The 100% Santé optical program allows access to prescription eyewear with no out-of-pocket costs, financed by the French Social Security and your supplementary health insurance. Progressive lenses, contact lenses, and renewals: here is how your optical expenses are covered in 2026.
How does the 100% Santé optical system work?
The 100% Santé optical program enables prescription eyewear to be fully reimbursed, with no remaining charge, through the combined support of the French Social Security and your supplementary health insurance. Implemented since 2020, it relies on a basket of equipment with price caps that are fully covered.
Concretely, the coverage is split into three levels:
- The French Social Security provides a fixed base reimbursement (60% of a typically low convention rate – Source: Assurance Maladie).
- Your supplementary health insurance covers the remainder up to the price limit set by regulation.
- The out-of-pocket charge is zero for items in the 100% Santé basket, called “Class A”.
Opticians are required to present you with at least one quote containing a 100% Santé offer. You remain free to choose equipment outside the basket (“Class B”), for which an out-of-pocket charge applies according to your contract.
What is the 100% Santé optical equipment?
The 100% Santé optical equipment refers to a frame and two lenses belonging to the “Class A” basket, whose characteristics and prices are regulated by law. This basket offers equipment meeting quality standards defined by regulation, with basic treatments included.
The main features of the 100% Santé basket:
- Frame price: capped at a maximum of €30 (Source: Assurance Maladie).
- Lens treatments: anti-scratch and anti-reflective coatings included.
- Thinning: lenses are tailored to the prescription, including for strong corrections.
- Frame choices: at least 17 adult models and 10 children’s models per optician (Source: Assurance Maladie).
You can also opt for a mixed option: a 100% Santé frame with non-basket lenses, or vice versa. This flexibility lets you tailor your eyewear to your needs while keeping control of your budget.
Does the 100% Santé optical cover progressive lenses?
Yes, progressive lenses are included in the Class A basket of the 100% Santé. People with presbyopia can therefore obtain progressive lenses with no out-of-pocket costs, with anti-reflective and anti-scratch treatments included.
The 100% Santé basket covers all correction needs: myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia, including complex corrections. However, certain specific treatments (high-end thinning of lenses, premium blue light filters, photochromic treatments) fall under Class B and incur a variable out-of-pocket charge depending on your supplementary plan.
GOOD TO KNOW — The renewal of glasses covered under the scheme generally occurs every two years for an adult. This interval can be shortened if vision changes are justified by a new prescription, or for children. Before age 16, renewal is possible every year, and even more often for those under 6.
Does supplementary health insurance reimburse contact lenses?
Coverage for contact lenses depends on your supplementary health contract, as lenses are not part of the 100% Santé scheme. Social Security only reimburses lenses in specific cases (irregular astigmatism, strong myopia, keratoconus, for example), upon presentation of a prescription.
For lenses not covered by Health Insurance, everything relies on your mutual insurer. Contracts usually provide an annual allowance dedicated to lenses, expressed in euros per year. This allowance applies whether lenses are disposable, monthly, or yearly, and often also covers cleaning products depending on the guarantees subscribed.
Points to check in your contract:
- The annual contact lens allowance span.
- The necessity of an prescription to trigger reimbursement.
- Whether it can be combined with the glasses allowance.
- The caps and renewal conditions.
The guaranteed events and conditions are listed in the contract.
How to calculate your optical reimbursement?
Calculating your optical reimbursement combines the portion from the Social Security and that from your supplementary health plan. For equipment outside the 100% Santé, the total reimbursement depends on the level of coverage of your contract.
Take an example for single-vision glasses outside the basket priced at €250:
- Social Security base: partial reimbursement based on a reduced convention rate.
- Supplementary health: application of the optical allowance provided by the contract (for example €200 for a frame and two single-vision lenses).
- Out-of-pocket: the difference between the charged price and the total covered amount.
Since 2020, frame reimbursements by supplementary health plans are capped at €100 for “responsible” contracts. It is therefore useful to compare several optician quotes and check the level of your guarantees before any purchase.
Optical coverage and beneficiaries of the Complémentaire Santé Solidaire
Beneficiaries of the Complémentaire Santé Solidaire (CSS) access the 100% Santé basket equipment with no out-of-pocket costs, under regulated pricing. An CSS optics reimbursement table specifies the amounts covered according to the type of lenses. If you have a long-term illness (ALD), note that ALD does not modify the reimbursement rules for glasses: it is the 100% Santé and your supplementary plan that determine your optical coverage.
Choose a supplementary plan that fits your optical needs
The right level of optical coverage depends on your correction and your habits: occasional wearing of glasses, progressive lenses, daily contact lenses. A contact lens wearer will seek a sufficient annual package for lenses, while a presbyope will prioritize strong coverage for progressive lenses outside the basket.
To estimate your coverage and out-of-pocket costs according to your profile, you can obtain a health insurance quote in a few minutes. Our advisers help adjust your optical guarantees to your real situation, to tailor your coverage as closely as possible to your circumstances.
Extra information — Remember to keep your prescription and quotes. If you change your supplementary health, these documents facilitate the continuity of your coverage and the calculation of your next renewal.
Optical coverage is always read in light of your contract: allowances, caps and renewal timelines vary from one plan to another. Taking the time to compare can help you better anticipate your costs when renewing your glasses or lenses.
Informational and promotional article. The guarantees and conditions are detailed in the contractual documents. Health insurance contracts taken out with Crédit Agricole Assurances. Pacifica, a company governed by the Code des assurances.
The information contained in this article is not contractual and is provided for purely informational purposes and does not create any liability for Crédit Agricole Assurances; it does not replace the reader’s knowledge and expertise. It is strongly recommended to seek the advice of a professional. Some products and services mentioned in this article may be marketed by Crédit Agricole: check their availability with your regional caisse registered with ORIAS as an insurance broker (details available at www.mentionscourtiers.credit-agricole.fr). Subscription to these products and services may be conditional or subject to applicable regulations, as well as to the assessment and acceptance of your file by your regional caisse. The Complementary Health Insurance contract is underwritten by PACIFICA, S.A., an insurance subsidiary of Crédit Agricole Assurances. PACIFICA, S.A. with a fully paid-in capital of €455,455,425, a company governed by the Insurance Code. Registered office: 8-10 Boulevard de Vaugirard – 75724 Paris Cedex 15 – RCS Paris 352 358 865 – VAT number: FR 95 352 358 865.
