Glasses and lenses

Verified 13 March 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

What is there support eyeglasses or contact lenses? She varies based on your age and your degree of correction. If you break or lose your glasses or if your eyesight changes, you can renew your glasses or lenses with an optician (within the validity period of the prescription) or, under certain conditions, with an orthoptist. Tinted lenses can be taken care of in some cases. We explain the rules to know.

FYI  

The 100% health allows a better refund thanks to the respect of the responsible contract. A contract is said to be “responsible” in particular when it does not set contributions according to the health status of the insured and provides minimum supplementary coverage.

In addition to the ophthalmologist, the orthoptist and the eyeglass optician can intervene in the treatment of your vision problems.

Glasses

The rules vary depending on whether it is a 1re prescription or renewal.

A prescription is the means by which a healthcare professional prescribes a treatment, examination, medication or medical device such as glasses with corrective lenses. It is useful for reimbursement.

First prescription

There are several health professionals.

Ophthalmologist

He's the eye and vision doctor. He is the one who, most often, prescribed eyeglasses.

It monitors your eyes and eyesight, performs examinations, detects possible disorders or diseases. They can also prescribe medication, rehabilitate or perform surgery on the eye.

Orthoptist

If you have no contraindication and if you are between 16 and 42 years old, the orthoptist can perform a visual assessment and, if necessary, establishes a prescription for a 1re pair of glasses with corrective lenses.

FYI  

It is not necessary to go through your doctor or have a prescription to carry out this assessment.

Optician-eyewear

The optician-eyeglass does not prescribe in 1era intent, but it may adapt the prescription under 2 conditions:

  • The prescriber did not mention his opposition to this adjustment on the prescription
  • The prescriber gave his consent following the request for adaptation by the optician-eyewear manufacturer.

Renewal

You must take into account the date of seniority of your prescription. Indeed, the order is valid for a certain period of time which depends on the situation.

The rules differ depending on whether the glasses are broken or are no longer suitable for sight:

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Broken glasses

Whether or not you need a doctor to intervene varies depending on your age:

From 16 years

If your prescription is less than 3 years oldHowever, to replace your broken glasses, it is not necessary to go back to the doctor (ophthalmologist). The optician can deliver glasses equipped with corrective lenses identical to those broken.

If the prescription is more than 3 years oldHowever, you will have to go back to the doctor: he will prescribe new glasses that will be reimbursed under the usual conditions.

Please note

In the event of loss or breakage of corrective lenses, when the emergency is established and in the absence of an appropriate medical solution, opticians may exceptionally issue new glasses without a prescription.

Before 16 years

You must see your doctor (ophthalmologist) to prescribe new glasses. Even if the previous ones were reimbursed less than 1 year ago, the new ones will be taken care of. The optician who will deliver them to you will have to include on the prescription a statement indicating that the previous ones have been broken.

Please note

In the event of loss or breakage of corrective lenses, when the emergency is established and in the absence of an appropriate medical solution, opticians may exceptionally issue new glasses without a prescription.

Glasses that are no longer adapted to the view

The rules related to the duration of a prescription vary depending on your age:

From 43 years old

For the delivery of corrective lenses by an optician-eyewear manufacturer, you must present a prescription.

The duration of validity of the medical prescription is set at 3 years.

The reimbursement of your glasses by your health insurance fund will be under the usual conditions.

If your prescription is more than 3 years old, consult a doctor (ophthalmologist).

Between 16 and 42 years

For the delivery of corrective lenses by an optician-eyewear manufacturer, you must present a prescription.

The period of validity is:

  • 5 years for the medical prescription
  • 2 years for the orthoptic prescription.

The reimbursement of your glasses by your health insurance fund will be under the usual conditions.

If your prescription is exceeded, consult a doctor (ophthalmologist) or, under certain conditions, an orthoptist who will prescribe new glasses that will be reimbursed under the usual conditions.

Please note

If you are between 16 and 42 years old, you can benefit from a visual assessment and a prescription from a orthoptists. For this, the last visual assessment performed by the ophthalmologist must be less than 5 years old. The orthoptist will check that you do not have contraindication listed by the ministry.

Before 16 years

You must see your doctor (ophthalmologist) to prescribe new glasses.

The prescription is valid for 1 year.

The reimbursement of your glasses by your health insurance fund will be under the usual conditions.

FYI  

It is possible to perform a visual assessment by an orthoptist as part of the renewal / adaptation of optical corrections for a child from 6 to 15 years, analyzed via telemedicine by an ophthalmologist.

The rules are different for frames and lenses:

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Frames

Access to frames without any remaining charge is possible for frames whose price is less than or equal to €30.

