Preferred supplier arrangement - glasses

The Ministry of Social Development has a preferred supplier arrangement with selected optometrists and opticians to supply glasses to people in some urban areas.

If a client who resides in an urban area covered by a preferred supplier arrangement for glasses (optical goods and services) refuses to purchase from a preferred supplier, the application for a Special Needs Grant must be declined.

The preferred supplier arrangement includes the following goods and services in the purchase price:

Goods

• spectacle frames
• spectacle lenses
• ready to wear spectacles
• spectacle protection cases
• spectacle care products

Services

• eye examinations
• fitting of spectacle frames, spectacle lenses and ready to wear spectacles
• fitting of spectacle lenses to frames supplied by the purchaser
• adjustment of spectacle frames, spectacle lenses and ready to wear spectacles

Some clients have high clinical needs which means the glasses they require cannot be provided at the standard contract price.

Hardship assistance for a higher amount than the standard package amount can be provided for clients with high clinical needs.

Some types of high clinical needs are:

• vision which is outside of 'normal' ranges (+ or - 6 or higher)
• severe astigmatism that requires a special lens grind
• growths on eyes due to severe UV exposure
• some forms of medication make eyes very sensitive to light and glasses require a special coating
• prescription for glasses that are heavy and a higher grade of progressive lenses that are required to avoid frames buckling or the weight tearing the clients skin

Lens coatings or glasses specifically for Irlen Syndrome are not covered by the Ministry of Social Development or the Ministry of Health.

Whaikaha provide a Spectacles Subsidy for children 15 years and younger with vision problems. The subsidy is paid for each qualifying child up to $287.50 (including GST) and can be accessed annually.

To qualify either the child or parent/guardian must have a Community Services Card or the child must have a High Use Health Card.

The subsidy covers the eye exam, frames, lenses, eye patches and repairs.

There is also an additional amount of $51.11 (including GST) available for children who need adult sized frames if the child's vision is changing quickly or if they have an amblyopia (lazy eye) or strabismus (squint).

There is no discretion to top-up the Ministry of Health subsidy unless the full subsidy has been claimed within the 1-year period and the child has a high clinical need. Then a client can apply for hardship assistance for their child through the Ministry of Social Development. This would be processed using the preferred supplier arrangement.