Free glasses and contact lenses for children under 16 in Spain
It is now official: children aged 16 and under in Spain will be entitled to free glasses or contact lenses under a new national health support scheme aimed at improving access to vision care and reducing financial barriers for families.
The Ministry of Health has launched the Plan Veo programme, a direct aid initiative that covers the cost of glasses, prescription lenses and contact lenses for minors up to and including the age of 16. The measure is described as exceptional and responds to a clear public health need, addressing the growing impact of vision problems in childhood and the economic difficulties many families face when accessing optical care.
Under the scheme, each eligible child can receive up to €100 to cover essential optical products. This includes basic frames with organic prescription lenses and anti-reflective coating, or contact lenses, along with the necessary cleaning and maintenance solutions for a full year. If the total cost of the visual aid is less than €100, the full amount will be covered, and families will not have to pay anything. If the price exceeds €100, the scheme will cover the first €100, and the family will pay the difference.
Health authorities estimate that refractive errors such as short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism affect between 10% and 30% of school-age children in Spain, with rates continuing to rise. Increased screen use and more time spent indoors are among the factors linked to this trend. Without proper correction, these vision problems can affect not only children’s physical wellbeing, but also their academic performance, social development and overall quality of life.
Studies have also shown that children from more disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to receive the visual correction they need, reinforcing educational and social inequalities. The Plan Veo scheme is intended as an equity measure, ensuring that no child is denied adequate vision care for financial reasons.
The aid is available to children who are entitled to publicly funded healthcare under Spain’s National Health System and who have a diagnosed refractive problem that can be corrected with visual aids. Applications must be managed by a parent or legal guardian, who will complete and sign the required form directly at an optician participating in the scheme.
Participating opticians will be clearly identified by a specific sticker displayed at their premises, and the General Council of Opticians and Optometrists has also made an online search tool available to help families find registered centres.
To access the scheme, families must present a valid prescription for visual aids. The professional authorised to issue this prescription varies depending on the child’s age and whether it is a first or subsequent application. For first-time access for children aged five or under, a prescription is required from an ophthalmologist or from an optometrist working within an ophthalmology service, either public or private. For children aged six and over, prescriptions may also be issued by an optician-optometrist at a participating optical centre. For repeat access to the scheme, at least one year must have passed since the previous purchase made under Plan Veo.
The programme is compatible with other financial assistance that families may have received for visual aids, provided the total amount does not exceed the €100 limit set by Plan Veo. Any previous aid must be declared, and the scheme will cover the difference up to the maximum amount.
Plan Veo has a total budget of €47.8 million. Glasses or contact lenses can be purchased under the scheme until 31st December 2026, with payments for purchases made in December processed during 2027 to ensure full coverage.
For queries or complaints, the Ministry has set up a dedicated email address at planveo@sanidad.gob.es.
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