Optical health insurance in Luxembourg: glasses, contact lenses and laser eye surgery 2026

What the CNS reimburses for glasses and contact lenses

The Caisse Nationale de Santé (CNS) provides the mandatory base cover for visual aids in Luxembourg. CNS reimbursement operates on a system of flat rates and conventional tariffs negotiated with approved opticians. For frames, the CNS reimburses a fixed flat rate of €30 every three years. For corrective lenses, amounts range from €23 to €193 per pair depending on the type (single-vision, bifocal or progressive) and degree of correction. These reimbursements are granted every 3 years, unless your prescription changes by at least 0.50 dioptre.

The 3-year renewal period is calculated from the date the CNS processed the reimbursement, not from the date of purchase. If the CNS reimbursed your glasses on 15 March 2026, you cannot apply for a new reimbursement until 15 March 2026 + 3 years. Important exception: children under 18 benefit from cover with no renewal waiting period. They can change glasses as often as needed as their vision evolves, and the CNS will reimburse each time according to conventional tariffs.

Source: CNS Luxembourg — Visual aids — Conventional tariffs in force as of September 2026.

To receive CNS reimbursement, you must submit the original paid invoice from your optician, along with your national identification number (13 digits). No medical prescription is required for adults purchasing standard glasses. Exceptions apply for tinted lenses on prescription (specific conditions such as albinism or glaucoma), for contact lenses, and for all children under 18. Send your claim to: CNS — Service Remboursements nationaux, L-2980 Luxembourg (no postage required when sending from Luxembourg).

Every approved optician in Luxembourg is required to offer at least four men’s and four women’s frame models priced no higher than €30 (the CNS flat-rate amount). These « 100% CNS » frames allow you to get a frame at no extra cost, but the choice is limited to basic models. You are free to choose any frame you like: the CNS will always reimburse €30 regardless of how much you actually spend.

Why is the out-of-pocket cost for optical care so high?

Out-of-pocket optical costs in Luxembourg can quickly reach €100 to €500 per pair of glasses, depending on your choice of frames and lenses. The CNS reimburses flat-rate amounts that only cover basic equipment. As soon as you opt for premium progressive lenses (€200–400/pair), anti-reflective or thinning treatments, or a branded frame (€100–300), the gap between CNS reimbursement and the actual price widens considerably.

A concrete example for 2026: you buy a pair of glasses with progressive lenses from a Luxembourg optician: frame €120 + progressive lenses with anti-reflective treatment €350 = €470 total. CNS reimbursement: €30 (frame) + approximately €180 (progressive lenses) = €210. Out-of-pocket cost: €260 (55% of total). With a supplementary health plan offering an additional €150/year, your final out-of-pocket cost drops to €110.

The cost of a pair of glasses in Luxembourg varies according to your choices. A basic pair (frame €30–50 + single-vision lenses €80–120) costs €110–170; CNS reimbursement approximately €80; out-of-pocket cost €30–90. An intermediate pair (frame €100–150 + standard progressive lenses €200–300) costs €300–450; CNS reimbursement approximately €210; out-of-pocket cost €90–240. A premium pair (branded frame €200–400 + progressive lenses with all treatments €400–600) costs €600–1,000; CNS reimbursement approximately €210; out-of-pocket cost €390–790.

Supplementary optical insurance: what it really covers

A supplementary optical health plan in Luxembourg steps in to cover the gap left after CNS reimbursement. Optical cover falls into three main categories: corrective lenses and frames, contact lenses, and refractive surgery (laser eye surgery). Caps and renewal periods vary by insurer: some offer annual caps (CMCM), others biennial allowances (DKV, AXA, Foyer medicis).

Supplementary optical plans operate on two different models. The first, used by CMCM Denta & OptiPlus, is a separate annual cap for lenses (€150/year), frames (€30/year) and contact lenses (€150/year): you can use these caps every calendar year. The second model, used by DKV, AXA OptiSoins and Foyer medicis confort, is an overall allowance every 2 years that can be used for glasses or contact lenses as needed. Both systems have their merits: the annual cap allows for regular smaller reimbursements; the biennial allowance suits a one-off larger claim for premium equipment.

Supplementary health plans always step in after CNS reimbursement. The process works in sequence: (1) you pay 100% at the optician, (2) you submit the invoice to the CNS, which reimburses according to conventional tariffs, (3) you send the same invoice + CNS statement to your supplementary insurer, which reimburses all or part of the balance up to the contractual caps. DKV and AXA offer online customer portals (MyDKV, MyAXA) for submitting documents and tracking reimbursements.

