A health savings account (HSA) or a flex spending account (FSA) is one of the best ways to save courtesy of Uncle Sam with triple tax benefits. You put money in on a tax-free basis (usually through salary deferrals), it builds up tax-free (you can invest it), and it comes out tax-free to cover out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. Depending on your tax bracket, that can save you 20% or more on eyeglasses, contacts, or even medical procedures like LASIK or High Definition Laser Cataract Surgery.
Health Savings Account (HSA)
You can contribute to an HSA if you’re in a qualifying high-deductible health plan at work. For 2020, that means a plan with a minimum annual deductible of $1,400 for individual coverage or $2,800 for family coverage. At a minimum, you should contribute enough to cover your deductible. Do you have an unexpected doctor’s bill? You can put money into your HSA, take it out right away, and the government just paid 25% of the bill. (The higher your tax bracket, the bigger your savings.) An HSA is a savings account that goes with you and funds stay in the account as long as it is open.
Flex Spending Account (FSA)
FSAs are a great way to pay for elective and non-elective procedures and cover deductibles and co-payments for medical services and prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs that have been prescribed by a doctor, all pre-tax. The funds from an FSA can be used toward the payment of certain authorized dental and vision expenses, including for dependents and spouses. So, depending on your tax bracket, that could end up being major savings! The only problem is that you have to use your FSA balance by the end of the year or risk losing it. So if you have an FSA, be sure to check your balance and then look at your options for an eye exam, vision correction surgery or even eyeglasses before the end of the year.
The good news is that consumers can save ($2,700 per person in an FSA) and even save more in an HSA depending on your plan, to pay for procedures you want. Think of this as an opportunity to access the procedures you need and save 20% or more by using flex spending or health savings account dollars.
Why Is This Important?
Elective procedures, like LASIK, PRK, Implantable Contact Lenses, and Refractive Lensectomy, are discretionary medical expenses. FSA and HSA accounts can help lower the cost of better vision with or without glasses or contact lenses.
How You Can Help Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19)
CommunityCOVID-19 Update: Safer at Home
CommunityWisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has issued a month-long safer at home order that prohibits all ”non-essential business“ and prohibits all ”non-essential travel“ in the state during the coronavirus outbreak.
The order goes into effect at 8:00 am on Wednesday, March 25 and remains in effect until 8:00 am on Friday, April 24, unless the governor announces otherwise.
Valley Eye Associates is open for emergency care only, which includes the following:
Some post-op and follow-up appointments are still occurring per each individual doctor’s instructions (injections for patients with macular degeneration, for example, or care following corneal transplant surgeries). Patients are being contacted appropriately, whether appointments are still occurring or being rescheduled.
We have a comprehensive team ready to assist and answer questions (ophthalmologist, optometrist, technician, surgery counselor, and more). Of course things are evolving more and more every day, so we will continue to keep everyone up-to-date.
Enter to Win Free LASIK! Now Extended!
LASIKDue to the coronavirus outbreak, all non-emergency procedures like LASIK have been postponed to allow for needed medical services. As a result, we are extending our free LASIK sweepstakes until Friday, May 29. The lucky winner of the free drawing will be announced Monday, June 1.
Celebrate 2020 with new vision! Valley Eye Associates is giving one lucky patient the chance to win a free LASIK procedure and everyone who is a candidate a $700** savings on LASIK.
To enter, just fill out the entry form and someone from our team will contact you to schedule a free consultation. If you complete your consultation by Friday, May 29 and are a LASIK candidate, you’ll receive $700 off** your procedure and be entered to win the entire procedure for free!
The winner will be announced Monday, June 1.
Make 2020 your year for better vision!
*Based upon candidacy. No prior refractive procedures or evaluations. Offer valid for LASIK or PRK only. Cannot be combined with other offers or insurance discounts.
**$350 per eye.
Introducing the PanOptix® IOL
CataractThe PanOptix intraocular lens implant (IOL) for cataract patients is now available at Valley Eye Associates. It is the first and only FDA-approved trifocal lens to replace the eye’s natural lens after cataract surgery!
