CalCPA ProtectPlus

The VSP Member Vision Card has been updated and can be found on the VSP website.  The Member Vision Card replaces the current generic Member Reference Card found on the website. VSP’s enhanced Member Vision Card is perfect for those of us that would like our vision insurance card in our wallet to remind us of important information regarding our vision plan!

The purpose of the card is to reduce vision benefit questions you may have and it contains personalized information, such as:

• Member name
• Coverage type (i.e., Member Only, Family, etc)
• Client ID number
• Doctor network name
• Co-pays

Since the card is personalized, only members can log in and print their own card. This enhanced card is a convenience for members and is not required when you visit your eye doctor for an exam.

Protected Health Information (PHI), such as the member ID number and date of birth, is not included on the card because if it was, members would be put at risk of identity theft if the card were to be lost or stolen. VSP is committed to protecting the privacy and security of their members and their information.

Log on now to print out your enhanced Member Vision Card! Log in to to VSP, or create a new account if you don’t have one already. Under “My Benefits” go to “Benefit Resources” and click on “Member Vision Card”. You will be asked to confirm your state of residence and once you do that, your card will appear and will be ready to print!

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The following information is from VSP.com

All in the Family? A Primer on Genes and Vision Problems

Ah, the wonderful world of genetics. There’s the classic “family nose,” the disarming blue eyes, or the shock of thick, curly hair at birth. True, some things run in families. What about vision problems?

Some do. Others tend to be influenced by environmental or other factors, says J.P. Lowery, O.D., M.Ed. Dr. Lowery is chief of pediatrics at Pacific University College of Optometry in Forest Grove, Oregon.

She says, “Nearsightedness and farsightedness have a strong genetic component, especially if a parent is very nearsighted or farsighted. If both parents are nearsighted or farsighted, there’s a good chance their child will be the same.”

But vision isn’t all in the genes, Dr. Lowery continues. “There are some significant environmental influences, such as near-point work like reading, that are associated with nearsightedness, especially when it develops later in the teens and 20s.” Some studies suggest that students who spend a lot of time reading develop nearsightedness more quickly than others do.

Some genetically-linked eye problems:

• Nearsightedness
• Farsightedness
• Color vision deficiency (a.k.a., color blindness)
• Retinitis pigmentosa, a rare progressive decline of the retina
• Some eye problems that have mixed causes:
• Glaucoma (fluid build-up in the eye that damages the optic nerve)
• Age-related macular degeneration (progressive decline of part of the retina)
• Amblyopia (“lazy eye”)
• Strabismus (when eyes are aligned in different directions)

Amblyopia and strabismus usually show up in very early childhood, and there’s great success treating them with patches, special eyewear, vision training and/or surgery.

If you’re curious about your family’s vision history and how it might impact your children, see an eye doctor. Dr. Lowery says, “As a pediatric eye specialist, I can tell you that many of the serious vision problems that young children develop could be prevented if all parents brought their babies in for routine eye exams at six months.” You might be surprised how easy an eye exam on an infant can be, but the right doctor with child-friendly tools can get it done in a snap.

Dr. Lowery recommends additional exams around 3 years old, then just before kindergarten. Yearly eye exams should continue for life.

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Vision Service Plan benefits include periodic check-ups, frames, lenses, and contacts, but its up to you to know when you are eligible for these benefits. You can access eligibility information, and more, online in your own password protected area of the Vision Service Plan website. That way, as soon as you know you are eligible for benefits, you can schedule your next eye exam, or get the new pair of glasses or contact lenses that you’ve been wanting.

To access your account visit your plans login on the ProtectPlus website.

1. Next, you can select among medical, dental, and vision plans. When you click on “vision,” you will be taken to the VSP login page where you will need to register if you haven’t already done so.
2. Once you have logged in, you will see a page that lists each benefit with an entry that specifies if you are currently eligible or the date on which you will gain eligibility.
3. You can also view the online “savings statement” from your last vision appointment to see how much you saved by using your vision plan benefits.