DKV, CMCM, Foyer, AXA compared: caps and reimbursements

The four main players in supplementary optical health insurance in Luxembourg are DKV Luxembourg, CMCM, Foyer medicis and AXA OptiSoins. Their offers differ in caps, renewal periods and reimbursement terms. CMCM stands out for its transparent and recurring annual caps. DKV offers generous biennial allowances with a separate and substantial laser cover. Foyer and AXA also offer biennial allowances with partially published data — a personalised quote remains necessary to find out the exact amounts applicable to your profile.

Sources: CMCM brochure, official DKV Luxembourg comparison, Foyer medicis confort brochure, AXA OptiSoins table. Amounts are in addition to CNS reimbursement. Please consult the policy terms or request a quote for the exact conditions applicable to your profile.

CMCM Denta & OptiPlus offers the most transparent and predictable optical cover. According to the official CMCM brochure: €150/year for corrective lenses, €30/year for frames (renewable every year, unlike the CNS’s 3-year cycle), €150/year for contact lenses (separate cap), and €1,000/eye for refractive surgery. Notable features: no medical questionnaire, no exclusions based on age or health status, and family members (spouses, children) are covered at no extra premium. Optical cover requires subscribing to Régime Commun + PrestaPlus + Denta & OptiPlus.

DKV Luxembourg offers two publicly documented plans. EASY HEALTH: visual aids allowance of €500 every 2 years (glasses or contact lenses of your choice) plus a laser surgery reimbursement of up to €3,000, separate from and in addition to the visual aids allowance. COMPACT HEALTH: allowance of €250 every 2 years for visual aids (glasses and contact lenses) — laser surgery is not covered under this plan according to DKV’s official comparison. DKV requires a medical questionnaire at enrolment, and premiums are personalised by age and declared health status. DKV advantage: waiting periods may be waived if you switch from an equivalent cover held for at least 8 months.

Foyer medicis confort covers lenses/contact lenses at 100% of the amount remaining after CNS, up to €200 every 2 years, plus €50 every 2 years for frames and up to €1,000 for refractive surgery. These figures come from the official Foyer medicis brochure. The MyFoyer app allows you to manage reimbursements online. AXA OptiSoins reimburses lenses, frames and contact lenses up to €500/2 years (Active plan) or €700/2 years (Privilège plan) in a single global cap, according to its published tariff grid. Details on laser surgery reimbursement and contact lens conditions are not specified in available public documents — request a quote for full information.

Laser eye surgery: reimbursements and conditions

Refractive laser surgery (LASIK, PRK, SMILE) corrects myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. In Luxembourg, the cost of a laser procedure ranges from €2,000 to €4,000 for both eyes depending on the technique, clinic and complexity of the correction. The CNS does not cover laser surgery (€0), as it is considered an elective, non-therapeutic procedure. Without supplementary insurance, you therefore pay 100% of the cost. With the right supplementary plan, you can recover €1,000 to €3,000.

Sources: CMCM brochure, DKV Luxembourg comparison September 2026, Foyer medicis brochure. Surgery prices: market estimates 2026. DKV COMPACT HEALTH does not cover refractive surgery. AXA OptiSoins: refractive surgery reimbursement not publicly documented.

Example calculation for a standard LASIK in 2026. Total price: €2,500 (2 eyes). CNS reimbursement: €0. With CMCM Denta & OptiPlus: reimbursement €2,000 (€1,000/eye × 2) — out-of-pocket cost: €500. With DKV EASY HEALTH: reimbursement up to €2,500 (within the €3,000 allowance) — potential out-of-pocket cost: €0. Without supplementary insurance: out-of-pocket cost €2,500 (100%). The saving achieved with the right supplementary plan is therefore €1,000 to €2,500 on a single procedure.

A few tips to maximise your cover. Take out your supplementary plan at least 12 months before the operation to avoid any waiting periods. Get several quotes from different clinics — prices for the same technique can vary by 20 to 40%. Check whether your plan also covers pre-operative consultations (usually included in the clinic’s surgery package, but worth confirming). If laser surgery is your primary goal, choose DKV EASY HEALTH (€3,000) or CMCM Denta & OptiPlus (€2,000) — DKV COMPACT HEALTH does not cover refractive surgery.

Contact lenses: CNS cover and supplementary insurance

Contact lenses are reimbursed by the CNS only if you have one of the specific conditions listed in CNS regulations: keratoconus, anisometropia greater than 3 dioptres, aphakia, myopia or hyperopia greater than 10 dioptres, irregular astigmatism (visual acuity improvement ≥ 20% vs ordinary lenses), ocular albinism, aniridia, nystagmus, strabismus, corneal or scleral trauma. In these cases, the CNS reimburses at 100% of the conventional tariff. Without these conditions, the CNS does not reimburse contact lenses, except through the « glasses allowance ».

