover macular degeneration injections?
Part B may cover certain diagnostic tests and treatments for age-related macular degeneration, including treatment with certain injectable drugs. After the Part B deductible you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for the drug and the doctor's services, plus a facility copay in a hospital outpatient setting. A Medigap plan pays some or all of that 20%.
Do Medicare Advantage plans cover vision?
Some do. Medicare Advantage plans can include extra benefits Original Medicare doesn't, and vision is one of the most common: often a routine exam and an allowance toward glasses or contacts. What's included, the amounts and the eye doctors in network differ by plan, so check the plan's Evidence of Coverage, not the brochure.
Need glasses, or an eye doctor?
Tell me your plan and your eye doctor. I'll check what's covered, what you'll pay, and whether a different plan would handle routine eye care better.