Social Security will reimburse part of the glasses that slow the progression of myopia in children

Good news for those with myopia, especially as the problem is growing. In a decree published in the Official Journal on Tuesday, June 17, we learned that lenses that slow myopia will be partially reimbursed by Social Security for children.

These glasses are now included on the list of products reimbursable by Health Insurance, under this decree, which specifies that they may be covered in the "treatment of severe myopia" (-6 dioptres - and/or very progressive at -0.5 dioptres per year) " in children over 5 years old and under 16 years old".

An "interesting innovation"

Marketed under the name Miyosmart by the Japanese group Hoya, this lens aims not only to correct myopia in children but also to slow its progression. These products, which have appeared in recent years, have excited many ophthalmologists, but none of them were previously reimbursed by Social Security, at least not beyond the very low rate applied to all corrective lenses.

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) opened the way to reimbursement in 2022 , considering that Miyosmart lenses provide an interesting innovation in the treatment of myopia.

A very limited remaining charge

The HAS nevertheless considers that this service is only "minor" , pointing out that the studies provided only involved small samples of patients , and that they only have a limited perspective in time.

Reimbursement for Miyosmart lenses will therefore be partial: the group told AFP that health insurance would reimburse €44.28 out of a total price of €147.60 per lens. The remainder will be largely "covered by supplementary insurance," the group said. " There will be very little remaining to pay: in most cases, we will avoid people having to forgo treatment."

Other groups offer myopia-reducing lenses, such as the optical giant EssilorLuxottica, but for the moment, only Miyosmart has received a favorable opinion from the HAS.