Can someone explain NHS vouchers to me? (Eyecare)

[Banana25]

I feel so silly not knowing this by now... I have a -18.5 and a -17.5 prescription and an astigmatism. Bloody eyes still haven't calmed down and tend to change every couple of years, so I'm buying new lenses pretty frequently. The last time I got new lenses in my frames, around two years ago, I vaguely remember getting a voucher for around £5 off my lenses. Obviously factoring in that I needed the lenses thinned down, it cost me around £230 I think!

I've looked at the NHS website, and for some reason I'm really struggling to understand if I'm entitled to any help towards paying for them! Can anyone help?

I think if you don't qualify for financial help (in receipt of a qualifying benefit or are on a low income) then you'll just get the complex lens voucher?

"To be eligible, your lenses need to be either -10/+10 dioptres or more, or prism controlled bifocal lenses.
Complex lens vouchers are a contribution towards the cost of these lenses – currently £14.60 for single vision lenses and £37.40 for bifocal lenses.
The vouchers are only available to those who meet the clinical criteria and are not eligible for one of the main optical vouchers."

Probably best to ask the opticians?

www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Eyecarecosts.aspx

If you are not receiving any benefits and aren't on a very low income you probably don't get any help with the costs.

But you can often get a free eye test with offers. And keep your prescription, shop around for the glasses rather than necessarily buying from the place you had your eye test