Know your benefits

Eyeglasses and contact lenses

Oct 23, 2008 3:29 PM

The first thing you should do when you are thinking about buying new eyeglasses or contact lenses for yourself and/or someone in your family is to call the UFT Welfare Fund’s automated forms hotline at 1-212-539-0539 and request an optical certificate. You can also call the Fund at 1-212-539-0500, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The certificate and a list of all the optical providers affiliated with the Fund’s program will be put in the mail to you the next day. You’ll need this certificate, which is valid for 90 days, when you buy eyeglasses or lenses from any provider. You can’t download this certificate from the UFT Web site because the Fund must verify your eligibility before it can issue the certificate to you. Certificates aren’t transferable; a separate certificate is necessary for each family member.

Remember, you can only use your optical benefits once every two years.

Save by buying at participating stores

The best way to save money is to buy eyeglasses from one of the more than 1,500 optical providers that participate in the UFT optical program. (To view a directory of participating stores, go to the online Directory of Participating Optical Panelists.)

Each UFT member is entitled to a free pair of eyeglasses, including bifocals and trifocals, every two years as long as you choose a basic frame that retails for $100 or less from one of the participating stores. The basic eye exam is covered. This no-cost option may be particularly attractive to outfit kids or if you are happy with your current eyeglasses and want a spare pair to keep at school or for backup.

You will probably face out-of-pocket expenses if you choose more expensive frames and special features like progressive lenses (no lines in bifocal or trifocal glasses), but it’s still advisable to shop at a participating store. In addition to the $75 off that the Welfare Fund gives to all members regardless of where they buy their eyeglasses, these participating providers will give you a 10 percent discount on the cost of the frames and the lenses, plus another $100 off if you purchase designer frames. Present your certificate before you place the order.

The eye exam at a participating store will be free unless a dilation is necessary, in which case there is a $30 charge. Store sales can’t be combined with any of the UFT optical discounts. Participating providers can also charge you the following fixed surcharges for special features: $15 for tinting, $15 for UV block, $20 for scratch-resistant coating, $30 for glare-free coating, $35 for polycarbonate and $50 for photochromic (transitions).

Prescription sunglasses covered, too

You can use the optical program to buy prescription sunglasses. (Nonprescription sunglasses, however, are not covered.) Be aware that some participating stores may charge you $30 extra for tinting and UV block.

You can’t split services, so don’t get your eyes examined until you know for sure that you will be buying your eyeglasses from that optical provider.

For any item you purchase not in connection with the participating store’s covered service — a second pair of glasses, for example — the store will give you a minimum of 10 percent off the retail price.

If you go to a store not affiliated with the Fund’s program, you still need to have an optical certificate with you. You’ll have to pay whatever the provider charges. The Welfare Fund will reimburse you $75 (or the price of the eyeglasses if less than $75) when you submit the original paid receipt along with the optical certificate, completed and signed by the store, and a copy of your eyeglass prescription. You have 90 days to request reimbursement.

By purchasing eyeglasses from a participating provider, the savings can be considerable.

In all cases, it makes sense to shop around and compare prices before you buy.

If you are a contact lense user, you still need to request an optical certificate. You may buy your contact lenses from any provider and the Fund will reimburse you $75 when you submit the paid receipt, the signed and completed certificate, and a copy of your prescription. The fitting fee is not covered.