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Glasses and lenses
Verified 07 June 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Role of opticians in the first supply of glasses or lenses
Published on 4 June 2024
Law of 19 May 2023 provides that opticians-glasses can during the 1er supply of glasses or lenses to adapt the prescription.
The terms of these adjustments will be determined by Order in Council.
In the meantime, the information presented on this page remains valid.
How much eyeglasses or contact lenses are supported varies depending on your age and degree of correction. If you break or lose your glasses or change your vision, you can renew your glasses or lenses with an optician (within the period of validity of the prescription) or, under certain conditions, with an orthoptist. Tinted lenses can be supported in some cases. We'll lay out the rules for you.
What applies to you ?
The 100% healthy enables better reimbursement through compliance with the responsible contract. A contract is said to be liable in particular when it does not set contributions according to the state of health of the insured and when it ensures a minimum additional cover.
Glasses
There are 2 classes for optical equipment:
- Class A: no charge (offer 100% Health)
- Class B: Prices are free (excluding offer 100% Health).
Reimbursement rules change depending on whether or not you are 18 years old.
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From 18 years
The eyeglass frame is reimbursed to 60% on the basis of a tariff fixed at €9 for Class A and €0.05 for Class B.
Eyeglass lenses are reimbursed to 60% based on variable tariffs depending on the degree of correction and their classification A or B.
Your health insurance or supplementary health insurance may cover all or part of the costs which are not reimbursed by the health insurance, if the contract you have subscribed to so provides. Find out from her.
Before age 18
The eyeglass frame is reimbursed to 60% on the basis of a tariff fixed at €9 for Class A and €0.05 for Class B.
Eyeglass lenses are reimbursed to 60% based on variable tariffs depending on the degree of correction and their classification (A or B).
Your health insurance or supplementary health insurance may cover all or part of the costs which are not reimbursed by the health insurance, if the contract you have subscribed to so provides. Find out from her.
Please note
You may be reimbursed for one or more pair(s) of glasses per year if your vision impairment changes.
Broken glasses
The rules for how long a prescription is valid vary depending on your age.
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From 16 years
If your prescription is less than 3 years oldHowever, to replace your broken glasses, it is not necessary to return to the doctor (ophthalmologist). The optician can deliver glasses equipped with corrective lenses identical to those broken. The reimbursement of your glasses by your health insurance fund is done under the usual conditions.
If the order 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.
FYI
If you have between 16 and 42 years, you can benefit from a visual assessment and a prescription from a orthoptist.
To do this, the last visual assessment performed by the ophthalmologist must be less than 5 years old.
In addition, you must not submit a contraindication listed by the department.
Before age 16
You should see your doctor (ophthalmologist) to get a new prescription. Even if the previous ones were refunded less than a year earlier, the new ones will be taken care of. The optician who will issue them to you will have to indicate on the prescription that the previous ones have been broken.
Please note
In the event of loss or breakage of corrective lenses, when urgency is observed and in the absence of a suitable medical solution, opticians may exceptionally supply new glasses without a prescription.
Eyeglasses that are more adapted to the view
The rules for how long a prescription is valid vary depending on your age.
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From 43 years
For corrective lenses to be dispensed by an optician or orthoptic, you must present a prescription.
The period of validity of the medical prescription is set at 3 years.
Your glasses will be reimbursed by your health insurance fund under the usual conditions.
If your prescription is more than 3 years old, consult a doctor (ophthalmologist).
Between 16 and 42 years old
For corrective lenses to be dispensed by an optician or orthoptic, you must present a prescription.
The period of validity shall be:
- 5 years for the medical prescription
- 2 years for orthoptic prescription.
Your glasses will be reimbursed by your health insurance fund under the usual conditions.
If your prescription is exceeded, consult a doctor (ophthalmologist) or, under certain conditions, an orthoptic specialist who will prescribe new glasses that will be reimbursed under the usual conditions.
FYI
if you are between 16 and 42 years old, you can benefit from a visual assessment and a prescription from a orthoptist. To do this, the last visual assessment performed by the ophthalmologist must be less than 5 years old. You must not present a contraindication listed by the department.
Before age 16
You should see your doctor (ophthalmologist) to get a new prescription.
The order is valid for 1 year.
Your glasses will be reimbursed by your health insurance fund under the usual conditions.
FYI
it is possible to carry out a visual assessment by an orthoptist in the context of the renewal/adaptation of the optical corrections for a child aged 6 to 15 years, analyzed via telemedicine by an ophthalmologist.
Warning
The ophthalmologist may object to the renewal of your glasses by an optician or orthoptist by mentioning it on the prescription, if you are in certain medical situations.
You need glasses that are adapted to your vision and protect your eyes from light.
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)
- Severe myopia, when accompanied by photophobia
- Exceptionally, certain photophobic disorders, when they do not fall within the scope of the conditions described above.
Contact lenses
Contact lenses are covered by the Health Insurance, on medical prescription, for the following indications:
- Irregular astigmatism
- Myopia equal to or greater than 8 diopters
- Accommodative strabismus
- Aphakia
- Eyeglass-uncorrectable 3-diopter anisometropia
- Keratoconus.
Contact lenses are reimbursed to 60% on the basis of an annual fixed-rate fixed at €39.48, whatever the type of lens (reusable or not, daily or weekly, etc.).
Please note
Your health insurance or supplementary health insurance may cover all or part of the costs which are not reimbursed by the health insurance, if the contract you have subscribed to so provides. Find out from her.
Menstrual periods vary according to your age.
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From 16 years
The optician or orthoptist may adapt, in the context of a renewal of supply, optical corrections to medical prescriptions for eye contact lenses dating from less than:
- 3 years for a medical prescription
- 2 years for orthoptic prescription.
Your lenses will be reimbursed by your health insurance fund under the usual conditions.
If your prescription is exceeded, consult a doctor (ophthalmologist) or, under certain conditions, an orthoptic surgeon. Your doctor will prescribe new lenses which will be reimbursed under the usual conditions.
FYI
if you have between 16 and 42 years, you can benefit from a visual assessment and a prescription from a orthoptist. To do this, the last visual assessment performed by the ophthalmologist must be less than 5 years old. In addition, you must not submit a contraindication listed by the department.
Before age 16
If your last prescription is less than a year old, you can go to the optician or the orthoptist. Your doctor may renew your lenses and adapt them to your vision without a new prescription from the doctor (unless the prescriber objects to the prescription). He will first check your vision.
Your lenses will be reimbursed by your health insurance fund under the usual conditions.
If your prescription is more than a year old, consult a doctor (ophthalmologist) who will prescribe you new lenses. They will be reimbursed under the usual conditions.
Warning
The ophthalmologist may object to the renewal of your lenses by an optician or orthoptist by mentioning it on the prescription, if you are in certain medical situations. For example: refractive disorders associated with diabetes, glaucoma, or abnormal tear film.
Replacement of glasses or lenses by orthoptists (R4342-8-1)
Replacement of glasses or lenses by opticians
Evaluation by an orthoptist, analyzed by an ophthalmologist, for children 6 to 15 years
List of contraindications for prescription of corrective lenses and visual assessment performed by an orthoptist
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
Ministry of Health
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
Ministry of Health