Get help with NHS eye care costs

Eligibility

You are entitled to free NHS sight test if you:

• are under 16
• are under the age of 19 years and receiving qualifying full-time education
• are 60 or over
• are required to wear a complex appliance (your optician can advise you about your entitlement)
• are registered sight impaired or severely sight impaired in a register kept by a local authority
• have been diagnosed with diabetes or glaucoma or have been advised by an ophthalmologist to be predisposed to the development of glaucoma
• are 40 or over and are the parent, brother, sister or child of a person who has been diagnosed with glaucoma
• are under 18-years-old and in the care of a local authority (to whose maintenance a responsible local authority is contributing)
• are a prisoner
• are uniocular (have sight in one eye only)
• have a hearing impairment
• have been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa
• have been clinically assessed as being at risk of developing eye disease

You are also entitled if:

• you or your partner (including civil partner) receive certain benefits
• you are under the age of 20 and the dependant of someone receiving certain benefits
• you have a low income

Use the NHS online checker to see what help you can get.

Prisoners

A prisoner in this context means a person who is detained in a prison, including a young offender institution, but is, at the time of receiving any primary ophthalmic service, on leave from that prison.

A prisoner may be allowed to leave prison for short periods towards the end of their sentence and extending eligibility for prisoners on leave is a means to initiate integration with the rest of open society, extending and democratising provisions wider members of the public are entitled to have.

Please note that the obtaining of a voucher for repair or replacement of an optical appliance will be conditional on the prisoner (on leave) meeting the eligibility criteria set for all individuals over the age of 16 in which the following two conditions must be met in full before a voucher is provided towards the cost of repair or replacement:

• you would be entitled to a NHS voucher for glasses or contact lenses
• the loss or damage was due to illness or disability

Optical vouchers

Updates have been made to the NHS optical vouchers and supplements set out in the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997 with effect from 20 October 2023.

You are entitled to receive an NHS optical voucher towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses if you:

• are under 16
• are under the age of 19 years and receiving qualifying full-time education
• are required to wear a complex appliance (your optician can advise on your entitlement)
• under 18-years-old and in the care of a local authority (to whose maintenance a responsible local authority is contributing)
• are a prisoner

You are also entitled if:

• you or your partner (including civil partner) receive certain benefits
• you are under the age of 20 and the dependant of someone receiving certain benefits
• you have a low income

Use the NHS online checker to see what help you can get.

You can get NHS vouchers for repair or replacement of glasses if you are:

• are under 16
• are under the age of 19 years and receiving qualifying full-time education 
• under 18-years-old and in the care of a local authority (to whose maintenance a responsible local authority is contributing)

If you do not meet the above categories, you may be entitled to a voucher towards the cost of repair or replacement if your local health board agrees that:

• the loss or damage was due to illness and
• you can't get any help through a warranty, insurance or after sales service and
• you would be entitled to an NHS voucher for glasses or contact lenses

This does not apply to disposable contact lenses.

If in doubt, contact your local health board.

Aged under 16

You are eligible for a free NHS sight test and optical voucher.

To prove you are entitled to help you need any official document showing your name and date of birth, showing you are aged under 16, such as:

• child benefit order book
• NHS medical card
• passport
• birth certificate
• travel concession card

Contact your local health board if you need get a new NHS medical card.

Under the age of 19 years and receiving qualifying full-time education

You are eligible for a free NHS sight test and optical voucher.

To prove you are entitled to help you need any official document showing your name and date of birth, showing you are aged under 19, such as:

• child benefit order book 
• NHS medical card
• passport
• birth certificate
• travel concession card

Contact your local health board if you need get a new NHS medical card.

You will also need a letter or other document from your school, college or university stating that you are a full-time student.

Age 60 or over

You are eligible for free NHS sight test.

To prove you are entitled to help you need any official document showing you are aged 60 or over, such as:

• a birth certificate
• NHS medical card
• passport
• travel concession card
• driving license 

Contact your local health board if you need get a new NHS medical card

Registered blind or partially sighted

You are eligible for free NHS sight test.

To prove you are entitled to help you need you need a certificate of registration as blind or partially sighted.