The « glasses allowance » for contact lenses: if you qualify for glasses reimbursement but not for contact lenses, you can ask the CNS to apply your glasses entitlement to your contact lenses instead. The CNS will calculate an equivalent allowance of €30 (frame) + the cost of the lenses that would have been reimbursed. For example, if you would have been entitled to €180 for progressive lenses, you receive €30 + €180 = €210 for your contact lenses — in lieu of a pair of glasses.

Supplementary health plans reimburse contact lenses without requiring these conditions, according to their own caps. CMCM Denta & OptiPlus: €150/year (contact lens cap separate from glasses cap — both claimable in the same year). DKV EASY HEALTH: €500/2 years for visual aids (glasses or contact lenses, your choice). DKV COMPACT HEALTH: €250/2 years for visual aids. Foyer medicis confort: €200/2 years for lenses/contact lenses (shared cap). All types of contact lenses covered: daily, monthly, rigid, toric, multifocal.

Indicative prices observed in Luxembourg as of September 2026 for an annual supply. Supplementary amounts are in addition to CNS reimbursement.

Strategy by profile. Exclusive contact lens wearers: CMCM Denta & OptiPlus is ideal, offering €150/year for contact lenses and €150/year for spectacle lenses in separate caps — a total of €300/year in optical cover if you also keep a spare pair of glasses. Switching between glasses and contact lenses seasonally: DKV EASY HEALTH’s flexible €500/2-year allowance lets you adapt usage to your actual needs from one period to the next. Modest contact lens budget (<€300/year): the CNS glasses allowance (≈ €210) may sometimes be sufficient, but you will have to forgo glasses reimbursement that year.

How to choose your optical insurance plan

Choosing a supplementary optical health plan should be based on your actual visual needs, family situation and budget. Start by drawing up a 3–5-year optical assessment: how many pairs of glasses or contact lens supplies do you expect to need? Do you have children who wear glasses? Are you considering laser surgery? Once you have this picture, compare the likely total cost against the caps of the various plans to identify the most cost-effective option.

Recommendations by profile. Young professional (25–35), stable vision, basic glasses: a plan with a moderate cap is sufficient. No need for a high laser allowance if no procedure is planned. Family with children wearing glasses: CMCM Denta & OptiPlus is hard to beat — children are covered at no extra cost, and the annual renewal (€150 + €30/year per child) is particularly well suited to children’s growth and rapidly changing vision. Progressive lens wearers (45+): aim for a high biennial cap (€500/2 years DKV EASY or €700/2 years AXA Privilège) to absorb the cost of premium progressive lenses (€200–400/pair). Laser surgery candidate: DKV EASY HEALTH (€3,000) or CMCM Denta & OptiPlus (€2,000) are the two viable options — DKV COMPACT HEALTH does not cover refractive surgery.

Children’s optical cover: reimbursements and specifics

Children under 18 benefit from particularly favourable reimbursement conditions in Luxembourg. The CNS covers their glasses with no renewal waiting period: they can change glasses as often as needed as their vision evolves, and the CNS will reimburse each time according to conventional tariffs (lenses + €30 frame). This exception acknowledges that children’s vision changes rapidly during growth.

For children, a prescription from an ophthalmologist is mandatory to obtain CNS reimbursement, unlike adults. This requirement ensures regular medical monitoring and allows early detection of potential eye conditions. Note: a prescription from a European ophthalmologist (France, Belgium, Germany) is accepted by the CNS — cross-border workers can therefore buy their children’s glasses in Luxembourg using a prescription obtained in their country of residence.

Supplementary health plans also cover children with the same caps as adults. At CMCM Denta & OptiPlus, each co-insured child (included at no extra cost) benefits from €150/year for lenses + €30/year for frames + €150/year for contact lenses = €330/year in optical caps per child. For a CMCM family with 2 children wearing glasses, the optical caps allocated to the children total €660/year. At DKV, each insured child benefits from the cap according to the plan subscribed (€500/2 years EASY or €250/2 years COMPACT).

Practical tips for children’s optical care. Take out a family supplementary plan (CMCM a priority for free co-insured members) as soon as the first child starts wearing glasses. Make the most of CMCM’s annual renewal to update the prescription every year if vision changes. Invest in robust frames (€50–80) — even if the CNS only reimburses €30 — to avoid frequent replacements due to breakage. Always request scratch-resistant hardened lenses for young children.

10 frequently asked questions about optical health insurance in Luxembourg