Back-to-School: The Best Way to Save Money on Your Kids' Vision

Kids with poor vision have a harder time reading and learning. Don’t forget to add “new glasses” to your back-to-school shopping list.

Child with glasses at school

When it comes to back-to-school shopping, pens, pencils, and notebooks usually get all the attention. But an eye exam and an up-to-date prescription for your child should be high up on the list, too.

Poor eyesight can affect your child’s ability to read, learn, and play with other kids. And it’s not just about whether they have 20/20 vision. During an eye exam, your child’s optometrist will also check to see if their eyes are working properly together, along with signs of eye diseases.

But the cost of eye exams, eyeglasses, and contact lenses can quickly add up. Luckily, America’s Best can help you save money. Here’s how to set your child up for success this school year, without breaking the bank.

Did you know that kids with vision problems should get their eyes checked every year? Now’s the time to book an eye exam!

America’s Best Two Pair Offer

When you purchase two pairs of kids’ eyeglasses at America’s Best, their eye exam is free. (There’s also a similar two-pair offer for grown-up glasses, bifocals, and progressive lenses.)

Our popular two-pair offer includes single-vision uncoated plastic lenses. The good news? Kids ages 13 and younger get a free upgrade to polycarbonate lenses.

“It's an impact-resistant, scratch resistant lens, and ultimately just a safer lens,” says Michael Vaughan. He’s an Atlanta–based optician and retail operations manager with America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses.

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Don’t let your FSA funds expire! 

Treat your eyes to a free quality eye exam with our popular two-pair offer.

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“The kids could decide they want to get a pair of regular eyeglasses for school and a pair of goggles for sports,” says Vaughan. It’s just a slight upcharge to get a different type of frame if your child is older than 13, he says.

Options include: 

America’s Best Protection Plan

“Kids will find creative ways to break any pair of glasses,” laughs Vaughan.

Thankfully, our product protection plan has your back. It protects the purchase of your frames and lenses for a whole year, for a small additional fee.

That means if your child snaps their frames or scratches a lens while playing at recess, America’s Best will replace them one time. Your child may want to pick out the same frame or a new frame style of the same value. They can even choose a more expensive frame — you’d just have to pay the difference.

America’s Best Eyecare Club

An Eyecare Club membership includes free eye exams twice a year for three years. Members also receive 10% off their order of any eyeglasses or contact lenses.

The Eyecare Club is an especially good deal if your child wears contact lenses, says Vaughan. A contact lens exam (which is separate from a comprehensive eye exam) counts as one of your two free eye exams per year. Over the course of three years, it’s cheaper than paying for a single contact lens exam every year. 

Stick With Their Current Eyeglasses

If an eye exam reveals your child’s vision has changed only slightly, do you need to pay for new eyeglasses?

Not necessarily, says Vaughan. That means it’s likely safe to delay the purchase of new glasses, or for your child to finish wearing those remaining boxes of contacts with a slightly outdated prescription. Ask the eye doctor if the vision changes that they’ve detected warrant a brand-new pair of eyeglasses.

Even if they give you the green light to stick with their existing glasses, it’s important to keep a close eye on your child if you plan to wait. “Children are special cases because their eyes are changing a little bit faster than most of us,” says Vaughan. “As long as the child isn’t reporting any vision issues or headaches, it should be fine.”

Take Advantage of FSA Funds

Every item sold by America’s Best is eligible for purchase with pre-tax income through a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA). That includes:

America’s Best makes it easy and affordable to stay on top of your child’s eyecare. Keeping up with their eye exams will help ensure they’re ready to tackle every school year.

See our source:
How vision affects your child’s school performance: American Optometric Association