In short: At EyeLaser Zurich, a refractive lens exchange costs CHF 5’000 per eye, the ICL lens CHF 4’500 per eye, and for cataract with basic insurance you only pay the surcharge for the lens, CHF 700 or CHF 2’700. The femtosecond laser costs an additional CHF 1’000 for both refractive lens exchange and cataract. All prices per eye, as of October 2026.
You have no cataract and want to get rid of varifocals or distance glasses. Your own lens is replaced by an artificial lens. The price is independent of the implant: Monofocal Plus, EDOF, trifocal or toric cost the same. CHF 6’000 with femtosecond laser. Details on the page Lens exchange.
We bill the operation to your basic insurance under the TARDOC tariff. You only pay the surcharge for a lens that does more than the standard model: CHF 700 per eye for one distance sharp (Monofocal Plus), CHF 2’700 per eye for several distances or for correcting astigmatism, every variant at the same price. Femtosecond laser plus CHF 1’000. Details on the page Cataract surgery.
An additional lens inside the eye for high prescriptions or a thin cornea; your own lens stays. Toric version at no extra cost. Details on the page ICL lens.
Cataract without Swiss basic insurance, for instance as a self-payer from abroad: as lens exchange, CHF 5’000 or 6’000.
The procedure, the lens, a protective shield and the follow-up checks the next day, after one week, after one month and after three months. You receive medication and eye drops on prescription from the pharmacy. After an ICL and a refractive lens exchange, any laser fine-tuning in the first year is included. After the first three months, the annual check-up costs CHF 180; after an ICL it is needed every year for life. The comprehensive pre-examination costs CHF 300 and is credited if you go ahead with treatment; for ICL and refractive lens exchange the initial consultation is free, for cataract the examination is a basic insurance benefit and is billed under TARDOC.
Whoever sells the more expensive lens for more has a reason to recommend it. We do not want that reason. Which lens suits you is decided by retina, cornea, pupil and your everyday life, not by the price. An overview of all routes is on the page lens surgery in Zurich.
Prices for lens surgery in Zurich
Per eye, as of October 2026. Follow-up checks during the first three months included.
| Situation | Price per eye | Both eyes | Six interest-free monthly instalments (per eye) | Payer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICL (phakic lens) | CHF 4’500 | CHF 9’000 | CHF 750 per month | Self-pay; supplementary insurance sometimes contributes |
| Refractive lens exchange (lens replacement) | CHF 5’000 | CHF 10’000 | around CHF 833 per month | Self-pay; supplementary insurance sometimes contributes |
| Refractive lens exchange with femtosecond laser | CHF 6’000 | CHF 12’000 | CHF 1’000 per month | Self-pay |
| Cataract with basic insurance | Surcharge CHF 700 or CHF 2’700, femtosecond laser plus CHF 1’000 | – | – | Operation under TARDOC |
| Cataract without Swiss basic insurance | CHF 5’000, with femtosecond laser CHF 6’000 | CHF 10’000 / 12’000 | – | Self-pay |
As of October 2026, all prices per eye. The interest-free instalments apply for six months directly with EyeLaser Zurich (price divided by six); longer terms via HeyLight with a credit check and interest. Pre-examination CHF 300, credited if you go ahead with treatment.
Cataract with basic insurance: operation under TARDOC, surcharge CHF 700 (one distance) or CHF 2’700 (several distances or toric), femtosecond laser plus CHF 1’000, each per eye. Financing: six interest-free monthly instalments directly with us, without a bank check; 12 to 36 months via our partner HeyLight with a credit check and interest. Taxes: medical expenses are deductible above a threshold, see Laser eye surgery and taxes.
From first contact to a binding price: this is how the path to treatment at EyeLaser Zurich works.
Seven questions, about 45 seconds, no contact details: the suitability test shows which procedures may be an option.
Our team answers your questions about the procedure, costs and appointments, by video if you prefer. Book a free initial consultation
CHF 300, credited towards your treatment; for cataract it is billed to basic health insurance. Afterwards you receive a recommendation for the suitable procedure and a binding price.
At EyeLaser Zurich, the price depends on your situation, not on the lens. The only surcharge for a refractive lens exchange is the femtosecond laser (CHF 1’000 per eye); after the pre-examination you receive a binding price. These questions help with any offer:
Book a free initial consultation Check suitability Call 044 221 95 02
For cataract: “Book an examination” via the same calendar; there is no free initial consultation.
