Eyeglasses and contact lenses for children
The financial assistance program See Better to Succeed offers a reimbursement for the purchase of eyeglasses or contact lenses prescribed by a professional for vision correction for any child under the age of 18.
Amount reimbursed
The amount reimbursed is set according to the date of purchase of the eyeglasses or contact lenses. Therefore, for any purchase made:
- Before April 1, 2023, you will receive a $250 reimbursement.
- As of April 1, 2023, you will receive a $300 reimbursement.
This amount is fixed: it does not vary with the cost of your purchase, nor with the number of eyeglasses or contact lenses you buy.
Eligible persons
All children are eligible for the program if they meet the following conditions:
- be under the age of 18 on the date of purchase of eyeglasses or contact lenses
- be covered under the Health Insurance Plan
- have received a prescription for corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses during an eye examination conducted by an authorized optometrist or ophthalmologist
Note: the eye examination is covered by health insurance for children under the age of 18. For more information, consult the page Optometric services.
How to obtain the reimbursement
To receive the reimbursement, you need to complete an application online.
Information required
- Health Insurance Number or Social Insurance Number of the child
- Health Insurance Number or Social Insurance Number of the applicant
- Postal code of the applicant
- Type of purchase (eyeglasses or contact lenses)
- Total amount of purchase
- Date of purchase
- Québec Sales Tax (QST) number
- If this number does not appear on your invoice, you will need to obtain it from the optician or optometrist from whom you made your purchase.
If you are in one of the following situations, you will have to mail your application:
- Your child is covered by health insurance, but you are not eligible
- You are the foster parent for a child requiring eyeglasses
- You wish to apply for a reimbursement for a child under tutorship of the Direction de la protection de la jeunesse (DPJ)
Procedure
You will have to mail your application, along with the purchase invoice for the eyeglasses or contact lenses on which the child’s name appears and attach the prescription.
Make sure to write the following on the invoice:
- The child’s Health Insurance Number
- The merchant’s QST number (if it does not appear on the invoice)
- Your Health Insurance Number, if you have one
- Your name or the name of the person to whom the cheque must be issued
- Your complete postal address or that of the person to whom the cheque must be sent
If you apply for a reimbursement for a child under tutorship of the Direction de la protection de la jeunesse (DPJ), make sure you indicate which centre the cheque should be issued to.
Mail the documents to the following address:
Mieux voir pour réussir
C. P. 6600, succ. Terminus
Québec (Québec) G1K 7T3
Conditions associated with the reimbursement
Place of purchase: To be eligible, purchases must be made from a Québec optician or optometrist, either online or in-store.
Eligible purchases: You can obtain a reimbursement for the purchase of eyeglasses (lenses and frame), the replacement of lenses (frame retention), the replacement of frame (lens retention) or the purchase of contact lenses.
Eligibility date for next application: You will have to wait 2 years before you can submit a new application for a given child. The two-year period is calculated from the date of purchase that led to a reimbursement. For example, if you obtained a reimbursement for eyeglasses purchased on October 1, 2022, the next eligible purchase may be made as of October 1, 2024.
Receipt of cheque: The person who has filed the application for reimbursement online (parent or tutor of the child) will receive a cheque in the mail, no later than 3 weeks after the application is submitted.
Deadline for submitting an application: You must submit your application within 12 months following the date of purchase.
Supporting documents: We may ask you for supporting documents should a verification be conducted following a reimbursement. Non-compliance may result in recovery of the amount of the reimbursement. It is therefore important for you to keep the following for 5 years:
- The invoice for the eyeglasses or contact lenses
- The prescription slip
If you have to send us supporting documents, you may do so via our online service Send a document to RAMQ or by mail:
Mieux voir pour réussir
C. P. 6600, succ. Terminus
Québec (Québec) G1K 7T3
Eyeglasses and contact lenses that are not covered
- Eyeglasses and contact lenses purchased outside Québec
- Used eyeglasses and contact lenses
- Eyeglasses and contact lenses purchased without a prescription
- Eyeglasses and contact lenses without correction, including sunglasses
- Reading eyeglasses and magnifying eyeglasses for which no prescription is required found, for example, at pharmacies, department stores and corner stores
- Eyeglasses designed for taking part in sport or recreational activities such as swimming or skiing
- Blue light blocking eyeglasses for use with digital devices
Application for review
You can apply for a review of a RAMQ decision. To find out more, refer to the page Request a review of a decision.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The procedure is the same for everyone. You have to have purchased eyeglasses or contact lenses before submitting an application. You will receive a cheque in the mail, no later than 3 weeks after having submitted your application.
Please note that the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale (MESS) may reimburse you, under certain conditions, for an amount paid above the amount you have been granted. If the eyeglasses or contact lenses need to be repaired or replaced in the 2 years following your application, you may benefit from the special benefit provided in such case. Contact the MESS for more information.
Yes, eye examinations are conducted at the preschool level: the objective of the program École de la vue (French only) is to detect vision difficulties, because 80% of learning depends on vision. However, it is recommended that, before starting school, children undergo a complete eye examination conducted by an optometrist. What is more, to benefit from a reimbursement under the See Better to Succeed program, the child must have undergone such an examination.
Yes. Any parent purchasing eyeglasses or contact lenses for their child is entitled to the amount reimbursable under the See Better to Succeed program.
We suggest that parents check with their insurer to find out whether they can be reimbursed for the difference between the amount granted by RAMQ and the cost of purchase, if applicable. If this is the case, your insurer may ask you to provide a document proving that you benefited from the program. We recommend that you keep one of the following for a minimum of 2 years:
- The statement of account of your application for reimbursement (tear-off portion of your cheque)
- A screenshot or printout of the confirmation webpage that appears after you submit your application
- The confirmation email sent by RAMQ