Community Eye Care

What Community Eye Care does

Community Eye Care (CEC) is a vision benefits company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, that operates as a subsidiary of VSP Vision. The company sells employer-sponsored vision benefit plans to U.S. businesses through direct sales and a broker channel, and administers those plans through a nationwide network of optometrists, ophthalmologists, and optical retailers. Its core product, CEC Vision, is a 12-month subscription plan offering a flexible eyewear allowance that members can apply to frames, lenses, contact lenses, sunglasses, and special lens options with no frame restrictions and the ability to combine contacts and glasses in the same plan year.

The business runs on a subscription-based revenue model, with employers paying recurring premiums for employee vision coverage. Member-facing value is extended through three GTM partnerships: Eyeconic (online eyewear with 20% off glasses and 10% off contacts), QualSight LASIK (up to 35% off LASIK across 800+ locations), and TruHearing (up to 60% off brand-name hearing aids). Plan administration is supported by self-service online portals for members, providers, and employers, though no proprietary technology stack or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

CEC's go-to-market is a hybrid of enterprise field sales (direct employer relationships) and channel partners (brokers and benefits consultants), with customer segmentation organized horizontally across four audiences: employers, brokers, members, and providers. The company is led by Marvin Schrum, who serves as CFO, COO, and Co-Founder. There is no public revenue, headcount, or funding data disclosed in the source material.

Name

Community Eye Care

Legal name

Community Eye Care

Website

https://cecvision.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Community Eye Care is a Charlotte-based vision benefits company and VSP Vision subsidiary that sells employer-sponsored 12-month vision plans through direct sales and a broker channel, serving U.S. employers, brokers, members, and providers via a national provider network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vision Benefits Administration

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Vision Insurance Plans (Employer-Sponsored) (HLAEAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Vision Insurance (FSAIAHAB)

Keywords

• Vision benefits administration
• Employer vision plans
• Eyewear allowance programs
• Vision care networks
• Group vision insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Vision Benefit Plans: CEC generates revenue through employer-sponsored vision benefit subscription plans. Employers pay for plans that provide employees with vision coverage including eye exams, eyewear allowances, and access to a provider network. Plans operate on 12-month cycles with flexible allowances that can be applied to frames, lenses, contact lenses, and sunglasses.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Community Eye Care (CEC) is a vision benefits company that sells employer-sponsored group vision benefit plans on 12-month cycles. Plans include eye exams, a flexible eyewear allowance applicable to frames, lenses, contact lenses, sunglasses, and special lens options, with no frame restrictions and the ability to combine contact and glasses allowances in the same plan year. Members access benefits through a nationwide network of eye care providers, and CEC complements the core plan with member discounts through partner offerings (Eyeconic, QualSight LASIK, TruHearing).

Product overview

CEC Vision is a single unified vision benefits product that provides employer-sponsored vision care coverage. The core offering is a flexible 12-month vision plan with no frame restrictions and an eyewear allowance that members can apply to frames, lenses, contact lenses, sunglasses, and special lens options. The product integrates with three partner offerings: Eyeconic for online eyewear shopping, QualSight LASIK for laser eye surgery discounts, and TruHearing for hearing aid savings. All plan components renew annually, allowing members to obtain contacts, frames, and lenses each plan year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CEC Vision Benefit Plan Modern employer-sponsored vision benefit plan providing 12-month coverage with no frame restrictions and a flexible eyewear allowance that can be applied to frames, lenses, contact lenses, sunglasses, and special lens options. The allowance can be combined across contacts and glasses in the same plan year, members may make multiple purchases without penalty, and all plan components renew annually. Sold to employers (directly and via brokers) for employee and family use.
• Eyeconic Member Discount Online eyewear shopping benefit for CEC members, providing 20% off glasses and 10% off contact lenses through the Eyeconic online eyewear retailer. Available to CEC vision plan members as an integrated discount offering.
• QualSight LASIK Member Discount LASIK vision correction discount for CEC members, providing up to 35% off LASIK procedures through the QualSight LASIK network with more than 800 locations nationwide. Addresses common vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
• TruHearing Member Discount Hearing aid discount for CEC members and their extended family, providing up to 60% savings on a pair of brand-name digital hearing aids through the TruHearing partnership. Extends CEC's value proposition beyond vision care into hearing care.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members can save up to 35% on LASIK procedures through QualSight partnership
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VSP VisioncoreOthersVSP Vision is the parent company and trademark owner of CEC Community Eye Care. CEC operates as a subsidiary or brand under VSP Vision's corporate umbrella, leveraging the established VSP Vision brand recognition and infrastructure in the vision care industry.
• EyeconicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEyeconic is an online eyewear retailer partnership offering CEC members exclusive discounts: 20% off glasses and 10% off contact lenses. This partnership provides members with online shopping convenience and additional savings beyond their vision benefit allowance.
• QualSight LASIKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerQualSight LASIK is a provider of LASIK vision correction services with over 800 locations nationwide. CEC members can save up to 35% on LASIK procedures through this partnership, addressing vision correction needs beyond glasses and contacts.
• TruHearingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTruHearing provides digital hearing aids and hearing care services. CEC members and their extended family members can receive savings of up to 60% on brand-name hearing aids through this partnership, extending CEC's value proposition beyond vision care.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• MetLife Vision: Vision insurance from MetLife distributed primarily through employer voluntary benefits programs. Comparable distribution model via employer/broker channels and a similar B2B2C product structure.
• VSP Vision: CEC's parent company and the largest US vision benefits insurer. Operates the broadest vision provider network and serves as both owner and primary competitive benchmark for CEC's commercial vision product.
• Humana Vision: Employer-sponsored vision benefits from Humana, typically sold as part of larger benefits packages. Comparable in GTM (employer + broker) but has stronger medical/dental cross-sell leverage.
• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Vision: Vision benefits offered through Anthem's Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, providing employer-sponsored vision coverage with deep integration into medical and dental products. A broad incumbent competing for the same employer accounts.
• Aetna Vision: Vision benefits offered by Aetna (CVS Health) typically packaged with medical and dental. Competes with CEC on the employer benefits procurement stage, particularly for accounts seeking integrated carriers.
• UnitedHealthcare Vision: Vision benefits arm of UnitedHealthcare, leveraging UnitedHealthcare's massive employer relationships to bundle vision with medical/dental. Competes with CEC primarily in mid-market and enterprise accounts where multi-line bundling is decisive.

Emerging players

• Eyeconic: VSP-owned online eyewear retailer and a CEC partner offering 20% off glasses and 10% off contacts. Comparable as a VSP-affiliated digital vision commerce platform and overlapping with CEC's member value proposition.

Direct peers

• Versant Health (Superior Vision + Davis Vision): A major vision benefits company formed from the merger of Superior Vision and Davis Vision, offering employer-sponsored vision plans nationally. Directly comparable to CEC in target market, distribution model, and product structure.
• EyeMed Vision Care: One of the largest US vision benefits companies, offering employer-sponsored vision plans with a national provider network. Directly competes with CEC in the commercial vision benefits segment and is the most natural head-to-head comparable.

Others

• QualSight LASIK: CEC's LASIK partner with 800+ provider locations, offering members up to 35% off. While not a direct competitor, QualSight is a relevant ecosystem participant in the broader vision benefits value chain CEC participates in.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Eye Care