Purdue University Vision Coverage

About the Program

The University provides vision coverage through a program called Vision Service Plan (VSP). VSP benefits help you get the glasses or contacts you need to correct your vision. Treatment of a medical condition affecting your eyes, such as glaucoma or pink eye, is handled through your medical plan.

Who May Be Covered

All faculty and staff in benefits-eligible positions are covered by Vision Service Plan. Additionally, all dependents enrolled in a Purdue medical plan are automatically enrolled in Vision Service Plan. Dependents who are not enrolled in a Purdue medical plan are not eligible for VSP coverage. 

More Detail

Vision Service Plan allows the following benefits:

Services and materials may be received from one of VSP’s member providers or from non-member providers. The following sections describe how these arrangements work.

Benefits When You Use a VSP Doctor

When services are provided by a VSP member provider, you pay only your deductible and the cost of any extras you want. Tints, special treatments, and specialized frames may be ordered; the additional charge you pay for these items will be at the controlled price available to VSP participants.

To schedule an appointment with a participating VSP provider, call the provider directly and tell the provider that you are a VSP member through Purdue. The provider will contact VSP to verify your coverage and will file your claim for you.

To find a VSP doctor:
• Call VSP Member Services at 1 (800) 877-7195.
• Log on to the VSP Web site.

Out-of-Network Benefits

When using a non-member provider, you pay the provider’s full charge, then submit a claim form and itemized receipt to VSP. Claim forms are available in the online forms section or you may file your claim through the VSP website.

To be eligible for reimbursement, claims must be submitted to VSP within six months after the date the services were completed. You will be reimbursed for the applicable benefits as listed below:

*A $5 patient deductible is taken before the eye exam benefit listed above is paid.

**A $10 materials deductible is taken before the benefits listed above are paid. If both lenses and frames are purchased, only one $10 deductible applies for materials.

Contact Lenses

In place of your lenses and frames benefits, VSP will pay $105 toward the fitting and material costs for elective contact lenses. If your vision cannot be corrected with glasses, the allowance will be $165. You are responsible for any cost above the allowance, as well as the $5 deductible for the exam and $10 deductible for materials.

Taking the contact benefit means giving up your lenses benefit for 12 months and your frames benefit for 24 months.

Benefit for Computer Users

Employees may be eligible for a second pair of glasses to wear specifically while working on a computer. These can be purchased only from a VSP member provider. You must complete a Vision Requirements questionnaire and take it with you to your VSP doctor appointment. Forms are available from Staff Benefits or your campus Human Resources office. Your copay for the computer glasses is $5.