Does Health Insurance Cover Your Laser Eye Surgery?

No. Even if the profession requires perfect vision, basic insurance considers this “professional expenses” or a personal choice. There are no exceptions for pilots, drivers, or police officers.

Only in extreme exceptional cases involving congenital defects that cannot be corrected with glasses. Disability insurance is not responsible for standard myopia.

Only if the refractive error is a direct result of an accident (e.g., corneal injury from a splinter). Normal deterioration of vision is classified as “illness,” not “accident.”

If you sustain an eye injury during military service, yes. For correction of an existing refractive error to become fit for service (e.g., for pilot candidates), military insurance generally does not cover costs.

This is the standard case with basic insurance. We can support you by preparing a detailed medical letter that medically justifies the necessity (e.g., in cases of severe contact lens intolerance). However, there is no guarantee.

Often yes! Many insurers (e.g., Visana, Swica) have a budget that can be used for either glasses or or laser treatment. Check whether your credit is defined as “for visual aids.”

Yes, that’s a professional tip. If your insurance pays “per calendar year” (e.g., CHF 500 per year), we can treat the left eye in December and the right eye in January. This way, you use the budget twice.

Caution: There is usually a waiting period of 6 to 12 months before benefits can be claimed. Switching “shortly before the procedure” therefore usually does not work.

Nothing. Completing forms for your supplementary insurance is part of our service.

The principle of “extraordinary expenses” exists at the federal level. However, the thresholds (deductible in %) vary by canton. In Zurich, it is 5%; in other cantons, it is often higher. Check the instructions for your tax return.

In the Canton of Zurich, the threshold refers to net income (net). This is advantageous, as this amount is lower than gross, making the 5% threshold easier to reach.

For tax deductions, the “cash flow principle” usually applies (when the money was paid). If you finance through heylight the bank pays us immediately (outflow in year 1), and you repay the bank in installments. Clarify with your tax advisor whether the installments count as debt interest or medical expenses.

Yes. Crosslinking (CXL) to stabilize the cornea is a mandatory benefit of basic insurance if progression (deterioration) is documented. However, combining it with laser surgery for vision improvement is often a self-pay service.

We use the “splitting procedure.” The clinic bills the basic operation (cataract surgery) and the standard lens directly via TARDOC with the insurance. You only receive a separate invoice from us for the additional cost of the premium lens.

No, if there is no medical indication (such as cataracts), lens replacement is a self-pay service (“Clear Lens Exchange”).

Laser eye surgery is generally not performed on individuals under 18 (the eye is still developing). For medically necessary procedures (e.g., crosslinking in children), insurance covers costs.

Not for treatment as a self-pay patient. However, if we are to bill a service through basic insurance (e.g., cataracts) and you have a “general practitioner model,” you need a referral.

International private insurance policies (e.g., Bupa, Allianz Worldwide) are often much more generous than Swiss insurers and sometimes fully cover refractive surgery. Bring your English policy with you.

No. Since we use a new, sterile set of disposable instruments and licenses (Schwind ATOS) for each eye, material costs are fixed. Safety is our top priority.

No problem. We store all receipts digitally and can send you a copy for tax or insurance purposes at any time.