You can get a certificate by contacting your local authority

Suffering from diabetes

You are eligible for free NHS sight test.

To prove you are entitled to help you need prove you are suffering from diabetes with:

• a repeat prescriptions card
• an out-patients appointment card
• a record of blood sugar readings

from your GP, or hospital diabetic clinic or eye clinic. 

Your repeat prescription or outpatient card should show you are attending a diabetic clinic on a regular basis.

Suffering from glaucoma

You are eligible for free NHS sight test.

To prove you are entitled to help you need a statement that you are a glaucoma sufferer from your GP or hospital eye clinic.

Considered to be at risk of glaucoma

You are eligible for free NHS sight test.

To prove you are entitled to help you need a statement that you are at risk of developing glaucoma from your local GP or eye clinic.

Age 40 or over and the parent, brother, sister or child of a person with glaucoma

You are eligible for free NHS sight test.

To prove you are entitled to help you need any official document showing you are aged 40 or over, such as:

• a birth certificate
• NHS medical card
• passport
• travel concession card
• driving license 

Contact your local health board if you need get a new NHS medical card.

A prisoner

You are entitled to a free NHS sight test and an optical voucher.

To prove you are entitled to help you need statement from Prison Services (LICENCE).

Uniocular (have sight in one eye only)

You are entitled to a free NHS sight test.

Have a hearing impairment

You are entitled to a free NHS sight test.

Have been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa

You are entitled to a free NHS sight test.

To prove you are entitled to help you may need a statement that you suffer with retinitis pigmentosa from your GP or hospital eye clinic.

Have been clinically assessed as being at risk of developing eye disease

You are entitled to a free NHS sight test.

To prove you are entitled to help you may need a statement that you are at risk of developing eye disease from your GP or hospital eye clinic.

You or your partner is getting income support

You are entitled to a free NHS sight test and an optical voucher.

To prove you are entitled to help you need your income support order book or an entitlement letter from your Jobcentre Plus office

You are getting Universal Credit

You are entitled to a free NHS sight test and an optical voucher.

To prove you are entitled to help you need an entitlement letter from your Jobcentre Plus office.

You or your partner is getting Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

You are entitled to a free NHS sight test and an optical voucher.

If payments are made into your bank or building society, you can obtain proof in the form of an entitlement letter from your Jobcentre Plus office

You or your partner is getting Minimum Income Guarantee, pension credit or guarantee credit

You are entitled to a free NHS sight test and an optical voucher.

To prove you are entitled to help you need your order book, an entitlement letter from your Jobcentre plus office

You or your partner is getting tax credits and meeting qualifying conditions

You may be entitled to a free NHS sight test and an optical voucher.

To prove you are eligible for help you need to be entitled to, or named on, a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate.

If you are eligible for free treatment, you will be sent a certificate.

You are named on a valid NHS certificate for full help with health costs (HC2W certificate)

You are entitled to a free NHS sight test and an optical voucher.

To prove you are entitled to help you need an HC2W certificate. 

Make a claim using form HC1W obtainable from your Jobcentre Plus office or by calling 0345 603 1108

You are named on a valid NHS certificate for partial help with health costs (HC3W certificate)

You may be entitled to a free NHS sight test and an optical voucher.

To prove you are entitled to help you need an HC3W certificate. 

Make a claim using form HC1W obtainable from your Jobcentre Plus office or by calling 0345 603 1108. You may also be able to get one from your local hospital, dentist, optician or doctor.

Ask the person who tests your sight for a receipt that shows that you paid for the test and the date of payment. 

Complete a HC5W(O) refund form. Make sure you put the date of your sight test on it. The form tells you what to do next.

You can request a printed copy of this form via email or by calling the publications order line on 0345 603 1108 (Rydym yn croesawu galwadau’n Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh).

To claim a refund, ask for receipt showing how much you paid and the date.

Complete a HC5W(O) refund form. Make sure you enclose your optical prescription and your receipt when you send it off. The form tells you what to do. 

The maximum refund you can get back will be the voucher value which matches your prescription.

If you have already used a voucher towards the cost of your glasses or lenses you cannot get a refund (unless it was only a complex lens voucher). You cannot claim a refund for the difference between the voucher value and the actual cost of your glasses or lenses.