Glasses and contact lenses go up in price due to IVA bracket change ordered by EU

Eyeware is now considered to be a healthcare product and as such, should attract top-rate IVA, according to an EU ruling last year which has just come into force.

This means the value-added tax on glasses and contact lenses will now be 21 per cent, not 10 per cent.

The move has caused widespread fury among residents in Spain, since an estimated half of everyone living in the country has to wear glasses or contact lenses, whether purely for reading or computer work, or all the time.

And the essential nature of these means even further hardship is guaranteed for many families who are already struggling to make ends meet.

Opticians are concerned that this may lead to people who need glasses not wearing them in order to put food on the table and pay their rent or mortgage, potentially damaging their eyes permanently and even risking their lives and those of others if they drive with unsuitable or no eyewear.

The ruling also affects medical supplies such as bandages, X-ray equipment and hospital beds.

It has already affected veterinary medication and supplies in the past year, meaning healthcare for animals has gone up in price.

Vets are also worried about the IVA rise in this respect, fearing it will make pet-owners less likely to have their animals treated when they are sick.