Are Eyeglasses Tax Deductible?

Eyeglasses can easily cost a few hundred dollars, depending on your prescription strength and the type of frames you buy. If your insurance doesn’t cover the entire bill or you don’t have insurance, you may be able to deduct your out-of-pocket costs for eyeglasses on your tax return.

There are specific rules you need to follow to claim medical expenses on your return. But, if you meet the requirements, you’ll be able to lower your tax burden while saving money on healthcare costs. 

What are the rules for qualified medical expenses?

According to IRS Publication 502, you can deduct medical expenses that relate to the diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease. If your expenses relate to the general improvement of your health or are solely for cosmetic purposes, they won’t qualify as deductions. A tax professional can help you determine if your medical expense meets the qualifications. 

Can you deduct eyeglasses on your tax return?

Prescription eyeglasses are considered a qualified medical expense because they correct vision-related conditions like: 

• Astigmatism

• Hyperopia (farsightedness) 

• Myopia (nearsightedness) 

• Presbyopia

If you purchased contact lenses for medical reasons, you can deduct those costs as well. Other vision expenses you may be able to deduct on your tax return include: 

• Blepharoplasty for droopy eyelids

• Cataract surgery 

• Corneal transplant

• Enzyme cleaners 

• Eye bandages

• Eye exams 

• Glaucoma implant

• LASIK eye surgery 

• Mileage to a facility to receive treatment

• Premiums for vision insurance

• Prescription eye drops

• Retina surgery

• Saline solution 

If you paid for medical expenses for your spouse, you can also deduct those costs on your tax return. But you have to have been married when your spouse received the medical service or when you paid for it. 

You can also deduct eyeglasses and other eligible vision expenses that you purchased for dependents. This could mean purchases for an elderly parent that you’re caring for, as long as you pay for half of their support and their gross income isn’t higher than the annual threshold. The parent does not have to live with you.

What percentage of your eyeglass expenses are tax deductible? 

You may not be eligible to deduct all (or any) of your medical expenses for the year on your tax return. You can only deduct medical expenses if: 

• You itemize your deductions. 

• The costs are considered qualified medical expenses.

• Your total expenses exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). 

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You may not be used to itemizing your deductions, as most people opt for the standard deduction when filing their tax return. The standard deduction is a fixed amount that anyone can claim, regardless of their income. If your total itemized deductions don’t exceed the standard deduction amount, it does not make sense to itemize your deductions.

Let’s calculate how much of your eyewear and other medical expenses would be tax deductible if you itemized deductions as a 58-year-old single filer:

• First, you need to calculate your AGI. Your AGI includes your wages, investment income, business profits, and retirement distributions for the year minus adjustments to income. For this example, let’s say your AGI is $90,000. 

• Then, you want to add up all your eligible eyeglass expenses. This only includes expenses that were not reimbursed by your insurance plan. For this example, let’s say you purchased prescription eyeglasses for $300 and paid $100 for an eye exam. 

• Add any other eligible medical or dental expenses you had during the year. Let’s say you paid $9,000 out-of-pocket for dental implants. 

• Calculate your total eligible expenses. In this case, your total medical expenses include prescription eyeglasses ($300), an eye exam ($100), and dental implants ($9,000), which adds up to $9,400. 

• Figure out how much of your total expenses you can deduct. Remember, you can only deduct the total amount of medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of your AGI, which would be $6,750. So, in this example, your total allowed deduction is $2,650 or $9,400 minus $6,750.

In the above example, the total itemized deduction would not exceed the standard deduction amount for 2022, or $12,950. You would need more than $10,300 in itemized deductions to claim the medical deduction.

How do you deduct eyeglasses on your tax return? 

To deduct your eyeglasses, you will need to itemize your deductions on your tax return by filling out Schedule A (Form 1040). 

You can use Schedule A to calculate your: 

• Total qualified medical and dental expenses: Exclude any expenses that have been reimbursed, such as through health insurance.

• AGI threshold: Multiply your AGI by 7.5%.

• Other itemized deductions: These could be state and local taxes, mortgage interest, gifts for charities, and casualty and theft losses. 

Report the total itemized deductions on line 12 of your Form 1040.

How much do eyeglasses typically cost? 

The median cost for prescription eyeglasses ranges from less than $100 to more than $400 without health insurance. A Consumer Reports survey found that the out-of-pocket costs are generally lower for glasses purchased online. Those surveyed reported paying a median price of $91 for glasses purchased online, versus $234 for those who purchased glasses at a retail outlet.

Some of the factors that can affect how much you pay for eyeglasses include: 

• Brand: Buying products by popular fashion brands like Prada, Ralph Lauren, and Dolce & Gabbana can increase the price tag for frames. 

• Frame materials: There are many eyeglass frame materials to choose from, including titanium and beryllium. Titanium frames typically cost more than beryllium. You’ll usually save more money if you opt for plastic eyeglass frames made of materials like zyl and Optyl. 

• Lenses: Single-vision lenses should be the cheapest. They correct one eyesight problem, usually myopia or hyperopia (farsightedness).  Bifocal, trifocal, and progressive lenses will generally be more expensive because there are extra lenses.

• Add-ons: These include UV protection, anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coatings, and polarized lenses to reduce glare. 

What records should you keep for your tax deductions? 

If you itemize your deductions, you should save receipts and documents, including:

• The bill for the eyeglasses

• The bill for the eye exam

• The prescription from your doctor to prove your eyeglasses are a qualified medical expense 

The IRS recommends you keep these records for at least 3 years. If you are audited, you should have information available to support your tax deductions.

Can you pay for eyeglasses with an HSA or FSA? 

Yes, you can pay for prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses with a tax-advantaged health account like a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA). The accounts have different qualifications, requirements, and rules, but they can both lower your out-of-pocket costs for healthcare. 

You can use an HSA or FSA debit card to pay for your eyeglasses. Or, with an FSA, you may be able to submit a receipt for the glasses for reimbursement. But there is a deadline to submit your FSA claims for the year, since the money in your account expires after a certain date. 

With an HSA, your money rolls over every year. If you don't buy eyeglasses this year, you can use the money in your account to buy eyeglasses the following year. The funds in your HSA never expire.

If you use an HSA or FSA to pay for eyeglasses, you won’t be able to deduct the expense on your tax return. You can only deduct expenses that were not reimbursed through your health insurance plan or an HSA or FSA. 

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Written by:

Tom Taulli, EA

Tom Taulli, EA, operates his own tax preparation and planning firm, Pathway Tax, which he founded in 2000. He is a licensed enrolled agent and can represent taxpayers before the IRS. He can also prepare and advise on tax matters for all 50 states.

Edited by:

Charlene Rhinehart, CPA

Charlene Rhinehart, CPA, is a personal finance editor at GoodRx. She has been a certified public accountant for over a decade.

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