The Ministry of Health has launched the Veo Plan, a new direct aid aimed at facilitating access to glasses and contact lenses for children under 16 years of age throughout Spain. The initiative contemplates a subsidy of up to 100 euros per child or adolescent and is born with a clear objective: to reduce the economic barriers that hinder visual health care in childhood, a key aspect for educational and social development.
The program, of an exceptional nature, aims to reach more than half a million minors and is part of public policies aimed at strengthening prevention and equity in access to basic treatment.
What benefits does the Veo Plan offer and what products does it cover?
Plan Veo finances essential visual aid systems, both eyeglasses and contact lenses, with a maximum limit of 100 euros per beneficiary. In the case of eyeglasses, the aid covers the basic frame together with organic prescription lenses with anti-reflective treatment: if the child already has a frame in good condition, it is also possible to use the subsidy only to change the lenses.
For contact lens wearers, the plan includes contact lenses (made of hydrophilic or gas permeable material) as well as the necessary maintenance solutions for a full year: if the total cost of the product is less than 100 euros, the aid covers the full amount. If it exceeds this amount, the family will only have to pay the difference.
In turn, the Veo Plan is compatible with other aid or subsidies, provided that the total amount does not exceed the maximum limit established.
Requirements and documentation needed to access the aid
To benefit from the Veo Plan, it is essential to have a prescription for the visual aid system, the issuance of which depends on the age of the child and whether it is a first application or a renewal.
In the case of children under five years of age or first requests, the prescription must be issued by a professional ophthalmologist or optician-optometrist, either from the public or private system. From the age of six, the prescription can also be issued by an optician-optometrist from an establishment adhered to the Veo Plan; for second requests, a professional review is sufficient, provided that at least one year has elapsed since the previous purchase.
The required documentation includes the prescription, the identification data of the minor and his/her parent or legal guardian, the health card number and a duly completed and signed form specific to the plan.
Deadlines for using the Veo Plan
The purchase of eyeglasses or contact lenses under the Veo Plan can be made until December 31, 2026. However, payments corresponding to purchases made during the month of December may be completed throughout 2027, which extends the margin to formalize the aid without losing the right to the subsidy.
This calendar allows families to plan more flexibly for vision screening and the purchase of the most appropriate vision correction system.
Where to use the help
The Veo Plan can only be used in optical establishments participating in the program. These centers must be clearly identified by a visible sign on the outside and inside of the premises.
To facilitate access, the General Council of Opticians and Optometrists has set up an official search engine to locate participating centers in each province. In this way, families can easily check where to make use of the aid before starting the procedure.
