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Eye tests, glasses and eye doctors in Qatar

How to get your eyes or your child's eyes checked in Qatar: PHCC optometry and eye clinics with a referral, HMC eye specialists, private opticians, school screening, the driving licence eye test and what insurance usually pays for glasses.

Last reviewed: 13 October 2026

Who can use PHCC optometry: Anyone registered with PHCC, aged 2 and over
How to get in: Referral from a PHCC family doctor or school nurse
PHCC eye clinics: 19 health centres offer ophthalmology (Al Waab added May 2026)
Eye emergency 24/7: Hamad General Hospital and The Cuban Hospital

Qatar has three main routes to an eye check. If you hold a valid health card, the free-to-low-cost public route starts at your PHCC health centre: a family doctor (or your child's school nurse) refers you to a PHCC optometrist for an eyesight test or to a PHCC eye doctor (ophthalmologist) for eye disease. Harder cases are referred on to Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) eye specialists. The private route is quicker: optical shops test eyesight and sell glasses and lenses, and private clinics have eye doctors, but you pay or claim from insurance. This guide explains which route fits which problem, how referrals work, what to do about children's eyes and school screening, and what is usually covered. For real emergencies such as a chemical in the eye or sudden loss of sight, skip all of this and go straight to an emergency department.

Before you start

A valid Qatar ID and active PHCC registration (health card) for each family member; the registration must be renewed every year
Your registered PHCC health centre (it is printed on your registration and shown in the Nar'aakom app)
Your current glasses or contact lenses, and the box or prescription for your lenses if you have it
A short list of symptoms: blurry far or near vision, headaches, eye strain, red or painful eye, flashes or floaters, and how long it has been happening
Names of any eye drops or medicines you use, and whether you have diabetes or high blood pressure (both affect the eyes)
For children: the school nurse's referral note or screening result, if the school sent one
Your insurance card and the optical section of your table of benefits if you plan to go private
Sunglasses or a driver: tests that use dilating drops can blur your vision for a few hours

Step by step

Choose the right route for the problem
For blurry vision, a new or changed glasses prescription, or a child who squints at the board, you need an eyesight (refraction) test by an optometrist. For red, painful or itchy eyes, eye disease, diabetes eye checks or glaucoma, you need an eye doctor (ophthalmologist). If something sudden happens, such as a chemical splash, an injury, a curtain over your vision or sudden loss of sight, it is an emergency: go to step 9 now. Optometry and eye clinics at PHCC need a referral, so most routine problems start with a family doctor visit.
Make sure your PHCC registration is active
PHCC services, including optometry, are for people registered with PHCC. Expat residents pay an annual registration fee, and an expired registration usually means higher charges or no booking. Since April 2026 you show your Qatar ID at the health centre instead of a printed card. If you or a family member is not registered yet, sort that out first.
Read guide: Get your health card (now linked to your QID) →
Book a family doctor appointment
Book with your own health centre through the Nar'aakom app or by calling 107. Tell the doctor exactly what is wrong with your eyes and for how long. The doctor checks your eyes, treats simple problems such as mild conjunctivitis, and refers you to optometry for an eyesight test or to the PHCC eye clinic for eye disease. Ask which health centre the referral is sent to, because optometry and eye clinics are not in every centre.
Have your eyesight tested at PHCC optometry
PHCC optometrists test eyesight, diagnose and manage vision problems and prescribe corrective lenses for registered patients aged 2 and over. Once the referral is in, the centre contacts you or the appointment appears in the app. Some centres also run an extra Saturday morning optometry session (Rawdat Al Khail, Muaither and Leabaib), which helps working parents and school children. Ask for a written copy of your prescription before you leave.
See a PHCC eye doctor if you need one
PHCC runs ophthalmology clinics at 19 health centres, including Leabaib, Al Sadd, Al Thumama, Al Mashaf, Gharrafat Al Rayyan, Al Khor, Muaither, Al Ruwais, Umm Al Seneem, Al Rayyan, West Bay, Umm Slal, Al Wajbah, Mesaimeer, Qatar University, Al Wakra, Airport, Rawdat Al Khail and Al Waab. They treat sudden and long-term eye problems and eye injuries that do not need hospital care, run diabetic eye and glaucoma screening, and refer on when needed. You can only get in with a referral from a family doctor or a school nurse.
Get referred to HMC for specialist care
If the PHCC eye doctor finds something that needs specialist care, such as retina problems, glaucoma treatment, cataract surgery or a child's squint, they refer you to Hamad Medical Corporation. HMC's eye services are spread across the Ambulatory Care Center, Hamad General, Al Wakra, Al Khor and other hospitals. Waiting times depend on how urgent the case is judged to be. How to follow up on an HMC referral is covered in its own guide.
Read guide: Seeing a specialist at Hamad: referrals, booking and changing HMC appointments →
Or use a private optician or eye clinic
Optical shops across Qatar test eyesight and make glasses and contact lenses, and many offer the eyesight test free when you buy from them. A shop test is fine for a straightforward glasses prescription; it is not a full eye health check. Private hospitals and clinics have ophthalmologists if you want a specialist without a PHCC referral, but you pay or claim from insurance. Ask for the prescription in writing so you can compare prices for frames and lenses elsewhere.
Act on your child's school screening
School health staff in government and private schools are trained by the Ministry of Public Health to check visual acuity and spot signs of eye problems, and they refer children who need more care. A 2024 Ministry study of almost 100,000 pupils found more than 1 in 10 had abnormal vision. If the school nurse refers your child, book the PHCC appointment promptly: lazy eye and squint respond best to treatment when caught early. Make sure children actually wear their glasses and have a yearly check.
Read guide: Special needs schooling in Qatar: assessments, inclusion and specialist schools →
Know where to go in an eye emergency
HMC provides 24-hour emergency eye care at Hamad General Hospital and The Cuban Hospital; other HMC emergency departments give eye care from 7am to 3pm. For a chemical in the eye, rinse with plenty of clean water straight away and keep rinsing on the way. For a serious injury or if you cannot get there safely, call 999. Do not wait for a PHCC appointment for sudden vision loss, a new shower of floaters with flashes, or a painful red eye with blurred vision.
Read guide: Emergencies in Qatar: who to call and where to go →
Check what your insurance pays for glasses
Public health registration does not include optical benefits such as frames and lenses. Private health insurance varies: entry-level plans often exclude optical care, while better plans may pay for an eye test and glasses up to a yearly limit. Look for the optical line in your table of benefits, and ask the shop whether it bills your insurer directly or you claim back. Keep the itemised receipt and prescription for the claim.
Read guide: Health insurance in Qatar: what residents and visitors need →
Sort out the driving licence eye test
An eye test certificate is part of applying for a new Qatar driving licence; it can come from the Traffic Department, a driving school or a licensed optician. If you need glasses to drive, wear them for your licence photo and whenever you drive. If your eyesight changes in a way that affects your driving, the Traffic Department can ask you to retake the eye test. Renewal steps and fees are in the renewal guide.
Read guide: Renew your Qatar driving licence, or replace a lost or damaged one →