Online appointmentTwo in-depth articles: refractive revision surgery after a previous laser or lens procedure, and dry eyes, one of the most common questions before and after surgery.
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Discover our laser eye surgeons in the heart of Zurich
Having learned his craft from the two pioneers of laser surgery, Dr. Victor Derhartunian has performed some 25,000 refractive procedures. The head eye surgeon at EyeLaser in Zurich can consult his patients in 5 languages.
Dr. Valery Vinzent Wittwer joined the EyeLaser Zurich team in 2024. He specializes in lens surgery and performs refractive lens exchange at our clinic.
Dr. med. Myron Kynigopoulos is an ophthalmologist and eye surgeon, FEBO. At EyeLaser Zurich he performs cataract and lens surgery.
Seven questions about age, prescription, eyes and lifestyle. You receive a first assessment of which option, and therefore which price, may apply to you. The pre-operative examination makes it binding.
Check suitabilityICL lens CHF 4’500 per eye. Refractive lens exchange CHF 5’000 per eye regardless of the implant, CHF 6’000 with femtosecond laser. For cataract with basic insurance you only pay the surcharge for the lens: CHF 700 for one distance, CHF 2’700 for several distances, femtosecond laser plus CHF 1’000. As of September 2026.
Because the lens choice should remain a medical decision. Once EDOF, trifocal, Monofocal Plus and toric lenses cost the same within one situation, we recommend the lens that fits your measurements and your everyday life, not the one that sells better.
For cataract, yes: basic insurance pays for the operation under TARDOC; at EyeLaser Zurich you only bear the surcharge for the lens, CHF 700 or CHF 2’700 per eye. You usually pay for ICL and refractive lens exchange yourself; if there is a large difference between the eyes or very high prescriptions, basic insurance may contribute after a cost approval. Supplementary insurance policies sometimes make contributions, often CHF 500 to 1’500; obtain a cost approval beforehand, and we will support you with a cost estimate and documents.
At EyeLaser Zurich, the procedure, the lens, the protective shield and the follow-up checks during the first three months are included, and after an ICL and a refractive lens exchange also any laser fine-tuning in the first year. You receive medication and eye drops on prescription from the pharmacy. After that, the annual check-up costs CHF 180. The pre-examination costs CHF 300 and is credited if you go ahead with treatment.
CHF 1’000 per eye, for both refractive lens exchange and cataract. The laser performs the incisions and the capsule opening reproducibly; two large randomised studies found no clinically meaningful difference from the manual technique in visual acuity and complications (Schweitzer 2020; Day 2021). Whether it offers a measurable advantage for your eye we discuss openly after the pre-examination; for many eyes the manual technique is equivalent.
Yes. Six interest-free monthly instalments directly with us, without a bank check. Longer terms of 12 to 36 months are handled by our partner HeyLight, with a credit check and interest. Interest-free example: refractive lens exchange CHF 5’000 in six instalments of around CHF 833 per eye.
Medical costs you bear yourself are deductible in Switzerland above a threshold of net income, five percent for federal tax. Lens procedures are not named specifically; the tax authority decides case by case. Keep all receipts, we issue them.
The procedure often is, the treatment as a whole not necessarily: travel, accommodation, four check-ups and the question of who can be reached after you return home all belong in the calculation. With us, all check-ups take place in Zurich; in the first 24 hours you can reach the surgeon around the clock, after that during the day at the practice and at night the emergency department of the hospital on duty.
A refractive lens exchange, colloquially called lens replacement, costs CHF 5’000 per eye at EyeLaser Zurich, whether monofocal plus, EDOF, trifocal or toric; with femtosecond laser CHF 6’000. For both eyes, that is CHF 10’000 or 12’000 respectively. Included are the procedure, the lens, a protective shield, the follow-up checks during the first three months and any laser fine-tuning in the first year.
No. For cataract, the examination is a basic insurance benefit and is billed at EyeLaser Zurich under TARDOC. The free initial consultation applies to ICL, refractive lens exchange and laser eye surgery. After the examination you will know whether an operation makes sense and which surcharge applies: CHF 700 for one distance or CHF 2’700 for several distances per eye.
All lens procedures at a glance · Laser eye surgery costs · Health insurance · Book an appointment
