How to Get Glasses in New Zealand: A Complete Guide
New Zealand has no public funding for adult glasses: you pay for the eye test (NZ$60 at Specsavers for a comprehensive test with OCT scan) and the glasses yourself. The good news is that competition between optometry chains like Specsavers, OPSM, Bailey Nelson and Visique keeps prices low, and families with a Community Services Card can get up to $287.50 a year towards a child's eye test and glasses. This guide walks you through getting a prescription, choosing frames and lenses, buying online, and keeping a spare pair.
1. Getting an Eye Test and Prescription
In New Zealand you book directly with an optometrist (optometrist) — no referral needed. Major chains include Specsavers, OPSM, Bailey Nelson and Visique, plus many independent practices. Appointments can usually be booked online or by phone.
An eye test for adults is not covered by the public health system, so you pay out of pocket — NZ$60 at Specsavers for a standard comprehensive test (prices at other chains are similar — check before booking).
If you hold a Community Services Card, your children may be eligible for the Children's Spectacle Subsidy (儿童配镜补助), administered by Enable New Zealand: up to $287.50 a year (GST included) per child aged 15 or under, covering the eye examination, frames and lenses (frames capped at $138, or $188.11 if adult-size frames are needed), eye patches and repairs. Unused subsidy does not roll over, and the subsidy year starts from the date of the first examination.
2. Prescription Glasses: Frames and Lenses
Once you have your prescription (度数处方), decide what kind of lenses you need:
- Single vision (单光镜片): corrects distance or near vision with one power across the whole lens. The cheapest option — this is what Specsavers' "2 pairs from $169" deal includes.
- Progressive lenses (渐进多焦镜片): combine distance, intermediate and reading correction in one lens, without the visible lines of bifocals. More expensive and need careful fitting.
- Blue-light lenses (防蓝光镜片): add a coating that filters some blue light from screens; useful if you work long hours at a computer.
- Photochromic lenses (变色镜片): darken in sunlight and clear indoors, so one pair works as both regular and sunglasses.
If your prescription is strong (high myopia, 高度近视), ask for high-index lenses (高折射率镜片) — thinner and lighter than standard lenses. For frames, common materials are plastic/acetate (醋酸纤维, lightweight and colourful), metal (金属, slim and adjustable nose pads) and titanium (钛, very light and strong). Titanium costs more but lasts longer.
3. Contact Lenses
Contact lenses (隐形眼镜) come in two main schedules: daily disposables (日抛), worn once and thrown away — the most hygienic and convenient option; and monthly lenses (月抛), worn daily and replaced each month, which costs less per day but requires cleaning solution and discipline. If you have astigmatism (散光), you need toric lenses (散光定制片), which stay correctly oriented on the eye and cost more than standard spherical lenses.
In New Zealand you can buy contact lenses from Clearly NZ, SmartBuyGlasses, and Specsavers (stores and online) — you will need a current contact-lens prescription from an optometrist before ordering.
4. Buying Glasses Online
Online optical shops let you enter your prescription and choose frames yourself. The one measurement you need that is not on a standard prescription is your pupillary distance / PD (瞳距) — the distance in millimetres between your pupils.
At home: hold a ruler against your brow in front of a mirror and measure the distance between the centres of your pupils while looking straight ahead (or have a friend measure while you look at something distant). Some optometrists include PD on request — ask during your eye test.
Delivery to New Zealand typically takes 1–2 weeks depending on the retailer. One caution, echoed in Geekzone forum discussions: progressive lenses are risky to buy online. Progressive fitting depends on exact frame position on your face, and a poor fit causes headaches and distorted vision. For complex prescriptions, many New Zealanders recommend getting fitted in a physical store.
5. Anti-Slip Accessories
Cheap fixes for glasses that keep sliding: stick-on silicone nose pads (防滑鼻托), glasses chains (眼镜链) worn around the neck, sport straps (运动眼镜带) for running and gym sessions, and anti-fog cloths (防雾布). Similar accessories are sold on Amazon (e.g. via amazon.com.au) if you cannot find them locally.
6. Insurance and Financial Help
The public system does not cover adult eye tests or glasses. Private health insurers such as Southern Cross may include an optical benefit in some plans — check your own policy for the annual limit and whether it covers frames, lenses or both.
If you are on a low income, Work and Income can provide a $280 loan for glasses, which must be repaid (typically in small weekly instalments). For children, the Enable New Zealand Children's Spectacle Subsidy described in section 1 is the main source of support.
7. Why You Need a Spare Pair
Glasses break at the worst moments — dropped on the pavement, sat on, or left behind on holiday. A spare pair means you are not blind and stressed while waiting days for a repair or replacement.
Cheap ways to get one: use Specsavers' 2-for-1 style promotions (two pairs from $169), or order a basic single-vision pair from an online retailer once you have your prescription and PD.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an eye test cost in New Zealand?
NZ$60 at Specsavers for a comprehensive test; other chains charge similar amounts. Children aged 15 or under whose family holds a Community Services Card may have the test covered under the Children's Spectacle Subsidy.
Do I need a referral to see an optometrist?
No. You can book directly with Specsavers, OPSM, Bailey Nelson, Visique or an independent optometrist.
What is the Children's Spectacle Subsidy?
Up to $287.50 per year (GST included) per child aged 15 or under, administered by Enable New Zealand, for families with a Community Services Card (or the child holding a High Use Health Card). It covers the eye test, frames, lenses, eye patches and repairs.
Is it safe to buy progressive lenses online?
It is possible, but fitting matters more for progressives than for single-vision lenses. Many people on the Geekzone forum advise getting progressives fitted in person in New Zealand.
Does public health insurance cover glasses in New Zealand?
No. Adult eye tests and glasses are self-funded. Some private health plans (e.g. Southern Cross) include optical benefits — check your own policy.
Can low-income adults get help paying for glasses?
Yes — Work and Income offers a $280 repayable loan for glasses, and Community Services Card holders can access the children's spectacle subsidy for their kids.
Sources
- Specsavers New Zealand — prices and offers: https://www.specsavers.co.nz
- OPSM New Zealand: https://www.opsm.co.nz
- Enable New Zealand — Children's Spectacle Subsidy: https://www.enable.co.nz/access-support/vision-and-hearing/childrens-spectacles
- Geekzone forum (New Zealand tech community discussions): https://www.geekzone.co.nz
- Southern Cross Health Insurance: https://www.southerncross.co.nz
- Work and Income New Zealand: https://www.workandincome.govt.nz