Are glasses, contact lenses, laser eye correction, and visual training covered by Swiss health insurance? Get informed and find a detailed comparison in this guide.
Does your Swiss health insurance cover the cost of prescription glasses and contact lenses, or laser vision correction surgery? Here, moneyland.ch gives you a clear overview of what is covered by different Swiss health insurances and insurance providers.
1. Mandatory health insurance
2. Supplemental health insurance (with a detailed comparison)
3. Accident insurance
4. Disability insurance
1. Mandatory health insurance
Does Swiss mandatory health insurance cover glasses and contact lenses for children?
Mandatory Swiss health insurance covers prescription glasses and contact lenses for children up to the age of 18. You can claim up to 180 francs per year and child.
Does Swiss mandatory health insurance cover glasses and contact lenses for adults?
In most cases, glasses and contact lenses are not covered by mandatory health insurance. But there are some exceptions to this rule.
No matter what your age is, you can claim up to just under 181 francs per year from your mandatory health insurance towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses in these cases:
The fault in your vision resulted from an illness.
The glasses or contact lenses are required as part of eye-surgery treatments.
Contact lenses are also covered, up to a maximum of 271 francs per eye every two years, if you have certain visual disorders that cannot be fully corrected with glasses:
Anisometropia with a prescription of 3.0 dioptres or more.
Astigmatism with a prescription of -3.0 dioptres or worse.
Hyperopia (farsightedness) with a prescription of +6.0 or worse.
Myopia (nearsightedness) with a prescription of -8.0 or worse.
Contact lenses are covered up to a maximum of 632 francs per eye if you have one of these conditions:
Defective iris
Irregular astigmatism
Illnesses or injuries to the cornea (including the recovery period after corneal surgery)
Keratoconus
Does mandatory health insurance cover laser eye surgery?
No. Laser vision correction is not covered by mandatory health insurance.
Does mandatory health insurance cover visual training?
No. Swiss compulsory health insurance does not include benefits for visual training.
Important:
In order for your glasses or contact lenses to be eligible for coverage from mandatory health insurance, you must be able to provide your health insurance company with a prescription from an eye doctor written in the same year. A measurement by an optometrist or optician is not sufficient.
Claiming on supplemental health insurance, on the other hand, typically only requires a bill from an optometrist. However, it is still worth checking your policy’s terms and conditions or asking your insurance provider before you make the purchase.
2. Supplemental health insurance
Does my Swiss supplementary health insurance cover glasses and contact lenses?
That depends on which supplemental health insurance offer you use. You can find the offers that include coverage for glasses and contact lenses in the table below.
Does my Swiss complementary health insurance cover laser vision correction?
A few supplementary health insurance offers do include coverage for laser vision correction treatments. You can find them using the table below.
Is visual training covered by Swiss supplemental health insurance?
Most supplemental insurance offers do not cover visual training. However, there are a handful of offers that include this coverage in their special benefits for the promotion of health and wellbeing.
Supplemental health insurance coverage for glasses and contact lenses, laser vision correction, and visual training
| Supplemental health insurance offer |
Prescription glasses and contact lenses |
Laser vision correction |
Visual training |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agrisano Agri Special |
CHF 200 per 720 days. | Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Aquilana Plus | Children: 90%, maximum CHF 250 per year. Adults: 90%, maximum CHF 250 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Assura Complementa Extra |
CHF 100 per year. Annual allowances can be accumulated up to a maximum of CHF 500. |
CHF 100 per year. Annual allowances can be accumulated up to a maximum of CHF 500. |
Not covered. |
| Atupri Intense |
75%, maximum CHF 350 per year. |
75%, maximum CHF 1500 per year. |
Not covered. |
| Atupri Mivita Reala |
50%, maximum CHF 300 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| AXA Complet |
CHF 300 per year. | Not covered. | Not covered. |
| AXA Plus |
CHF 150 per year. | Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Birchmeier Krankenkasse Plus 2 |
Children: 75%, maximum CHF 200 per year. Adults: CHF 200 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Concordia Diversa |
