MCC code5 min readUpdated October 15, 2026

MCC 8042: Optometrists and Ophthalmologists, Not Eyeglass Stores

MCC 8042 is the card code for eye doctors: Visa and Mastercard wording, 8042 vs 8043, 5047 and 5999, the code for online eyeglass and contact lens sellers.

Nick Bonnassies, CMO at Tagada · checked against 6 sources

Article summary

TL;DR

MCC 8042 is the merchant category code for optometrists and ophthalmologists: licensed eye doctors who examine and treat eye defects with glasses, contacts or surgery, treat eye diseases, and may fill prescriptions and sell frames. Opticians and eyeglass stores use 8043, not 8042. Visa doesn't list 8042 as high risk.

Visa titles 8042 Optometrists and Ophthalmologists and lists Eye Doctors as its only inclusion.
Eyeglass stores and opticians take 8043. Some MCC directories label 8042 as opticians or eyeglasses, which doesn't match Visa or Mastercard.
An online store selling glasses or contact lenses without eye exams fits 8043 better than 8042. Plain sunglasses stores are on 5999.
8042 isn't on Visa's high-integrity-risk list. Stripe shows it with the restricted badge, so you contact Stripe to use it.

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On this page

You saw "8042" on a statement or a list of codes, or a directory told you it means eyeglasses. It doesn't. Here is the exact wording from Visa and Mastercard, the codes eye care businesses get confused with, and which one an online glasses or contact lens store should have.

What MCC 8042 means

MCC 8042 is the four-digit merchant category code for Optometrists and Ophthalmologists. Visa's manual defines it like this:1

Merchants classified with this MCC are licensed physicians that examine and treat eye defects with corrective eyeglasses or contacts or surgical techniques, treat eye diseases, and may fill contact or eyeglass prescriptions and sell eyeglass frames.

Visa, Merchant Data Standards Manual, April 2026, p. 102

Visa's "Included in this MCC" column has one entry: Eye Doctors. Its similar merchants are 8011, 8043 and 8099.1

Note the order. The merchant is a licensed eye doctor first. Filling prescriptions and selling frames are things that doctor "may" also do. A store that only sells glasses isn't an eye doctor.

On Mastercard. Mastercard titles the code Optometrists, Ophthalmologists. Its description splits the two: optometrists "examine and treat eye defects with corrective lenses or exercises", ophthalmologists are licensed physicians who "may perform surgery", and these merchants "may or may not fill eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions, or sell eyeglass frames". It files 8042 under Professional Services and Membership Organizations, with transaction category code R for face-to-face and T for non-face-to-face payments.3 Stripe lists it as "Optometrists, Ophthalmologist".4

MCC 8042 isn't SIC 8042. The US industry code SIC 8042, "Offices and Clinics of Optometrists", covers practitioners "having the degree of O.D." only.5 Ophthalmologists are in SIC 8011, "Offices and Clinics of Doctors of Medicine".6 On cards, both sit on MCC 8042. SIC codes serve statistics and government forms; card payments use MCCs.

Online eyeglass and contact lens sellers

Visa assigns the code of the activity with the most annual sales.1 For eye care, that means asking whether the customer pays an eye doctor or a store.

Optometry practice doing eye exams8042Examines and treats eye defects
Ophthalmology or laser eye surgery clinic8042Visa names surgical techniques and eye diseases
Eye doctor's office with a frames counter8042Visa says the doctor may sell eyeglass frames
Optician or eyeglass store, in person or online8043Makes and sells eyeglasses; Eyeglass Stores is listed
Online contact lens store, no eye exams8043Sells optical goods, isn't a licensed physician
Store selling only regular sunglasses5999Visa lists Sunglasses Stores under 5999
Supplier selling lenses or equipment to practices5047Business-to-business or wholesale only

Contact lenses. Visa's manual names contacts only inside 8042, as something eye doctors may prescribe and fill. Its 8043 text says "make and sell eyeglasses, and sell other optical goods", without naming contacts.1 Mastercard is explicit: 8043 covers merchants that "make and sell eyeglasses and contact lenses" and sell "eyeglass and contact lens solutions".3 Our reading of both texts: a contact lens retailer without eye doctors belongs on 8043. It's a reading, not a network ruling, and your acquirer decides.