If you’re over the age of 45, you may be noticing changes in your vision. Colors may be less vivid, reading without glasses may be difficult, you may require more light to read, and your vision may be blurry or hazy. These are all common symptoms of cataracts and presbyopia—vision conditions that affect the majority of people as they age.
Vision following cataract surgery with the PanOptix lens exceeds previously unattainable levels with older technology. The PanOptix lens provides patients with:
“I have been very impressed with the latest generation of multifocal intraocular lens implants,” says Dr. Michael Vrabec. “The trifocal multifocal IOL, called the Alcon PanOptix lens, has been used overseas for many years with excellent results. It was approved by the FDA for use in the United States in the last half of 2019 and I began offering it to patients shortly after its approval. With over 50 patients having had this IOL implanted in their eyes, I have found the lens to have even better distance, intermediate, and near vision without glasses when compared to older generation of bifocal multifocal IOLs, better vision in low light, and less glare and halos at night.”
99% of people with the PanOptix lens would choose the same lens again.*
98% of people with the PanOptix lens would recommend it to family and friends.*
80.5% of people with the PanOptix lens reported that, within the past week, they never had to wear glasses to see.*
To schedule your cataract examination and learn more about the PanOptix lOL, please call Valley Eye Associates at (800) 344-4443.
Valley Eye Associates’ 2020 Eye Facts
Eye HealthDiabetic Eye Disease Awareness
Eye HealthAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults. Diabetic retinopathy is a general term for all disorders of the retina caused by diabetes.
Diabetic retinopathy can go undetected without a thorough eye exam. This is because it often has no symptoms in its early stages. As diabetic retinopathy progresses, you may notice the following symptoms:
Diabetic retinopathy symptoms usually affect both eyes.
Diabetics are at risk for permanent vision damage and even blindness if diabetic retinopathy is left untreated. However, there are steps that can be taken to help prevent diabetic eye disease, including:
Dr. Michael Vrabec of Valley Eye Associates says, “While diabetic retinopathy is a chronic disease, the good news is that by taking the necessary steps to manage the condition, including getting an annual eye exam, we can help to minimize the harmful effects on your vision.”
For more information about diabetic retinopathy, please visit the American Diabetes Association.
Get to Know Dr. Daniel Nowak
CommunityGet to know Dr. Daniel Nowak (pictured right), one of the optometrists on our Valley Eye Associates team!
What has been your favorite thing about working at Valley Eye Associates?
I like the variety. I may see something as straightforward as a routine eye exam, to someone with glaucoma, or other potentially blinding conditions and helping them. It makes me keep up-to-date in eye care to provide the best possible care I can. Plus, I like the great staff we have throughout the clinic, from the business office to patient services, techs and surgery schedulers, and to the doctors, who are easily accessible to consult with when asked.
How do you relax after a long day at work?
It depends on the time of year. During the warm-weather season, I like being outside doing yard work and keeping the yard looking sharp. During the cold-weather season, I like doing woodworking, which I am just starting to take up.
What is your favorite holiday and why?
Christmas—the season for goodwill. The time of year that holds hope for humanity.
What is your favorite meal of the day? What would you be eating?
Lunch. I like the diverse restaurants in Appleton and getting to try something different.
What made you decide to go into optometry?
I always found vision and the eye to be fascinating. I decided in high school that being an optometrist was my destiny.
Spreading Holiday Cheer with Toys for Tots
CommunityValley Eye Associates is honored to once again partner with the Home Builders Association of the Fox Cities to collect new, unwrapped toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. All toys collected in the Fox Cities will go to children in the Fox Cities area.
Starting Monday, November 11, new, unwrapped toys may be dropped off at the following Valley Eye Associates locations:
West Appleton
21 Park Place
Appleton, WI 54914
East Appleton
2100 S Kensington Drive, Suite 5
Appleton, WI 54915
Encircle Health
2500 E Capitol Drive, Suite 3500
Appleton, WI 54911
Oshkosh
719 Doctors Court
Oshkosh, WI 54901
Donations will be collected through Tuesday, December 10.
