Pedro Sánchez announces a programme of direct aid for children under 16 to buy glasses or contact lenses

Headquarters of the General Council of Colleges of Opticians-Optometrists, Madrid

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during his speech after visiting the headquarters of the General Council of Colleges of Opticians-Optometrists (Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa)

Pedro Sánchez has announced "a further step towards extending the benefits of our National Health System", with the launch of a direct aid programme for children under 16 years of age with vision problems, so that they can purchase glasses or contact lenses for the next school year. "Because supporting and investing in the visual health of our children and young people is forward-looking" and is a measure that "promotes social cohesion and equal opportunities".

The head of the Executive made this announcement at an event on public policies linked to health, held at the headquarters of the Spanish General Council of Optometry in Madrid, at which the Minister for Health, Mónica García, and the President of the General Council, Juan Carlos Martínez Moral, also took the floor.

In this regard, Pedro Sánchez announced that today the Executive will begin processing a Royal Decree to transfer 48 million euros to the Spanish General Council of Optometry, which they will use to cover "up to €100 of the bill of the opticians or eye clinic where the child goes to buy the glasses or contact lenses they need to correct their near-sightedness, far-sightedness, or astigmatism". "This €100 euro grant will be universal, available throughout the country, because the health of Spaniards should not depend on their postcode, their residence or their income.

Pedro Sánchez pointed out that "721,000 children in Spain need glasses or contact lenses, but cannot afford them", which leads to problems in their studies and, in the long run, hinders their ability to thrive. The Spanish General Council of Optometry itself points out that 30% of cases of school failure are related to vision disorders. For this reason, Sánchez stressed that the government is committed to health, but also to equal opportunities: "A child's ability to see the blackboard at school should not depend on his or her family's income," he said.

The head of the Executive reaffirmed his commitment to our National Health System, which "is the backbone of the Welfare State" and "that is why we are multiplying our investment in it". Between 2018 and today, the government has increased the state health budget by 29%, from €4.253 billion to €5.505 billion in 2025, and has increased the number of Specialised Health Training places by more than 3,900. "Health has a cost, but it has no price and a good public health system is the safest investment for a society that protects the vulnerable and does not give up in the face of illness or adversity," he stressed.

"We believe in our professionals and we believe in our model. That is why we will continue to shield it from those who would be tempted to misuse or weaken it and thus privatise it. And these grants to ensure access to eye care for our young people are a further step on this path. A step that will improve the quality of life of many children and young people who need it," he concluded.

Non official translation