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Hearing and vision help
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Help with hearing aids for seniors, eye exams and glasses depends on where you live. Many provinces pay for a routine eye exam once you turn 65, but few pay for glasses. Some provinces, including Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and Manitoba, help pay for hearing aids. The Canadian Dental Care Plan does not cover either.
Key facts
- Ontario hearing aids (ADP)
- 75% of the cost, up to $500 per ear
- Manitoba Seniors Hearing Aid Program
- Up to $2,000 every 5 years; household net income under $80,000
- Ontario eye exam, 65 and older
- 1 major exam every 18 months, plus 2 follow-up assessments
- Alberta optical help, low-income seniors
- Up to $230 every 3 years (2026-27 benefit year)
- Federal tax help
- Hearing aids and prescription glasses are eligible medical expenses
Does the government pay for hearing aids and eye exams for seniors?
There is no single national program. Your provincial or territorial health plan decides what is covered. In general, a routine eye exam is often covered from age 65, glasses usually are not, and hearing aids are partly paid for in some provinces only.
The federal Canadian Dental Care Plan covers dental care only. It does not pay for eye exams, glasses or hearing aids.
Eye exams needed because of a medical problem, such as an eye injury, are usually covered at any age. The rules below are for routine exams and for devices.
Eye exam coverage for seniors by province and territory
- Ontario: OHIP covers 1 major eye exam every 18 months and 2 follow-up minor assessments for people 65 and older.
- Quebec: RAMQ covers 1 eye exam per year for people 65 and older. Glasses and contact lenses are not covered.
- British Columbia: MSP covers an annual eye exam for seniors 65 and older. Glasses are not covered.
- Alberta: the provincial plan covers 1 complete routine eye exam per benefit year for seniors 65 and older. Low-income seniors approved for Seniors Financial Assistance may get up to $230 every 3 years for prescription glasses through Optical Assistance for Seniors. For the 2026-27 benefit year, the income limit is $32,690 for a single senior and $65,380 for a couple.
- Saskatchewan: routine eye exams are not covered for adults, except people with diabetes and people covered by Supplementary Health, Family Health Benefits or Seniors Income Plan benefits.
- Manitoba: 1 routine eye exam every 2-year benefit period for people 65 and older. The Seniors' Eyeglass Program helps people 65 and older buy glasses. It pays 80% of a fixed fee schedule after a deductible, for one pair every 3 years, or sooner if your vision changes.
- New Brunswick: Medicare does not cover eye exams for glasses prescriptions (refractions), glasses or contact lenses.
- Nova Scotia: MSI covers a routine eye exam once every 2 years for people 65 and older.
- Prince Edward Island: the province does not list a program for seniors' eye exams or glasses. Ask your optometrist what you will pay.
- Newfoundland and Labrador: MCP does not cover eye exams for glasses or optometrists' services. Low-income long-term care and community support clients may get help: from January 1, 2026, up to $100 for an eye exam, $290 for single vision glasses and $350 for bifocals. Ask your financial assessment officer.
- Yukon: seniors in the Pharmacare and Extended Health Benefits program get help every 2 years: up to $124.10 for an eye exam, $100 for frames, and lens amounts from $160 (single vision) to $325 (progressive).
- Northwest Territories: Extended Health Benefits covers vision care products for seniors 60 and older, using the federal NIHB vision fee grid.
- Nunavut: Extended Health Benefits Seniors' Coverage includes vision care services and products for non-Indigenous residents 65 and older.
Hearing aids for seniors: programs by province and territory
- Ontario: Assistive Devices Program (ADP). Pays 75% of the cost of hearing aids, up to $500 per ear. You are assessed by an ADP-registered audiologist, and an ADP-registered vendor sends the application. A device can be replaced when it is worn out, out of warranty and cannot be repaired, or when your hearing changes.
- Quebec: RAMQ Hearing Devices Program. If you are 19 or older and have an average hearing loss of at least 35 decibels in your better ear, RAMQ covers a hearing aid, its repair and replacement. People 65 and older need an audiogram and a certificate from an audiologist, then see a Quebec hearing aid specialist (audioprosthetist) within one year.
- British Columbia: MSP does not cover hearing aids.
- Alberta: Alberta Aids to Daily Living (AADL). Low-income seniors with documented hearing loss can get 2 hearing aids or a personal listening device once every 5 years. Other seniors can get funding toward 1 hearing aid every 5 years. Most people pay 25% of the cost, up to $500 per person or family per year. Low-income Albertans do not pay this share. You must be assessed first; AADL does not pay you back for devices you buy before approval.
- Saskatchewan: hearing tests and hearing aids cost money, whether from the health authority or a private clinic. Supplementary Health Benefits covers them for people who qualify. Call 1-800-266-0695.
- Manitoba: Seniors Hearing Aid Program. For people 65 and older with household net income under $80,000 in the previous year. Pays up to $2,000 toward hearing aids, the hearing assessment and fitting, once every 5 years. Any amount your private insurance pays is subtracted. Call 1-844-403-4327.
- New Brunswick: the province does not list a hearing aid program for seniors.
- Nova Scotia: the province does not list a hearing aid program for seniors.
- Prince Edward Island: Health PEI offers hearing tests for adults. Funded hearing aids are for people up to age 21 only. Call 1-844-344-8255.
- Newfoundland and Labrador: MCP does not cover medical appliances. Ask your regional health authority or income support office about help.
- Yukon: seniors on Pharmacare can get up to $600 toward 1 hearing aid, once every 4 years. Yukon Hearing Services needs no referral: call 867-667-5913.
- Northwest Territories: ask the Health Benefits Program (1-800-661-0830, extension 49462) what hearing help is available to you.
- Nunavut: Extended Health Benefits Seniors' Coverage includes medically required audiology services and products for non-Indigenous residents 65 and older.