What it costs

PHCC annual registration (health card), expat resident	QAR 100
Glasses, lenses and private eye tests	Set by each shop or clinic; check before you order

Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.

Common mistakes

Walking into a health centre expecting a same-day eyesight test: PHCC optometry and eye clinics need a referral from a family doctor or school nurse.
Letting the PHCC registration lapse, then finding the appointment cannot be booked or costs more.
Treating a shop eyesight test as a full eye health check, especially if you have diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of glaucoma.
Waiting for a routine appointment after a chemical splash, injury or sudden loss of vision instead of going to emergency.
Ignoring the school nurse's referral; lazy eye is much harder to treat after early childhood.
Ordering expensive lenses without checking the optical limit in the insurance table of benefits first.
Buying contact lenses without a fitting and prescription, or sleeping in lenses not made for it.

Questions people ask

Can I get a free eye test at a PHCC health centre?

If you are registered with PHCC, the optometry service is part of your primary care, but you first need a referral from your family doctor or a school nurse. Charges for consultations and medicines depend on your registration status, so check at the centre. Glasses themselves are not supplied as an optical benefit, so plan to buy them from an optical shop.

Does PHCC make glasses, or only give a prescription?

PHCC optometrists measure your eyesight and prescribe corrective lenses. PHCC's service pages do not mention supplying frames or lenses, and public registration does not include optical benefits, so most people take the written prescription to an optical shop.

Which health centres have an eye doctor?

As of May 2026, 19 PHCC health centres offer ophthalmology, the newest being Al Waab. The list includes Leabaib, Al Sadd, Al Thumama, West Bay, Al Wakra, Al Khor, Rawdat Al Khail and others. You are referred from your own health centre, so you may be sent to a different centre.

My child is 3. Can they have an eye test?

Yes. PHCC optometry accepts registered patients from age 2. Book with your family doctor or paediatric clinic at your health centre and ask for an optometry referral, especially if you notice squinting, an eye that turns in or out, or head tilting.

Is a free eye test at an optical shop good enough?

For a simple glasses or contact lens prescription it is usually fine. It does not replace a full eye check by an ophthalmologist, which looks for glaucoma, cataract, diabetic eye disease and other problems. If you have symptoms other than blur, or a medical condition that affects the eyes, see a doctor.

Where do I go at night if something gets in my eye?

Hamad General Hospital and The Cuban Hospital provide emergency eye care 24 hours a day. Other HMC emergency departments see eye cases from 7am to 3pm. Rinse a chemical splash with clean water at once, and call 999 for a serious injury.

Does my company insurance cover glasses or contact lenses?

It depends on your plan. Optical cover is often optional or has a separate yearly limit, and basic plans may exclude it. Check the optical line in your table of benefits and ask HR whether family members have the same cover.

Do I need a new eye test to renew my driving licence?

The eye test certificate is required when you first apply for a licence. If your eyesight has changed in a way that affects driving, the Traffic Department may ask you to retake it. See the driving licence renewal guide for the current process.

Official sources

Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.

Eye tests, glasses and eye doctors in Qatar

Before you start

Step by step

Choose the right route for the problem

Make sure your PHCC registration is active

Book a family doctor appointment

Have your eyesight tested at PHCC optometry

See a PHCC eye doctor if you need one

Get referred to HMC for specialist care

Or use a private optician or eye clinic

Act on your child's school screening

Know where to go in an eye emergency

Check what your insurance pays for glasses

Sort out the driving licence eye test

What it costs

Common mistakes

Questions people ask

Official sources

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