Your mutual health insurance or supplementary health insurance may cover all or part of the costs that are not reimbursed by the Health Insurance, if the contract you have subscribed provides for this. Ask her about it.

Glasses

The glasses are divided into 2 classes:

  • Class A: this is the offer 100% Health without any remaining costs for the insured.
  • Class B: it is glass whose prices are free.

The rate of reimbursement of optical costs is 60%

Example :

You're over 18. Your ophthalmologist has prescribed glasses for you. According to the prescription, your optician offers you a frame to €20 with white “single focus” glasses.

Your mutual health insurance or supplementary health insurance can cover all or part of the costs that are not reimbursed by the Health Insurance, if the contract you have subscribed provides for it. Ask her about it.

The reimbursement rate is:

  • 60% of the price of the frame on a refund basis (BS) of €2.84, or an amount of €1.70 covered by the Health Insurance;
  • 60% of the price of glass on the basis of €6.25 for this type of glass, either €3.75 per glass covered by the Health Insurance.

Depending on your contract, your health insurance (or complementary health insurance) may reimburse you up to €18.30 for the mount and up to €11.25 for each of your glasses, either €40.80 in all.

Please note

You can be reimbursed for one or more pairs of glasses per year if your vision disorder changes.

If you need glasses adapted to your vision and protecting your eyes from light, the Health Insurance does not cover 60% on the basis of official tariffs tinted glasses only in the following indications:

  • Eye disorders (intense conjunctivitis, keratitis, iritis, central or congenital cataract, retinopathy)
  • Strong myopia, when accompanied by photophobia
  • Exceptionally, certain photophobic disorders, when they do not fall within the scope of the previously designated conditions.

Contact Lenses

The rules vary depending on whether it is a 1re prescription or renewal.

A prescription is the means by which the health professional prescribes a treatment, examination, medication or medical device such as corrective lenses for example. It is useful for reimbursement.

First prescription

There are several health professionals to be distinguished.

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Ophthalmologist

He's the eye and vision doctor. He is the one who most often prescribes lenses.

It monitors your eyes and eyesight, performs examinations, detects possible disorders or diseases. They can also prescribe medication, rehabilitate or perform surgery on the eye.

FYI  

It is not necessary to go through your doctor for your regular follow-up with the ophthalmologist.

Orthoptist

If you have no contraindication and if you are between 16 and 42 years old, the orthoptist can perform a visual assessment and, if necessary, he establishes a prescription for a 1re pair of lenses.

It is not necessary to go through your doctor or have a prescription to carry out this assessment.

Optician-eyewear

The optician can adapt the prescription to 2 conditions:

  • The prescriber did not mention his objection in the order
  • The prescriber gave his consent following the request of the optician-eyewear manufacturer.

Renewal

The prescription is valid for a period which depends on your age:

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From 16 years

The optician-eyeglass manufacturer may adapt, as part of a renewal of delivery, the optical corrections of medical prescriptions for eye contact lenses dating from less than:

  • 3 years for a medical prescription 
  • 2 years for an orthoptic prescription.

Please note

These times may be limited by the healthcare professional who wrote the prescription.

The reimbursement of your lenses by your health insurance fund will be under the usual conditions.

If your prescription is exceeded, consult a doctor (ophthalmologist) or, under certain conditions, an orthoptist. He will prescribe new lenses that will be reimbursed under the usual conditions.

FYI  

If you have between 16 and 42 years old, you can benefit from a visual assessment and a prescription from a orthoptists. For this, the last visual assessment performed by the ophthalmologist must be less than 3 years old. In addition, you must not present a contraindication listed by the ministry.

Before 16 years

The rules depend on the date of seniority of your prescription:

The order is less than a year old

You can go to the optician or orthoptist. They can renew your lenses by adapting them to your eyesight without a new prescription from the doctor (unless the prescriber says otherwise on the prescription). He will perform a check of your vision beforehand.

The reimbursement of your lenses by your health insurance fund will be under the usual conditions.

The order is more than a year old

You should consult a doctor (ophthalmologist) who will prescribe new lenses. They will be refunded under the usual conditions.

Repayment condition

The Health Insurance covers contact lenses, on medical prescription, for the following indications:

  • Irregular stigma
  • Myopia equal to or greater than 8 diopters
  • Accommodative strabismus
  • Aphakia
  • 3-diopter anisometropy not correctable by glasses
  • Keratoconus.

Reimbursement rate

Contact lenses are reimbursed at 60% on the basis of an annual flat-rate, from date to date, per equipped eye, fixed at €39.48, regardless of the type of lens (reusable or not, daily or weekly, etc.).

Please note

Your mutual health insurance or supplementary health insurance can cover all or part of the costs that are not reimbursed by the Health Insurance, if the contract you have subscribed provides for it. Ask her about it.