How to get help paying for a hearing aid
- Check the program in your province or territory above, and note any income limit.
- Get a hearing test from an audiologist or hearing clinic that is registered with your provincial program. In Ontario that means ADP-registered; in Alberta, an approved AADL vendor.
- Ask the clinic to fill in the program's application or claim form with you. In most programs, you must be approved before you buy. Devices bought first are often not paid back.
- Ask for a written price that shows what the program pays and what you pay. Clinics may sell models that cost more than the program amount.
- Keep your receipts. The part you pay yourself can count toward the medical expense tax credit.
Help for veterans
Veterans Affairs Canada's treatment benefits can include audiology and vision services. You may qualify if you are approved for a disability benefit, the Veterans Independence Program, War Veterans Allowance, mental health benefits or long-term care help. If you qualify, you receive a health card automatically. Call 1-866-522-2122 to ask what your card covers.
What to do if you are refused or something goes wrong
If a program refuses your application, ask for the reason in writing. Common reasons are income over the limit, a hearing loss below the program's level, or buying the device before approval. If your hearing has changed, ask your audiologist about a new test.
If your clinic tells you a device is fully covered, ask to see the program's amount and the clinic's price side by side. You are entitled to know what you will pay before you agree.
Things people miss
- Many hearing programs replace aids only after a set number of years, such as every 4 or 5 years. Look after warranty and repairs.
- Private insurance, including retiree plans, may pay for glasses or hearing aids. Some provincial programs subtract what your insurer pays.
- Some service clubs and charities help with glasses and hearing aids. Call 211 to ask about local help.
- Prescription glasses, contact lenses and hearing aids, including batteries, are eligible for the medical expense tax credit.
Who to contact
- Manitoba Seniors Hearing Aid Program
Phone: 1-844-403-4327
Winnipeg: 204-945-5588 - Manitoba Seniors' Eyeglass Program
Phone: 1-800-297-8099
Extension 7365 or 7366 - Saskatchewan Supplementary Health Benefits
Phone: 1-800-266-0695
Regina: 306-787-3124 - Alberta Supports Contact Centre
Phone: 1-877-644-9992
Seniors Financial Assistance and Optical Assistance for Seniors - RAMQ (Quebec)
Phone: 1-800-561-9749 - Health PEI Audiology
Phone: 1-844-344-8255
Charlottetown: 902-368-5807 - Yukon Hearing Services
Phone: 867-667-5913
Toll-free in Yukon, NWT and Nunavut: 1-800-661-0408, extension 5913 - Veterans Affairs Canada
Phone: 1-866-522-2122
Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm local time
Common questions
Can seniors get free hearing aids in Canada?
Fully free hearing aids are rare. Quebec's RAMQ covers a hearing aid for adults who meet its hearing-loss level. Ontario pays 75% up to $500 per ear, Manitoba pays up to $2,000 every 5 years for seniors with household income under $80,000, and Alberta helps through AADL.
Is an eye exam free for seniors in Ontario?
Yes. OHIP covers 1 major eye exam every 18 months, and 2 follow-up minor assessments, for people 65 and older. Glasses are not covered.
How often can seniors get an eye exam covered in BC?
MSP covers a routine eye exam every year for seniors 65 and older.
How much does Ontario ADP pay for hearing aids?
ADP pays 75% of the cost of hearing aids, up to $500 per ear. You pay the rest.
Does the Canadian Dental Care Plan cover glasses or hearing aids?
No. The Canadian Dental Care Plan covers dental care only.
Does Alberta pay for glasses for seniors?
Low-income seniors approved for Seniors Financial Assistance can get up to $230 every 3 years for prescription glasses through Optical Assistance for Seniors.
Can I claim hearing aids on my taxes?
Yes. Hearing aids are an eligible medical expense for the federal medical expense tax credit. You claim only the part you paid that was not paid back to you.
Does Manitoba pay for hearing aids for seniors?
Yes. The Manitoba Seniors Hearing Aid Program pays up to $2,000 every 5 years for people 65 and older with household net income under $80,000 in the previous year.
Sources
- What OHIP covers (Government of Ontario)
- Hearing devices (Assistive Devices Program) (Government of Ontario)
- Hearing aids (Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec)
- Optometric services (Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec)
- Medical benefits covered by MSP (Government of British Columbia)
- Services not covered by MSP (Government of British Columbia)
- Health care services covered in Alberta (Government of Alberta)
- Dental and Optical Assistance for Seniors (Government of Alberta)
- AADL benefits covered (Government of Alberta)
- AADL eligibility and application for benefits (Government of Alberta)
- Partially covered services in Saskatchewan (Government of Saskatchewan)
- Province reaches agreement with Saskatchewan optometrists (Government of Saskatchewan)
- Audiology and hearing services (Government of Saskatchewan)
- Manitoba Seniors Hearing Aid Program (Government of Manitoba)
- Your Manitoba health card and coverage (Government of Manitoba)
- Eyeglass Program (Government of Manitoba)
- Medicare coverage and claims inside New Brunswick (Government of New Brunswick)
- Optometry programs (Government of Nova Scotia)
- Audiology services (Government of Prince Edward Island)
- Medical Care Plan (MCP) (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador)
- Vision care benefits increased for long-term care and community support services clients (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador)
- Extended health care benefits and Pharmacare for seniors (Government of Yukon)
- Get hearing tests and supports (Government of Yukon)
- Extended Health Benefits (Government of the Northwest Territories)
- Extended Health Benefits (EHB) Seniors' Coverage (Government of Nunavut)
- Coverage for services, prescriptions and devices (Veterans Affairs Canada)
- Medical expenses 2025 (RC4065) (Canada Revenue Agency)