Does FSA cover sunglasses?
Prescription sunglasses are a qualified FSA expense; non-prescription fashion sunglasses are not — what matters is whether they correct a diagnosed vision need.
What flips the answer
- Covered when
The sunglasses have a corrective vision prescription in the lenses.
- Not covered when
The sunglasses are non-prescription — bought for glare or fashion with no vision correction.
IRS Publication 502 lists eyeglasses needed for a medical reason — meaning a vision prescription — as qualified medical expenses. Prescription sunglasses correct vision the same way clear prescription lenses do, so they qualify, including prescription sunglass lenses added to frames.
Non-prescription sunglasses bought for glare or fashion don't qualify, because there's no documented vision-correction need behind them. The distinction is the prescription, not the tint.
Clip-on prescription-strength lenses and the vision exam that produces the prescription are also eligible. If your sunglasses are plano (no corrective prescription), they stay on the non-qualified side even if they're sold at an optical shop.
That's the general answer. Yours is written in your actual policy.
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