Children: CHF 150 per year. Adults: CHF 150 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Concordia Diversa Care |
Children: CHF 200 per year. Adults: CHF 200 every 3 years. |
50%, maximum CHF 400 every 5 years. |
Not covered. |
| Concordia Diversa Plus |
Children: CHF 250 per year. Adults: CHF 250 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Concordia Diversa Premium |
Children: CHF 300 per year. Adults: CHF 300 every 3 years. |
50%, maximum CHF 600 every 5 years. |
Not covered. |
| CSS Myflex Balance |
Children: CHF 150 per claim. Adults: CHF 150 per year. |
Children: CHF 150 per claim. Adults: CHF 150 per year. |
50%, maximum CHF 250 per year. |
| CSS Myflex Economy |
Not covered. | Not covered. | 50%, maximum CHF 150 per year. |
| CSS Myflex Premium |
Children: CHF 300 per claim. Adults: CHF 300 per year. |
Children: CHF 300 per claim. Adults: CHF 300 per year. |
50%, maximum CHF 500 per year. |
| EGK Sun (1,2,3 and Flex) |
Children: CHF 200 every 2 years. Adults: CHF 200 every 3 years. |
CHF 200 every 3 years. |
CHF 20 per session, maximum 12 sessions per year. |
| Einsiedler Krankenkasse Optima |
CHF 150 per year. | Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Einsiedler Krankenkasse Premium |
CHF 200 per year. | CHF 1000 (one-time benefit). |
Not covered. |
| Galenos Maxica I |
90%, maximum CHF 50 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Galenos Maxica II |
90%, maximum CHF 100 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Galenos Maxica III |
90%, maximum CHF 200 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Glarner Krankenversicherung Premium |
CHF 200 per year. | CHF 1000 (one-time benefit). |
Not covered. |
| Glarner Krankenversicherung Zusatz Allgemein |
CHF 200 per year. | Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Groupe Mutuel Bonus |
CHF 150 every 3 years. | Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Helsana Completa |
90%, maximum CHF 300 per year. |
Myopia (short sightedness) corrections of 8 dioptres or more: 75%, maximum CHF 4500 per year. |
Not covered. |
| Helsana Top |
90%, maximum CHF 150 per year. |
Myopia (short sightedness) corrections of 8 dioptres or more: 75%, maximum CHF 3000 per year. |
Not covered. |
| Innova Sanvita Plus Zwei |
Children: 75%, maximum CHF 200 per year. Adults: 75%, maximum CHF 200 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Klug Completa |
90%, maximum CHF 300 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Klug Completa Plus |
90% of costs that are not already covered by Completa, maximum CHF 200 per year. |
100% of the cost, up to a maximum of 500 francs per eye and year. |
Not covered. |
| Klug Top |
90%, maximum CHF 150 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| KPT Pulse Premium |
CHF 500 per 3 years. | CHF 600 per eye (one-time benefit) |
Not covered. |
| KPT Pulse Top |
CHF 250 per 3 years. | Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Krankenkasse Steffisburg Invita Light / Standard / Flex |
90%, maximum CHF 100 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Krankenkasse Steffisburg Vario |
Children: CHF 200 per year. Adults aged 19 to 40: CHF 100 every 3 years. Adults aged 41 or older: CHF 200 every 3 calendar years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Krankenkasse Steffisburg Vario Plus |
Children: CHF 400 per year. Adults: CHF 400 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Krankenkasse Visperterminen Plus Eins |
90%, maximum CHF 300 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Krankenkasse Visperterminen Plus Zwei |
Children: 75%, maximum CHF 200 per year. Adults: 75%, maximum CHF 200 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Krankenkasse Wädenswil SC 2 |
CHF 100 every 3 years. | Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Krankenkasse Wädenswil SC 3 |
CHF 150 every 3 years. | Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Krankenkasse Wädenswil SC 4 |
CHF 250 every 3 years. | Not covered. | Not covered. |
| ÖKK Start | CHF 80 per year. | Not covered. | Not covered. |
| ÖKK Natur Midi (optional supplement for ÖKK Start) |
CHF 80 per year in addition to the benefit from ÖKK Start. The annual allowance can be accumulated up to 2 years (CHF 160). |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| ÖKK Natur Plus (optional supplement for ÖKK Start) |
CHF 200 per year. The annual allowance can be accumulated up to 2 years (CHF 400). |
CHF 500 (one-time benefit). |
Not covered. |
| ÖKK Prävention (optional supplement for ÖKK Start) |
Not covered. | Not covered. | 50%, maximum CHF 300 per year. |
| Rhenusana Rhenuplus Gold |
90%, maximum CHF 200 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Rhenusana Lifecycle (optional supplement for Silver, Gold, or Platin offers) |
Additional CHF 150 per year. |
