Getting an Eye Exam in Lebanon: Ophthalmologist vs. Optician & What's Covered
An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who can perform a full eye exam, treat disease, and operate. An optician in Lebanon typically refers to a licensed optometrist or dispensing optician who refracts (measures lens power) and fits glasses or contact lenses. For a child's first exam, a sudden change in vision, eye pain, flashing lights, floaters, or any chronic condition (diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune disease), see an ophthalmologist.
What a complete eye exam includes
- Visual acuity for distance and near.
- Refraction — including a cycloplegic refraction for children.
- Intra-ocular pressure (screens for glaucoma).
- Slit-lamp exam of the anterior segment.
- Dilated fundus exam — looks at the retina and optic nerve.
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) when indicated.
How often
- Children: at 6 months, 3 years, before school, then every 1–2 years.
- Adults with no symptoms: every 2 years up to 40, then yearly.
- Diabetics: yearly dilated retinal screening — non-negotiable.
- After cataract surgery, glaucoma diagnosis, or macular disease: as instructed.
Glasses and contact lenses
A new prescription is valid 1–2 years. When buying frames at an optician, ask the price with and without lens-thickness reduction (1.6, 1.67, 1.74 index), anti-reflection coating, and blue-light filter — these add 50–150 USD. Online lens orders save money but require an in-store fitting check.
Insurance & cost
A private ophthalmologist visit in Beirut typically runs 35–60 fresh USD. Most private insurance plans only cover the visit when linked to a diagnosis, not for routine refraction; glasses and contact lenses are usually not covered. The Ministry of Public Health covers cataract surgery in contracted hospitals for citizens without other coverage.