Does the health insurer pay for glasses?
A good pair of glasses is expensive, and many believe the health insurer generally pays nothing. That is not entirely true: in certain cases there is a subsidy for vision aids, especially for children and for more severe vision impairments.
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Subsidy / objection →Your chances of getting your money back
What you should do now
- 1
1. Get a prescription
Have the ophthalmologist issue a prescription or certificate for the vision aid and the values.
- 2
2. Check your entitlement
A child or adolescent under 18, or a more severe vision impairment? Then there is a claim to the subsidy.
- 3
3. Apply for the subsidy
Submit the prescription to your health insurer and have the fixed amount confirmed.
- 4
4. Object if rejected
If you consider the rejection wrong, you can file an objection within one month (§ 84 SGG).
Frequently asked questions
Do I get a subsidy for glasses as an adult?
Only under certain conditions: for example with a more severe vision impairment (from a certain number of diopters) or with certain eye diseases. Then the insurer pays a fixed amount for the lenses. For mild vision problems, adults usually bear the costs themselves.
And for children?
For children and adolescents up to age 18, the health insurer covers the fixed amount for the lenses when medically necessary. The frame usually has to be paid for yourself. An ophthalmologist's prescription is the basis.
Take action now
We put together the ready-made texts and the right places to contact for you.
General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.