If you have legal blindness, you may qualify for early Medicare enrollment. Original Medicare covers some vision care, while Advantage plans may offer additional coverage options. Part D can cover vision-related prescriptions.
You can usually enroll in Medicare at 65 years old. But if you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you can enroll before you turn 65 years old after waiting 2 years.
To qualify for SSDI, it must not be possible to correct your vision beyond 20/200 in your better eye, or you must have a visual field of 20 degrees or less in your better eye that has persisted or may persist for at least 12 months.
Read on to learn what benefits Medicare offers if you have legal blindness, how much you may pay out of pocket, and how to get these benefits.
Vision problems can become more common as people age. Some common conditions that can develop with age include glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetes-related vision changes.
Once you enroll in Original Medicare, your plan generally should cover one pair of standard eyeglasses or contacts after Medicare-approved cataract surgery with a lens implant. It also covers eye exams and treatments related to specific conditions and occupational and physical therapy for adapting to vision loss, when prescribed and medically necessary.
Part A may also cover any medically necessary surgical procedure that involves your eyes, and you may also qualify for home healthcare if you have legal blindness and satisfy certain conditions. This can include skilled nursing care or a home health aide.
However, Original Medicare doesn’t cover eye exams for prescription glasses or the glasses or contacts themselves. Under its durable medical equipment (DME) benefit, Part B may cover certain medically necessary assistive technology devices and canes, although it doesn’t cover white canes for use with visual loss.
Medicare Advantage
You may be able to get coverage for items or services that Original Medicare doesn’t cover through a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan instead. Part C plans are private plans that offer all the benefits of Original Medicare, plus additional benefits in many cases.
One type of Part C plan is a Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan (C-SNP), which provides special benefits for people with certain conditions. These include diabetes, stroke, and other conditions that can affect vision.
Medicare Part D
Medicare Part D covers prescription drugs. If you have any condition that requires medication, including a condition that affects your vision, a Part D plan may cover the drugs you need.
Part D plans are also private plans. Whether a particular plan covers the drug you need depends on the specific plan.
In 2025, you must meet the $257 Part B deductible before Part B covers 80% of approved services. Your monthly premium begins at $185 but can be higher depending on your income.
Most beneficiaries receive Part A without a premium, though you must still meet a $1,676 deductible. After meeting this threshold, Part A benefits include full coverage for hospitalization and postsurgical rehabilitation for the first 60 days.
While this may seem unlikely, you may incur additional charges if you get a hospital admittance for eye surgery and need to stay hospitalized for longer than this period. Note that Medicare can only cover a stay at a skilled nursing facility for the first 20 days.
If you enroll in a Part C plan instead of Original Medicare, a private insurer administers the plan. Your costs depend on your plan, but the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reported that the average Part C monthly premium is approximately $17 in 2025.
You also typically have to pay the Part B premium to remain enrolled in a Part C plan, though certain plans may subsidize this cost.
Meanwhile, under Medicare Part D, the amount you pay out of pocket depends on the drug’s tier classification within your plan’s list of covered drugs. Each plan charges different premiums and deductibles because private insurance companies manage Part D plans. The national base beneficiary premium is $36.78 in 2025.
If you meet the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) definition of “blindness” and receive SSDI benefits, you can automatically enroll in Original Medicare.
If you don’t receive SSDI and still have vision loss, you can still qualify for Medicare at 65 years old. In this case, you must enroll manually.
Once you enroll in Original Medicare, if you want coverage for vision exams and eyewear that doesn’t depend on having certain conditions, you can switch to a Part C plan and enroll in Medicare Part D. You must see which plans are available in your area and what they cover on Medicare.gov.
If your blindness qualifies under the SSA’s definition of disability, you may be eligible for SSDI benefits, which average about $1,500 per month in 2025. If you qualify based on income, you could receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which starts at $967 per month. But if you qualify for SSDI and SSI, your combined benefits don’t exceed the SSI amount alone.
Older adults may get free or more affordable vision care, mobility equipment like a cane, or glasses from various national or local organizations. The American Council of the Blind (ACB) provides a list of options.
While Medicare eligibility typically begins at 65 years old, those receiving SSDI may qualify after a 2-year waiting period, regardless of age. To qualify for SSDI due to vision loss, you must meet the SSA’s definition of blindness.
Once enrolled in Original Medicare, you have coverage for specific vision loss prevention and treatment services. Advantage plans might offer additional coverage options for services that Original Medicare doesn’t cover.