Sunglasses. Visa puts "Sunglasses Stores" in 5999. Mastercard's 8043 includes "sunglasses (prescription and regular)".1 3

Which brands? Visa and Mastercard name none. PXP's MCC directory lists UK and US optical chains and online eyewear brands under 8042 and describes the code as "assigned to opticians". That isn't an official source, and Visa's text puts opticians on 8043.

Codes it is not: 8042 vs 8043, 5047 and more

MCC	Visa title	Use it instead of 8042 when
8043	Opticians, Optical Goods, and Eyeglasses	You make and sell eyeglasses and other optical goods
8011	Doctors and Physicians (Not Elsewhere Classified)	You're a licensed physician outside eye care
8099	Medical Services and Health Practitioners (Not Elsewhere Classified)	You're a health practitioner with no specific code
8021	Dentists and Orthodontists	You practice dentistry
5047	Medical, Dental, Ophthalmic and Hospital Equipment and Supplies	You distribute ophthalmic equipment business-to-business or wholesale
5999	Miscellaneous and Specialty Retail Shops	You run a sunglasses store

Source: Visa Merchant Data Standards Manual, April 2026, pages 56, 83, 102 and 103.1 Visa's 8043 also performs "eye examinations" and writes prescriptions. Mastercard draws the line: merchants that treat eye defects "with procedures that may involve surgery or surgical techniques" use 8042.3

Verdict

An eye doctor: 8042. An optician or eyeglass store, online or not: 8043. Lenses sold to practices: 5047. Regular sunglasses: 5999.

Risk, cardholders and merchants

Risk. 8042 isn't on Visa's April 2026 list of high-integrity-risk codes.1 Stripe shows "Optometrists, Ophthalmologist" with the restricted badge, as it does for 8043; you must contact Stripe to use a restricted MCC.4 In the US, Visa counts 8042 as a Health Care Merchant code;2 our MCC 8099 page explains what that changes, HSA and FSA cards included. Our high-risk MCC codes guide lists the codes Visa does flag.

Cardholders. You see 8042 when an optometrist, ophthalmologist or eye clinic charged your card. Each issuer decides which codes earn points or cashback; read your card's rewards terms. Your bank can't change a merchant's code. If you don't recognize a charge, your bank can explain a chargeback.

Merchants. Stripe notes that MCCs are used to calculate interchange fees, authorize payments and prevent fraud.4 See interchange fees for how pricing works.

Find your code. Check your merchant agreement or dashboard. Our guide shows where to find your MCC.
Match it to Visa's wording. Eye exams and treatment by licensed doctors: 8042. Glasses and optical goods: 8043.
Split if you do both. Visa lets you use the code of the larger activity, or one code per activity.1
Ask for a correction if needed. Send your provider the current code, the code you think fits, and proof: licenses, service list, revenue by activity. Each merchant account has its own MCC.

Visa: the MCC follows the activity with the highest annual sales. Stripe: one MCC per account.

Updated on October 15, 2026

Nick Bonnassies

CMO at Tagada

CMO at Tagada. Before Tagada, Nick built direct-to-consumer brands that generated over $115M in sales, raised over $25M in crowdfunding and sold two of them. He also works as a fractional CMO on marketing operations and AI systems.

Frequently asked questions

What is MCC 8042?

MCC 8042 is the merchant category code Visa titles Optometrists and Ophthalmologists. It covers licensed eye doctors who examine and treat eye defects with corrective eyeglasses, contacts or surgery, treat eye diseases, and may fill contact or eyeglass prescriptions and sell eyeglass frames.

What is the difference between MCC 8042 and 8043?

8042 is for eye doctors: optometrists and ophthalmologists who examine and treat the eyes. 8043 is for opticians and eyeglass stores that make and sell eyeglasses and other optical goods. Mastercard tells merchants that treat eye defects with procedures that may involve surgery to use 8042.

What MCC does an online eyeglass or contact lens store use?

Visa's wording points to 8043, which covers merchants that make and sell eyeglasses and sell other optical goods. 8042 is for licensed eye doctors. A store selling only non-prescription sunglasses fits 5999, which lists sunglasses stores. Your acquirer decides the code.

Is MCC 8042 high risk?

Not for Visa: 8042 isn't on its April 2026 list of high-integrity-risk codes. Stripe shows 8042 with a restricted badge, which means you must contact Stripe to use it.

Sources

Checked October 15, 2026

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