Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Monday a new initiative to make glasses and contact lenses free for children under 16 years of age by the start of the next school year.
‘Supporting and investing in the visual health of our children and young people is having a vision for the future,’ Sánchez said, describing the measure as one that ‘promotes social cohesion and equal opportunities’.
The announcement was made during an event focused on public health policies, held at the headquarters of the General Council of Colleges of Opticians-Optometrists in Madrid.
Sánchez said that his socialist-led coalition government will be allocating €48 million to the scheme, with the funds covering up to €100 of the cost of glasses or contact lenses purchased at participating opticians, aimed at correcting conditions such as myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism.
‘This €100 benefit will be uniform across the country, because the health of Spaniards should not depend on their postal code, their place of residence or their income,’ he said.
Sánchez said that ‘721,000 children in Spain need glasses or contact lenses but cannot afford them’, a situation that affects academic performance and can hinder long-term success.
According to the Council of Opticians-Optometrists, 30% of school failures are linked to vision problems.
Sánchez also said at the event that, since 2018, the government has boosted the national healthcare budget by 29%, from €4.25 billion to €5.5 billion in 2025. Additionally, more than 3,900 new positions have been added for specialised medical training.
‘Healthcare has a cost, but it is priceless,’ he said. ‘A strong public health system is the most reliable investment for a society that protects its vulnerable members and does not give in to illness or adversity.’
‘We believe in our professionals and in our public model. That’s why we will continue to defend it against those tempted to undermine or privatise it,’ he added.
‘These new subsidies to ensure access to vision care for our young people are another step that will improve the quality of life for many children and adolescents in need,’ he concluded.
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Ponemos en marcha una ayuda directa de 100€ para que los menores de 16 años con problemas de visión puedan adquirir gafas o lentillas.
Que un niño pueda ver bien la pizarra de su colegio NO puede depender del bolsillo de su familia.
Equidad en salud y mismas oportunidades. pic.twitter.com/HwJ13gfbLI
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) May 26, 2025
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