Key takeaways
Getting reimbursed for glasses involves two parties: Social Security, which reimburses a fixed, flat-rate amount, and your "mutuelle" (or supplementary health insurance), which covers the remainder according to your contract. Most people pay the full amount upfront and are then reimbursed—but this is not mandatory. With third-party payment ("tiers payant"), the optician handles the procedures: you only pay for any remaining balance, if there is one at all.
The problem? Not all opticians accept third-party payment with every health insurance provider. Understanding why—and knowing where to go—can save you from paying hundreds of euros upfront.
How the two-step reimbursement process works
Social Security: a base allowance
The coverage provided by French National Health Insurance (Assurance Maladie) is set by regulation, and this allowance only covers a tiny fraction of the actual cost of a pair of glasses. It is the supplementary health insurance that makes the real difference. However, this reimbursement remains essential: it acts as the legal signal that triggers your supplementary coverage. Without Social Security reimbursement, no supplementary insurance reimbursement is possible.
Supplementary insurance: it depends on your contract
Supplementary reimbursement varies significantly from one contract to another. Depending on your plan, your health insurance may cover:
- The entire cost of the equipment (in the case of "100% Health" contracts for certain frames)
- A fixed amount (e.g., €150 every two years)
- A percentage of the Social Security base rate
- A frame reimbursement capped at €100 (unless you have an additional top-up contract)—insurers do indeed limit frame coverage so as not to finance fashion or aesthetics
What you should check in your contract:
- The reimbursement cap for frames and lenses
- The authorized renewal frequency (often every 2 years, or 1 year if there is a change in prescription)
- Whether your health insurance is affiliated with a network of partner opticians—and if so, what you lose by going elsewhere
Third-party payment: avoiding upfront costs is possible
Third-party payment is the mechanism that allows the optician to bill Social Security and your health insurance directly, without you having to pay upfront. You only settle what is not covered by your reimbursements.
Why doesn't everyone offer it? Technically, managing third-party payment with many different insurance providers requires specific agreements and tools. Many opticians limit third-party payment to the insurance companies with which they have a partnership—often major networks like Carte Blanche, Itelis, Kalivia, Kalixia, or Santéclair. If your insurer is not on their list, you must pay the costs upfront and request the reimbursement yourself.
What this changes in practice:
- With third-party payment → you pay €0 to a few dozen euros on the day of purchase
- Without third-party payment → you pay €200 to €600 upfront and wait for reimbursement
Care networks: advantage or constraint?
Some health insurance providers guide you toward "approved optician networks," promising better coverage if you use them. In theory, this is an advantage. In practice, it can limit your freedom of choice—especially if you want to go to an independent optician.
What the law guarantees: you are always free to choose your optician, regardless of your health insurance contract. Your insurance cannot impose a network on you. They can simply reimburse less if you go outside their partner network—that is very different.
At Ekla Paris, we are the only independent optician in Paris to offer designer frames while being contracted with all health insurance networks—allowing you to benefit from the best reimbursements without sacrificing the choice of frames.
Frequently asked questions
Is my optician required to accept third-party payment?
No, it is a commercial decision. Some accept it with all insurance providers, others only with certain networks, and others not at all.
How do I know what my insurance covers before I buy?
Ask your optician to run a reimbursement simulation before choosing your frames. This is standard practice—do not hesitate to demand it.
Can I get reimbursed for glasses purchased abroad?
In principle, yes, but the Social Security reimbursement remains the same flat rate, and your supplementary insurance may impose additional conditions (translated invoices, etc.). Check with them before buying.
Is "100% Health" really zero out-of-pocket?
Yes, for Class A equipment (standard frames and lenses included in the 100% Health list). For progressive lenses or frames outside the list, costs may still apply.
Is it possible to change opticians every year?
Yes, you are never tied to an optician. The renewal of your glasses depends solely on your health insurance and your prescription, not on where you bought the previous ones.
In summary: choose an optician who handles everything for you
Reimbursing glasses isn't complicated in itself—but it can quickly become tedious if your optician does not handle the paperwork with your health insurance. The real question to ask before choosing: "Do you accept third-party payment with my health insurance?"
At Ekla Paris, third-party payment is accepted with all French health insurance providers, without exception and without an imposed partner network. No paperwork, no upfront costs: the team handles the reimbursement process from A to Z, with a real-time simulation before any commitment.
Choose Ekla if you are looking for:
- Zero upfront costs, regardless of your insurance provider
- An optician contracted with insurance networks (price advantages)
- A transparent quote with reimbursement simulation included
- An independent optician, not a franchise
Visit us in store or book an appointment:
📍 Paris 10th · Paris 11th