HSA Eligible Expenses for Vision: Glasses, Contacts, and Laser Eye Surgery in Canada

By Frontier Team•February 10, 2026•3 min read

Yes, your Health Spending Account covers a wide range of vision expenses in Canada. Glasses, contact lenses, eye exams, and laser eye surgery (LASIK, PRK, SMILE) are all CRA-eligible medical expenses that can be reimbursed tax-free through your HSA. Whether you need a new pair of prescription glasses or you're considering corrective surgery, your HSA is one of the smartest ways to pay for it.

Vision Expenses Covered by Your HSA

Here is what you can claim through your Health Spending Account:

  • Prescription eyeglasses — frames and lenses, including progressive and bifocal lenses
  • Prescription contact lenses — daily, weekly, or monthly contacts
  • Prescription sunglasses — as long as they have a corrective prescription
  • Prescription swimming goggles — yes, these count too
  • Eye exams and vision tests — routine exams and diagnostic testing
  • Laser eye surgery — LASIK, PRK, SMILE, LASEK, and ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens)
  • Refractive lens exchange — a surgical alternative for patients who aren't candidates for laser correction

All of these are recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency as eligible medical expenses, which means they qualify for tax-free reimbursement through your HSA.

What's NOT Covered

Not everything vision-related qualifies. Non-prescription sunglasses are not eligible, even if they have UV protection. Fashion or cosmetic contact lenses without a corrective prescription also do not qualify. The key rule is simple: if it corrects a vision problem and you have a prescription, it's almost certainly covered.

The Savings on Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery is one of the biggest vision expenses you can put through your HSA. LASIK typically costs $2,000 to $4,000 or more per eye in Canada. Without an HSA, you would need to earn roughly $3,000 to $7,200 in pre-tax personal income just to cover the same cost out of pocket (depending on your tax bracket).

Through your HSA, your business deducts the full amount as an expense. You receive the reimbursement completely tax-free. That is a significant difference — potentially thousands of dollars saved on a single procedure.

How to Claim Vision Expenses

Claiming vision expenses through your HSA is straightforward:

  1. Get your receipt from your optometrist, optician, or eye surgery clinic. Make sure it includes the patient name, provider details, description of the service or product, and the amount paid.
  2. Submit the receipt through your HSA provider.
  3. Get reimbursed — with Frontier Health, reimbursement is sent by e-transfer within 24-48 hours.

You pay out of pocket first, then submit for reimbursement. If you also have traditional insurance that covers part of the cost, you can submit the remaining balance to your HSA.

Get Started with Frontier Health

If your business does not have an HSA yet, Frontier Health makes it easy to set one up. There are no monthly premiums, no setup fees, and you only pay when someone submits a claim. It is the simplest way to turn your vision expenses into tax-free savings for your business.

Simplify Your Business Health Benefits

Get Started