Does FSA cover prescription sunglasses?
Yes — prescription sunglasses correct your vision, so they're a qualified medical expense you can pay for with FSA or HSA funds.
What flips the answer
- Covered when
The lenses are made to your vision prescription, including prescription-tinted or transition lenses — keep the prescription and receipt.
- Not covered when
The sunglasses are non-prescription (plano) — they're a personal item and not eligible.
The IRS lists eyeglasses and contact lenses needed for medical reasons as qualified medical expenses. Prescription sunglasses are simply corrective lenses in a tinted frame, so they qualify the same way ordinary prescription glasses do — the cost of the lenses and frames is FSA- and HSA-eligible.
The eligibility hinges on the prescription. Because the sunglasses are made to your vision prescription, they count as medical care rather than a fashion accessory. Keep the prescription and receipt in case your plan administrator asks you to substantiate the purchase.
Non-prescription (plano) sunglasses are a different story. Without a corrective prescription, tinted sunglasses are a general-use personal item and are not eligible, no matter how much UV protection they offer.
That's the general answer. Yours is written in your actual policy.
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