Question 11216 — health

Summary

Mr. Julien Guibert draws the attention of the Minister of Health, Families, Autonomy and People with Disabilities to the health and economic risks linked to the distribution of glasses and optical equipment sold directly by foreign platforms, particularly Asian ones, at prices much lower than those on the French market. If the price argument may seem attractive for households hit hard by the deterioration purchasing power, this massive importation of medical devices without real control poses several major public health questions. These products do not require any intervention by a qualified optician, even though these professionals, whose training requires several years of specialized studies in optics, physiology of vision and precision assembly, are the guarantors of good adjustment, optical centering, conformity of lenses and compliance with European standards. Approximate assembly, poor geometry or uncertain quality of lenses from uncontrolled platforms can cause visual disturbances, headaches, eye fatigue or even a worsening of undetected vision defects. This problem also occurs in a context of growing tension over access to care. Territories in a situation of medical desert, lacking a sufficient number of ophthalmologists, rely more and more on the national network of opticians, particularly independent ones, to ensure a first level of control, support and visual monitoring. Recent developments in the regulatory framework have also given these professionals, in certain situations, the possibility of renewing and adapting prescriptions, strengthening their role in the visual health pathway, particularly in under-resourced areas. The territorial network of independent opticians, already weakened by successive delistings and by the economic pressure exerted by the large chains, is today directly threatened by this foreign competition not subject to the same health, fiscal and professional obligations. The weakening of this local network would, however, deprive many territories of an essential player in access to visual care, would aggravate territorial inequalities and pose an increased health risk to the French. Wishing to reconcile the imperatives of health safety and purchasing power, he asks what measures the Government intends to take to guarantee effective control of the conformity of glasses imported directly from foreign platforms; inform clearly consumers of the risks associated with the absence of intervention by a qualified optician and support and protect the network of independent opticians, essential to access to care, particularly in territories affected by the shortage of doctors and medical deserts.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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