UVA_HRUnderstanding Vision Care Options
UVA offers two ways to save on eye care:
- Aetna Vision Discount Program (Included in your UVA Health Plan)
- MetLife Vision Insurance with the Davis Vision® network - Small Monthly Premium
Vision Coverage Made Clear
Aetna Discount Program
You are automatically enrolled as a UVA Health Plan participant in the Aetna Vision Discount Program, with no additional premium.
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Discounts
You get discounts on:
- Eye exams
- Prescription eyewear
- LASIK laser eye surgery
- You get one low package price for laser eye surgery screening, surgery and follow-up care. And the first consultation is free — even if you decide not to have the surgery.
- Non-disposable contact lenses
- Delivered to your door. If your prescription is up to date, you can get them mailed right to your home.
- Designer frame options
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Explore Locations
You can visit many doctors in private practice, plus national chains like JCPenney Optical, LensCrafters, Target Optical, Sears Optical and Pearle Vision.
Aetna Vision Provider Directory
MetLife Vision Insurance with the Davis Vision® network
MetLife Vision Insurance with the Davis Vision® network offers a higher level of benefits than the Aetna discount program and a broader network of vision care providers. MetLife Vision Insurance cannot be combined with the Aetna vision discounts.
Our vision plan is now called MetLife Vision Insurance. While the name is slightly different, your actual coverage, benefits, and costs are not changing and it remains within the Davis Vision® network.
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Annual Benefits
Once per year, beginning January 1
- Exam
- Lenses & Lense upgrades
- Frame
- Contacts, evaluation & fitting
Eye Exam copay: $0
Contacts evaluation, fitting & follow-up for conventional lens and specialty lens: Covered in Full when ordering contacts on the same date of service from the same provider.
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Contacts
Contacts in lieu of glasses:
- Allowances: $150 (+additional 15% off any overage) or
- The Exclusive Collection of Contact Lenses: covered in full
Eligibility
Vision Plan Eligibility and Required Documentation
To enroll in the UVA Vision Plan, you must be an eligible UVA employee. If you are adding a dependent, choose their relationship to you below to see the eligibility requirements and documentation you may need to provide.
Employee eligibility: In general, you must be a full- or part-time UVA employee regularly scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week and be in an eligible employee category.
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Eligible Employee Groups
- Faculty
- Classified Staff
- Medical Center Team Members
- Postdoctoral Research Associates
- Senior Professional Research Staff
- University Staff
- Housestaff
- Grant-funded Postdoctoral Fellows
Dates and Next Steps
- Open Enrollment begins on Monday, October 5 and remains open until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, October 16
- You will receive a task in your Workday Inbox on October 5 to get started
- After open enrollment ends, benefit changes will be limited to Qualifying Life Events
- On January 1, 2027, the elections you made during Open Enrollment will take effect
- Any updates to your paycheck deductions will appear on your first 2027 paycheck
Activate this button to open a menu of quick links for Open Enrollment resources. Use the Tab key to move through the links. Activate the button again to close the menu.
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Benefits OverviewPostdoctoral Fellows
The Open Enrollment process for all Postdoctoral Fellows (non-UVA employees) is managed through UVA Human Resources. For additional information specific to Postdoctoral Fellows, contact AskHR@virginia.edu with the subject line "Postdoc Fellow Benefits".