Routine Eye Care

Since 1981, Valley Eye Associates has proudly served the Fox Valley and surrounding region with a wide variety of eye care services. From routine eye care to advanced surgical procedures, Valley Eye Associates has built its reputation on one basic principle: a commitment to eye care excellence for every patient. This principle leads us to offer the latest technology innovations, surgical procedures, and FDA-approved treatment options for nearly every eye condition.

If you have eye care questions or are looking for a long-term partner in caring for your vision, we hope to earn your trust through our professional eye care services.

The foundation of great vision and eye health is your routine eye exam. The team of optometrists and ophthalmologists at Valley Eye Associates offers comprehensive routine eye care, focusing on total eye health and preventative care.

Understanding your Visit: Routine vs. Medical Eye Care

At Valley Eye Associates, we believe that clear communication is the foundation of exceptional patient care. When scheduling your appointment, you may wonder how your visit will be classified and billed. Eye exams generally fall into one of two categories: Routine or Medical.

Routine eye exams are preventative wellness checks designed for patients who have no current medical eye symptoms or underlying conditions. These exams focus on evaluating your general vision health and updating your prescription for glasses or contact lenses.

Most dedicated vision plans (like VSP or EyeMed) allow for one routine exam per year. Vision plans do not cover the treatment or ongoing monitoring of medical eye diseases.

If you are being evaluated for a medical reason, your visit must be billed to your medical insurance provider. However, you can still use your Vision Plan benefits for glasses or contacts at a later date

A medical eye exam is focused on diagnosing, managing, or treating a specific eye health issue, a new physical complaint, or an ongoing chronic condition. These visits are billed directly to your medical insurance (such as Anthem, UnitedHealthcare, Medicare, etc.), rather than a vision plan.

You will be scheduled for a medical exam if you are experiencing or being monitored for conditions including, but not limited to: Diabetes, glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts, new floaters, flashes of light, severe dry eye, foreign object in the eye, or sudden eye irritation.

Your Peace of Mind Matters: Because every insurance policy is unique, we highly recommend contacting your insurance carrier directly prior to your appointment to verify your specific deductible, copay, and coverage benefits. Our team is always here to help guide you through the process so you can focus entirely on your vision health.

Note on Refractions: During a medical exam, our team may perform a refraction (the test that determines your eyeglass prescription) to properly evaluate your overall eye health. Please note that most medical insurance plans do not cover the refraction portion of the exam, and this specific component may involve an out-of-pocket fee.

To schedule your routine eye exam, please call us at (800) 344‑4443 or fill out our contact form and one of our team members will assist you in seeing a doctor who is right for you and your needs.