Vision insurance works like traditional health insurance. Depending on how much coverage a plan offers, policyholders may have a co-pay to receive a comprehensive eye exam, or the insurance company may pay for the entire exam if the policyholder goes to an optometrist in the insurance company’s network. Some traditional vision insurance plans cover the eye exam but not eyeglasses or contact lenses. Other plans may charge a co-pay for eyeglasses. Some will cover eyeglasses but not prescription sunglasses. In many cases, the insurance company will pay a certain amount of money for frames and lenses; however, if the policyholder chooses frames that are more expensive than what the company allows, he/she will have to pay the difference between what the insurance company allows and the cost of the frames.