Holding Box of Acuvue Contact Lenses

Eyes on Canal is your Medicaid provider for eye exams and contact lens fitting, including medical, custom, and specialty lenses.

Explore Vision Care Services and Benefits Offered at Our Mid-City, New Orleans Eye Clinic

Medicaid is federal health insurance that aims to extend coverage for low-income families, including children. Eligibility is based on income level, and service coverage varies by state.

At our eye care clinic, if you have or are eligible for Medicaid in Louisiana, certain vision care will be covered. Children and young adults under 21 automatically have vision care coverage as part of their Medicaid coverage.

In Louisiana, children and young adults ages 0 through 20 are covered for:

  • Eye exams, including for vision correction
  • Treatment of eye conditions, including refraction error
  • Regular eyeglasses, if they meet a certain minimum strength requirement
  • Medically necessary specialty eyewear and contact lenses (with prior authorization; prescription required)
  • Contact lenses, if they are the only means for restoring vision
  • Other medically necessary related services.

Those 21 or older can receive examinations and treatment of eye conditions, such as infections and cataracts, as well as some vision-related services if you have both Medicare and Medicaid (with Medicare being the primary payer).

Eyeglasses and routine examinations for vision correction or refraction error are not covered for those 21 and older.

Contact Lenses for New Orleans Medicaid Recipients at Eyes on Canal

Where contact lenses are concerned, the following is important to know for New Orleans Medicaid recipients:

  • Medicaid does reimburse for both soft and rigid (when the recipient cannot wear regular soft lenses) contact lenses
  • If either soft or rigid lenses could be used, Medicaid will approve the least expensive type
  • All contact lenses require prior authorization by Medicaid
  • Contact lenses will be considered only when medically necessary and no other means can restore vision — such as an eye disorder like astigmatism, irregular cornea, keratoconus, and more — that are not correctable by eyeglasses
  • Medicaid does not reimburse for contact lenses for cosmetic purposes.

Vision Benefits Allowed Under Medicaid

Under Medicaid, vision screenings are included in well-child checkups and eye exams for our Mid-City, New Orleans patients. To ensure your child’s optimal eye health, we recommend that a child’s vision be checked before the age of one, and then again at ages three and five. After they start school, children and adolescents should receive an annual exam.

For adults, we recommend following a regular eye screening schedule, from childhood to senior age (65 and older), and a complete eye exam at 40. A comprehensive eye exam at our Canal Street clinic can help detect and maintain eye diseases or changes in vision. If you already have an eye disease or risk factors such as diabetes or high blood pressure, you should see an optometrist more often, and early.

Depending on your age, vision health, and eligibility, the following benefits can be either completely covered by Medicaid or come at a low cost:

  • Eye exams
  • Eyeglass frames*
  • Prescription eyeglass lenses*
  • Bifocals or multifocals
  • Contact lenses (if considered medically necessary)*
  • Medical and surgical procedures
  • Screenings for glaucoma.

* Medicaid typically covers what are considered standard eyeglass frames, eyeglass lenses, and contact lenses. Specialty lenses or premium frames are usually not included.

Contact Lens Fittings in Mid-City, New Orleans

Eyes on Canal is your Medicaid provider for eye exams and contact lens fitting. We use the latest treatment procedures and diagnostic equipment to provide you with a comprehensive evaluation of your eye health and your vision prescription.

We can fit you for traditional contact lenses, including both soft and rigid gas permeable lenses, plus specialty contact lenses – such as bifocals or scleral contact lenses — that can correct a wide range of vision problems, including astigmatism, nearsightedness, farsightedness, dryness, and any trauma or complications caused by surgery or injury.

Learn more about our vision care team, or contact us to schedule an appointment at our Canal Street location.