Eye Care

Two types of eye specialists played a major role in the Dutch eye healthcare system; oogarts (an ophthalmologist) and opticien (optician).

In most cases, you probably only need a visit to an optician. Here, you can get your eyesight examined, and they can give you advice on what types of sight correction tools to use (glasses, soft lenses, hard lenses, etc.). You do not need a referral from your huisarts (family doctor) to visit an optician. However, do bear in mind that some of them are very busy, so you might need to make an appointment in advance.

Costs for eyesight correction tools are usually not covered by the base package of health insurance. However, they are available as an add-on to your health insurance. Consult with your healthcare insurance provider to know more about this.

To visit an ophthalmologist (oogarts), you need a referral from your family doctor. As such, you need to visit your family doctor first, before you can make an appointment with an ophthalmologist.