50%, maximum CHF 1500 per eye. |
Not covered. |
| Rhenusana Rhenuplus Platin |
90%, maximum CHF 400 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Rhenusana Rhenuplus Silber |
90%, maximum CHF 100 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Sanitas Vital Basic und Vital Smart |
100%, maximum CHF 300 every 3 years. |
100%, maximum CHF 300 every 3 years. |
Not covered. |
| Sanitas Vital Premium |
100%, maximum CHF 600 every 3 years. |
100%, maximum CHF 600 every 3 years. |
Not covered. |
| SLKK QualiCare Basis |
75%, maximum CHF 200 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| SLKK QualiCare Comfort |
75%, maximum CHF 300 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Sodalis Sana |
Children: 50%, maximum CHF 100 per year. Adults: 50%, maximum CHF 150 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Sodalis Sana Plus |
Children: CHF 200 per year. Adults: CHF 400 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Sumiswalder Krankenpflege-Zusatz (healthcare supplement) |
CHF 200 per year. | Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Swica Completa Forte |
90%, maximum CHF 900 every 3 years. |
90%, maximum CHF 500 per year. |
90%, maximum CHF 300 per year. |
| Swica Completa Top |
90%, maximum CHF 200 every 3 years. |
90%, maximum CHF 500 per year. |
Not covered. |
| Swica Completa Praeventa (optional supplement for Completa Top/Forte) |
Not covered. | Not covered. | 50% of costs that are not covered by Completa Forte, maximum CHF 300 per year. |
| Swica Optima (optional supplement for Completa Top/Forte) |
90% of costs that are not covered by Completa Top/Forte/Supplementa, maximum CHF 300 every 3 years. |
90% of the costs that are not already covered by Completa Top/Forte, maximum CHF 1500 per year. |
90% of costs that are not covered by Completa Forte/Praeventa, maximum CHF 300 per year. |
| Swica Supplementa (optional supplement for Completa Top/Forte) |
90% of costs that are not covered by Completa Top/Forte/Optima, maximum CHF 300 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Sympany Plus |
Children: CHF 270 per year. Adults: CHF 270 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Sympany Premium |
Children: CHF 420 per year. Adults: CHF 420 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Visana Ambulant II |
Children: 90%, maximum CHF 200 per year. Adults: CHF 200 every 3 years. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Visana Ambulant III
|
90%, maximum CHF 250 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Vita Surselva Algemeiner Zusatz (general supplement) |
50%, maximum CHF 250 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
| Vita Surselva Cumpletta |
50%, maximum CHF 250 per year. |
Not covered. | Not covered. |
The data in the table above has been compiled by moneyland.ch as per information published by Swiss health insurance companies as per August, 2023. However, it is a good idea to double check the information by inquiring with your health insurance provider directly before you make a purchase.
Tip: You can compare the costs of many Swiss complementary health insurance offers using the interactive supplemental health insurance comparison on moneyland.ch.
Does my insurance deductible apply?
For mandatory health insurance, the deductible and coinsurance always apply. For supplementary health insurance, deductibles can vary between individual coverages in the same policy. Ask your insurer or check the terms and conditions of your supplemental health insurance policy to find out which deductible applies to glasses and contact lenses, laser eye correction, and visual training.
Are pre-existing eye conditions covered by Swiss health insurance?
As a general rule, you can claim insurance benefits for glasses and contact lenses even if you already had poor eyesight at the time that you got the insurance.
However, supplemental health insurance offers often have qualification periods (one year, for example), especially for laser vision correction. In that case, you can only claim insurance benefits for purchases you make or treatments you get after the qualification period expires.
3. Accident insurance
The mandatory accident insurance that you get through your Swiss employer covers the cost of replacing prescription glasses that are damaged in accidents which also cause you physical injury.
4. Disability insurance
Swiss social disability insurance (DI) covers the cost of prescription glasses if they are considered necessary for reintegration into the job market, and add substantial value in this regard, above what can be done using medical means. Coverage for glasses frames is limited to a maximum of 150 francs.
Contact lenses are covered if they are considered a necessary replacement to glasses.
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