COLUMBUS, Ohio—The Ohio Optometric Association has commended its membership for the support they provided to the association’s effort to make eyeglasess and contact lens purchases exempt from Ohio’s state sales tax. According to the state’s revised tax code, which became effective July 1, all sales of corrective eyeglasses and contact lenses that require a prescription by an optometrist or ophthalmologist will be exempt from sales tax, the association noted on its website. The exemption for the sale of eyeglasses includes both lenses and the corresponding frames.

“Thanks to the efforts of Ohio Optometric Association members, Ohioans can now purchase the corrective lenses necessary for their daily lives without the burden of sales tax,” the association noted. “This long fight for repeal will save Ohioans an estimated $29 million annually and will provide significant cost savings to families throughout the state.”

The sales tax exemption does not extend to the purchase of nonprescription “readers” that can be purchased at drugstores, nor does it apply to over the counter magnifying glasses and low vision aides, the association noted. Sunglasses also remain taxable unless comprised of prescriptive corrective lenses.

The change, according to Ohio news reports, was included in a bill lawmakers adopted in November 2017. Hearing aides, prescription drugs and other medical devices are already exempt from the state sales tax.