Is a migraine glasses reimbursed by health insurance?
Ready-made migraine glasses are not reimbursed. Filter lenses with a medical indication may be covered by basic insurance, but only with a prescription from an ophthalmologist, through a contracted supplier, and with prior authorization.
That distinction is the core of this entire article. It's not about whether your complaint is serious enough, but about the route by which the glasses reach you. If you buy them yourself, you pay for them yourself.
What is covered by basic insurance?
Filter lenses with a medical indication. These are legally classified as external aids for disorders of visual function, and that is a different category than regular glasses.
Insurers describe filter lenses as special colored lenses with a medical filter that blocks certain parts of the light, explicitly not sunglasses. An FL-41 lens technically fits that description, but the description alone is not enough. There must be a medical indication for it.
It's more favorable for children. For those under 18, spectacle lenses or filter lenses can be partially reimbursed from the basic package under certain conditions. This does not apply to those over 18.
Reimbursement from basic insurance is subject to your deductible. If you receive reimbursement, you still pay the first 385 euros of your healthcare costs that year yourself.
What does supplementary insurance cover?
It usually covers regular spectacle lenses and frames from an annual budget. Filter lenses without a medical indication are explicitly excluded by many insurers.
| Situation | Who pays |
|---|---|
| Ready-made glasses, self-purchased | You yourself |
| Filter lenses with medical indication, adult | Basic insurance, after deductible |
| Filter lenses, child under 18 | Basic insurance, partially under conditions |
| Frame with reimbursed lenses | Sometimes supplementary, often with a maximum |
The differences between packages are significant and change annually. The only reliable source is your own policy conditions, not a comparison site and not this article.
How do you apply for it?
In four steps, and the order is binding. If you buy the glasses before you have permission, your right to reimbursement lapses, even if you meet all other conditions.
| Step | What you arrange |
|---|---|
| 1. Ophthalmologist | A prescription with medical indication |
| 2. Supplier | A quote from a contracted optician |
| 3. Permission | Apply to your insurer in advance, with prescription and quote |
| 4. Purchase | Only buy after permission has been received |
Often, the optician arranges steps two and three for you. Explicitly ask about this, because if no one does it, no one does it.
Are Filtervision glasses reimbursed?
No. We sell ready-made glasses without prescription, directly to you, outside the healthcare route. This means they are by definition excluded from any reimbursement.
That is not a shortcoming we wish to hide. It is the flip side of why our RELIEF costs about the same as a week's groceries instead of a medical pair of glasses, and why you have them tomorrow instead of after a weeks-long process.
If you need a prescription or have a condition with a clear ophthalmic diagnosis, the route via the ophthalmologist is the wiser choice. What an FL-41 filter does exactly and whether it suits your complaint, you can find in what is an FL-41 glasses. If you doubt whether your complaints come from light or from screen use, first read is blue light bad for your eyes.
Sources
- Zorginstituut Nederland, aids for the blind and visually impaired (Zvw).
- Regeling zorgverzekering, article 2.6 part f and article 2.13, external aids for disorders of visual function.
- Consumentenbond, reimbursement for glasses and lenses.
This article is intended as an explanation, not as medical or financial advice. Reimbursements change annually and vary per insurer. Always check your own policy conditions.
