Are Reading Glasses FSA Eligible?
By Adam Debrowski
If you have a flexible spending account (FSA), good news — reading glasses are FSA-eligible. In other words, you can use your pre-tax health care FSA money to buy readers in any magnification power and style you'd like.
Your FSA also covers the sales tax and shipping fees.
Which Readers Are FSA-Eligible?
Over-the-counter (OTC) readers make reading easier without a prescription or even a trip to the eye doctor. You can choose from several magnification levels, which are the only options many people need.
You should be able to use your FSA funds for any type of non-prescription reading glasses, including:
- Full-magnification readers – This type has a single reading power across the entire lens. It’s best for people who stick to one project or task at a time, like sewing or reading.
- Bifocal-style reading glasses – This style has a small, magnified reading segment in the lower portion of each lens, while the rest of the lens has no magnification. This means you can leave the readers on even when you aren’t using them — just look through the unmagnified part of the lens.
- Multifocal readers – This type has two or three different focus areas within each lens to help you see things more clearly at multiple distances. Foster Grant’s Multi Focus™ readers offer three different strengths, allowing you to use them for reading, computer use, and interacting.
- Blue light filtering readers – These reading glasses also help filter blue-violet light* from the sun and digital devices.
- Reading sunglasses – This style features tinted, magnified lenses with 100% UVA-UVB lens protection to help you read more comfortably in the sunshine. Foster Grant’s SunReaders® are available with full-magnification, bifocal-style, or Multi Focus™ lenses.
If you need a stronger reading magnification than retailers typically offer a different reading strength for each eye, ask your eye doctor about prescription reading glasses. Prescription eyeglasses are also FSA-eligible.
Note that reading glasses qualify for health care FSAs (and health savings accounts or HSAs). They are not covered by dependent care FSAs.
Contact your FSA provider directly if you have any questions about your account or how the funds can be used.
How Do I Pay for Reading Glasses with My FSA?
To use FSA funds on FSA-eligible items, you can:
- Use your FSA dollars to make your purchase
- Pay out of pocket and get reimbursed with FSA funds later
Here's how you can pay:
FSA Card
You'll probably get an FSA card in the mail soon after you enroll in the account. This is a debit card connected directly to your FSA account balance.
You can use your FSA card to buy reading glasses online or in person anywhere that accepts it as a form of payment, including many:
- Optical shops
- Retail stores
- Drugstores
- Eye doctors' offices
- Online retailers
Your account provider (or rarely, the IRS) may still ask for documentation even when you use your card, so it's a good idea to keep your receipts just in case.
Cash, Credit Card, or Another Form of Payment
If you don't have an FSA card or a retailer doesn't accept it for payment, you can pay for your reading glasses out of pocket and get reimbursed later.
You'll need to submit a reimbursement claim to your FSA provider online, by mail, or by fax. For over-the-counter (non-prescription) reading glasses, they'll ask you to include an itemized receipt or invoice that lists the readers. Talk to your provider if you have any questions about what documentation to provide for reimbursement.
Once the claim is approved, your provider should pay you back in full and update your account balance accordingly.
Does Foster Grant accept FSA cards as payment?
Foster Grant does not currently accept FSA cards for payment at checkout. However, our reading glasses are eligible for reimbursement with FSA funds. Make sure to save a copy of your receipt so you can submit it to your provider.
Don't Let Your FSA Dollars Expire
Keep an eye on your account balance as you get into the last part of the year. The standard deadline to spend FSA money is 11:59 p.m. on December 31, but you might have a little more time if your account has a grace period or rollover.
You may still be able to submit reimbursement claims after the year ends, as long as the purchase was made during the plan year. Ask your account provider for deadline information.
On day one of each new plan year, you have access to your FSA's total pledged amount for the year. This means you can buy new readers with FSA funds before you've officially contributed that amount to your account.
And remember, non-prescription reading glasses are FSA-eligible, just like prescription glasses. In fact, readers are the only prescription-free glasses you can buy with your FSA funds.
READ NEXT: Are Sunglasses FSA Eligible?
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PLEASE NOTE: This article is for informational purposes only. You should review the IRS rules regarding medical expenses and consult your FSA provider to confirm the eligibility of specific products. You can also visit HealthCare.gov for more information about using a flexible spending account.
References
- Can I buy eyeglasses with my FSA or HSA? Glasses.com. May 2023.*
- Can I use FSA or HSA for glasses? Eyebuydirect. May 2022.*
- Publication 503 (2023), child and dependent care expenses. Internal Revenue Service. September 2024.
- Use flexible spending & health savings accounts for prescription eyewear. FramesDirect. Accessed October 2024.*
- FSA reimbursement rules and deadlines for 2021. All About Vision. September 2019.*
- Publication 502 (2023), medical and dental expenses. Internal Revenue Service. September 2024.
The sources listed here have been provided for informational purposes only. The citation of a particular source does not constitute an endorsement or approval of EssilorLuxottica products, services, or opinions by such source.
*Like Foster Grant, Glasses.com, Eyebuydirect, FramesDirect, All About Vision, and AAV Media, LLC are affiliates of EssilorLuxottica.
