What glasses and contact lenses cost in Spain and what helps

Key rules

• Public cover: Adults pay for glasses and contact lenses in full, because the public system does not cover them.
• IVA: Prescription glasses and contact lenses carry 4% IVA, while sunglasses and non-corrective glasses pay 21%.
• 2x1 offers: Check the exclusions before paying, since contact lenses, premium frames and other discounts are often left out.
• Child aid: Aid for children's eyewear exists only in some regions, so ask your regional health service.

Who pays: you do

As an adult, you pay for glasses and contact lenses yourself. The public health system does not cover them. Its list of covered items includes only a few special aids, such as certain prostheses.

Children and some medical conditions are the exception, and only in some regions. Aid may exist for conditions such as aphakia, keratoconus or high-grade refractive errors. Ask your regional health service what applies to you.

What glasses cost

Prices vary a lot, so compare before you buy. Roughly, from cheapest to dearest:

• Budget offers and online sellers.
• Mid-range chains and independent ópticas.
• Premium brands with high-index, progressive or treated lenses.

Progressive lenses and brand frames push the price up sharply. Single-vision lenses are cheaper. Ask each shop to price the lens index, the coatings and the frame separately. That lets you compare like with like. The comparison below shows how the three ways of buying differ.

What contact lenses cost

The type of lens drives the yearly cost:

• Daily disposables cost the most per year, because you use each lens once.
• Monthly lenses cost less per year, but you also pay for care solutions.
• Toric, multifocal and specialty lenses cost more than standard spherical ones.

Brand and pack size also change the price. Compare the full yearly cost, not the price of one box.

Ways to pay less

Reduced IVA. Prescription glasses and contact lenses carry 4% IVA. Sunglasses and non-corrective glasses pay 21%. Cleaning products and accessories also pay the general rate. The Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla have different indirect taxes.

2x1 offers. These usually give you a second pair free or at a discount. The second pair is normally of equal or lower value than the first. Common exclusions are:

• sunglasses, unless the offer says otherwise;
• premium frames and lens upgrades;
• contact lenses;
• combining the offer with other deals or insurer discounts.

The second pair may carry a supplement for high-index or progressive lenses. Some offers are time-limited or tied to certain frames. Read the conditions before you pay.

Private health insurance. Insurance generally does not pay for glasses. Many insurers do offer optical extras, such as discounts at partner ópticas, free sight tests or a yearly allowance. Details vary by insurer and plan, so check your policy and the insurer's current partner list.

Regional aid for children. Some regions run their own aid for children's glasses and contact lenses, with age and income conditions. Asturias, Navarra, the Basque Country, Galicia and Murcia have had such programmes. Amounts and eligibility differ by region, so ask your regional health service for current details.

The checklist and questions below cover the rest.

Buying glasses: high-street optician, chain promotion or online

The cheapest route depends on your prescription. For a simple single-vision prescription, online or a chain promotion is usually cheapest. For progressive lenses or a strong prescription, a local óptica is often the safer buy, even at a higher price.

Side by side

Which route fits you

• Simple single-vision prescription: Online is the cheapest, and a chain promotion is a close second with a fitting included. Both are low-risk.
• Progressive lenses or a strong prescription: Buy in a shop where someone measures you in person. Progressives depend on exact measurements, and a poor fit is hard to fix by post. They also cost much more, and brand frames add to the price.
• Needing a second pair: A 2x1 promotion can save money. The second pair is usually of equal or lower value than the first, and a supplement may apply for high-index or progressive lenses.

Read before you pay

• Promotion conditions: Sunglasses, premium frames, lens upgrades and contact lenses are often excluded. Offers may not combine with other discounts, and they may be time-limited or tied to certain frames. Terms differ by shop, so read them first.
• Online returns: If the glasses are wrong or defective, the legal guarantee still protects you. Standard items such as non-prescription frames or unopened contact lenses may be returnable. Some sellers offer more than the legal minimum, so check their policy before ordering.
• Adjustments: Many chains and local shops will adjust glasses bought elsewhere, for little or for a fee. Online buyers can often get a local fitting this way.
• Prescription from abroad: Many shops will work from it if the values are clear. Many prefer to re-measure you, often free or cheap. Some refuse an unclear or expired one, so ask before you pay.
• Comparing prices: Prices vary with lens index, coatings and frame brand. Ask at least two or three shops for a full quote with frames and lenses together.

Checklist

• Plan to pay in full as an adult, because the public system does not pay for glasses or contact lenses.

• Ask your regional health service whether a child or a specific condition such as keratoconus qualifies for regional aid.

• Compare quotes for the same prescription at several shops, including a budget chain, an independent óptica and an online seller.

• Ask each shop to price lens index, coatings and frame brand separately, since progressive lenses and brand frames raise the price sharply.

• Compare the yearly cost of daily and monthly contact lenses, including care solutions for reusable ones.

• Read the conditions of any 2x1 offer before paying, including exclusions and supplements.

Prices and regional aid change, so confirm current figures with shops and your regional health service.

Frequently asked questions

Does a 2x1 offer at an optician cover contact lenses or sunglasses?

Usually no, a 2x1 offer at an optician normally excludes contact lenses, and sunglasses only count if the offer says so.

Can I combine a 2x1 offer with my insurer's discount?

Often no, because many 2x1 offers cannot be combined with other offers or insurer discounts. Ask the shop before you pay which of the two gives you the lower final price. Insurer discounts usually work only at partner ópticas.

Does private health insurance pay for glasses?

Generally no, private health insurance does not cover glasses as a core benefit. Many plans add extras such as discounts at partner ópticas, free sight tests or a fixed yearly allowance.

Which regions give aid for children's glasses?

Some regions have run aid for children's glasses and contact lenses, including Asturias, Navarra, the Basque Country, Galicia and Murcia. Aid usually depends on the child's age and your income, and amounts differ by region. Ask your regional health service what is currently available.