Glasses and contact lenses

Under certain conditions, the SBK subsidizes

If you have a visual impairment, we will contribute to the cost of glasses and contact lenses under certain conditions. For adults, the decisive factor is the number of diopters in the eyes. For children and young people under the age of 18, we always cover the cost of eyeglass lenses up to the nationally agreed fixed price.

Ein Arzt kontrolliert die Brille eines Mädchens.

Glasses and contact lenses - your benefits

We contribute to medically necessary costs – even if your visual aid is damaged or lost.

Get high-quality vision aids at favorable rates with private supplementary insurance from our partner ARAG: Supplementary outpatient insurance.

Your personal SBK consultant will advise you on cost coverage and subsidies for eyeglass lenses.

For adults aged 18 and over, we pay a subsidy for eyeglass lenses if one of the following conditions is met:

You have short-sightedness or long-sightedness of more than six diopters.

You have a refractive error of more than four diopters with astigmatism.

There is severe visual impairment in both eyes. This is the case if the better eye does not achieve more than 30% visual acuity despite wearing glasses.

However, there are other cases, such as eye injuries or eye diseases, which impair visual acuity. In these cases, we also cover the costs of therapeutic visual aids and contact lenses if they are medically necessary.

A new subsidy is possible for insured persons aged 14 and over if their vision has changed by at least 0.5 diopters compared to the previous prescription.

For children and young people up to the age of 18, we cover the cost of eyeglass lenses or medically necessary contact lenses up to the nationally agreed fixed price. The exact amount depends on the lens strength. If your child needs sports glasses in addition to their normal glasses for school sports, we will also contribute to the cost of the lenses.

We cover the cost of contact lenses if they are medically necessary and this is confirmed by a doctor. If you choose contact lenses for cosmetic reasons, we will contribute a maximum of the fixed amount for eyeglass lenses.

In many cases of refractive error, it is possible to undergo laser treatment of the eye. After such treatment, wearing glasses or contact lenses is no longer necessary. If the treatment is carried out exclusively to correct a refractive error, it is considered a private service. In this case, the costs must be paid in full by yourself. We are not permitted to cover these costs.

However, for certain eye conditions we can cover the costs of laser treatment. This is possible, for example, in cases of superficial corneal scars. In this case, your ophthalmology practice can bill the laser treatment directly to us using your SBK healthcare card. Please contact your personal SBK consultant regarding this.

Do you require special glasses for your workplace? Please contact your employer or your pension insurance provider. We are not permitted to contribute to these costs.

How to get glasses and contact lenses:

First, an eye doctor will check your vision and see if you need a prescription. If you do, they'll write one up. We need this prescription so we can cover or help pay for your vision aid.

Then, take the prescription to your optician. The fixed amount for the lenses (between approx. €10 and €130 per lens) will then be billed directly to us. Your optician will tell you the exact amount. This is because the amount varies depending on the different visual acuity and lenses. In addition, there is a statutory co-payment of 10% of the price of the lenses. This co-payment is a minimum of 5 euros and a maximum of 10 euros.

Please note:

Please note that it is not possible to reimburse you for a private invoice that has already been paid.

You are responsible for paying any amounts above the statutory fixed amounts, as well as any additional costs for anti-reflective coating or hardening of the lenses, for example. Our tip: Obtain cost estimates from different providers. This may enable you to save money.

For legal reasons, we are not permitted to cover the cost of the frames.

Children and young people aged 14 to 17 can obtain lenses for replacement glasses directly from their optician. The same applies to children under the age of 14 who need a replacement within three months. This may be the case, for example, if their glasses are lost or damaged. You will only need a new prescription if your child's vision changes.

Visual aids are optical or optoelectronic devices used to correct refractive errors or to compensate for, improve, or treat other eye conditions. These mainly include eyeglass lenses, contact lenses, and magnifying and therapeutic visual aids.

Our contractual partners and contracted medical practices have undertaken to provide you only with products that meet the medical and technical quality requirements of the medical aids directory compiled by the GKV-Spitzenverband (National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds).

If you are at least 18 years old and are not exempt from co-payments, you will pay a statutory co-payment of up to €10 for medically prescribed visual aids. However, the subsidy for vision aids is usually a fixed amount that does not cover the entire cost. You are responsible for paying the difference between the fixed amount and the total cost. As a general rule, the lenses of glasses are eligible for subsidy, but the frames are not.

If you have any questions about glasses and contact lenses, please contact your optician directly. If you have any medical questions, please contact your doctor's office.

If you have any general questions about the provision of visual aids or problems with advice and delivery, please contact your personal SBK consultant.

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