To make a financial donation, write a check to Toys for Tots and mail it or drop it off at:
HBA Fox Cities
920 W Association Drive
Appleton, WI 54914
Email toysfortots@hbafoxcities.com for additional information.
Thank you in advance for helping us spread joy to children in need this holiday season!
How Can an HSA or FSA Save You Money?
LASIKA health savings account (HSA) or a flex spending account (FSA) is one of the best ways to save courtesy of Uncle Sam with triple tax benefits. You put money in on a tax-free basis (usually through salary deferrals), it builds up tax-free (you can invest it), and it comes out tax-free to cover out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. Depending on your tax bracket, that can save you 20% or more on eyeglasses, contacts, or even medical procedures like LASIK or High Definition Laser Cataract Surgery.
Health Savings Account (HSA)
You can contribute to an HSA if you’re in a qualifying high-deductible health plan at work. For 2020, that means a plan with a minimum annual deductible of $1,400 for individual coverage or $2,800 for family coverage. At a minimum, you should contribute enough to cover your deductible. Do you have an unexpected doctor’s bill? You can put money into your HSA, take it out right away, and the government just paid 25% of the bill. (The higher your tax bracket, the bigger your savings.) An HSA is a savings account that goes with you and funds stay in the account as long as it is open.
Flex Spending Account (FSA)
FSAs are a great way to pay for elective and non-elective procedures and cover deductibles and co-payments for medical services and prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs that have been prescribed by a doctor, all pre-tax. The funds from an FSA can be used toward the payment of certain authorized dental and vision expenses, including for dependents and spouses. So, depending on your tax bracket, that could end up being major savings! The only problem is that you have to use your FSA balance by the end of the year or risk losing it. So if you have an FSA, be sure to check your balance and then look at your options for an eye exam, vision correction surgery or even eyeglasses before the end of the year.
The good news is that consumers can save ($2,700 per person in an FSA) and even save more in an HSA depending on your plan, to pay for procedures you want. Think of this as an opportunity to access the procedures you need and save 20% or more by using flex spending or health savings account dollars.
Why Is This Important?
Elective procedures, like LASIK, PRK, Implantable Contact Lenses, and Refractive Lensectomy, are discretionary medical expenses. FSA and HSA accounts can help lower the cost of better vision with or without glasses or contact lenses.
How Much Screen Time is Too Much for Children?
Eye HealthThe World Health Organization (WHO) is recommending children under age 5, spend one hour or less on digital devices and those under age 1 spend no time at all on a daily basis. The WHO study refers to sedentary screen time, which includes watching television or videos, or playing computer games.
Screen Time Recommendations by Age
Developing the ability to “use” vision starts at birth, says Glen Steele, O.D., professor of pediatric optometry at Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN. When a baby watches a parent form words or point to objects, their actions lead to development of a baby’s “looking” process, which fosters their internal curiosity, he says. That curiosity leads to the baby wanting to get to an object out of reach and a desire to move toward it.
Symptoms of Screen Time Exposure
According to the Vision Council, 72% of American parents report their children routinely engage in more than two hours of screen time per day. 30% of parents report their children experience at least one of the following symptoms after being exposed to more than two hours of screen time per day:
Any of these symptoms could potentially affect academic performance and social interactions.
Vision-Related Problems for Children Ages 8 and up
According to Common Sense Media, children under age 8 now spend more than two hours a day with screen media. For 8 to 10-year-olds, screen time triples to six hours a day. And it’s not unusual for kids in middle school and high school to spend up to nine hours per day looking at digital displays.
Risks Associated with Too Much Screen Time
Children who spend multiple hours staring at digital devices are at risk of developing these vision-related problems:
What to Do
While it’s not realistic to think that children will stop using modern technology, here are some easy things you can do: