Lens surgery costs: prices for lens replacement & lens implantation (ICL)

We use high-quality lenses that are designed to stay in the eye for a lifetime. The ICL lenses have a durability of at least 90 years on. If a cataract develops with increasing age, the lens implant can simply be exchanged for a monofocal or multifocal artificial lens (standard or lifestyle lens exchange / cataract).

Multifocal lenses also usually do not need to be exchanged become. If you have your natural lens replaced with such an artificial lens, you can no longer develop cataracts. This is because the multifocal lens cannot become cloudy.

The costs of lens surgery are therefore an investment that pays off for you every day. In rare cases, a visual defect persists after lens surgery. This can usually be corrected by laser eye treatment. You only pay 50 percent of the regular price for this fine-tuning.

No. Lens surgery and laser eye surgery are two different procedures for the correction of vision defects and eye diseases, which are equally good work. Only the There are different areas of application. Whether you need lens implantation, lens replacement or laser eye surgery depends on you and we at EyeLaser will find the safest and most promising treatment method.

Refractive lens exchange: It is particularly suitable for the treatment of cataracts because the clouded lens cannot be replaced / cleared with a laser alone. The indication is therefore the healing of cataracts – the correction of visual defects is a positive side effect. Lens replacement is also an attractive alternative to laser eye surgery for presbyopia, as multifocal lenses can correct all visual defects (short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism) at the same time. You then no longer need glasses or contact lenses and cannot develop cataracts. Presbyopia can, however, also be treated with a laser through the PresbyMAX.

ICL Phake lens (lens implantation): Often used when the visual defect is so severe that conventional laser treatment is not possible. The artificial lens is inserted behind the pupil and can therefore also compensate for extreme short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism.

The costs for a lens operation are usually higher than the laser eye surgery costs. For this reason, these methods are usually used when they are the Safer, more effective and sometimes the only alternative to laser eye surgery are. Lens exchange and lens implantation enable patients to live without visual defects and visual aids, who would otherwise be permanently restricted and may even go blind due to cataracts.

Even though multifocal lenses are the most modern and advantageous variant of artificial lenses in the course of lens surgery, they are not usually covered by statutory or private health insurance. not covered by statutory or private health insurance. Formally, these are considered “not medically necessary”. Even if a cataract is present, the health insurance company will unfortunately only monofocal lenses (with EyeLaser: standard cataract surgery).

If you meet the requirements for the costs of lens surgery to be covered, you can clarify with your health insurance company whether a private co-payment (for the better multifocal lenses) is possible. This means that your private share only amounts to the difference between monocular and multifocal lenses.

At EyeLaser, we work with high-quality multifocal lenses for the benefit of our patients and for the best refractive lens exchange results. with high-quality multifocal lenses. However, we also offer the use of monofocal lenses in the course of lens replacement (due to cataracts or other visual defects).

This question (understandably) arises for many people. A variety of factors play a role in pricing. Excessive money due to the suffering of patients with defective vision and eye diseases is not one of them.

The main cost driver is the equipment at the EyeLaser Clinic. The diagnostic equipment alone costs around 300.000 €. Our modern femto laser of the latest generation – which is only used for the first incision – beats the laser with approximately one half a million euros to book. In practice, the cost of consumables is between 350 and 450 € per use (eye).

In addition, there are the costs for your premium lens implants (EVO/EVO+ VISIAN ICL), standard monofocal lenses or lenses manufactured just for you (trifocal / EDOF) multifocal lenses. must also be included in the calculation:

• Premises
• Employees
• Insurances

In the end, wisdom prevails: Quality has its price. And with such an important medical procedure, you should not save money at the wrong end.

For a fair price, EyeLaser provides you with the latest equipment (lasers, lenses & co.), experienced surgeons (e.g. Dr. Derhartunian: 18 years of training, decades of professional experience and renowned worldwide) and therefore the safest, most promising treatment to the highest standards.

Yes! In principle, you can deduct at least part of the costs incurred for lens surgery from your tax bill. This means that you compensate for part of the treatment costs through the reduced tax burden.

A decision has clarified that laser eye surgery and lens replacement as well as lens implantation may not be categorized as business expenses. Instead, these are Medical expenses in the sense of “extraordinary expenses”. Similar to claiming the purchase price of glasses, you are generally entitled to a tax rebate.

The “extraordinary burden” is defined in § 34 EstG and can be checked using these three criteria:

1. Exceptionality: higher expenses than the majority of the taxable population. In the case of laser eye surgery or lens surgery, which can cost several thousand euros, this condition is usually assumed.
2. Inevitability: Normally unproblematic for lens operations. It is more controversial with care services, for example.
3. Impairment of economic performance

Please note that the tax deductibility of medical expenses (which are classed as extraordinary expenses) is subject to a deductible is provided for. This is determined as a percentage of annual income and is between six and 12 percent. In special circumstances, it can be reduced by one percent (e.g. for single earners or single parents). With a certificate stating that a special medical service has been provided, a full deduction possible.

According to the law, the term “medical expenses” covers all therapeutic measures that are intended to cure an illness. Unlike cataracts, defective vision is not a recognized medical condition, but treatment costs are still covered. This is because expenses for medical aids (e.g. glasses) are also recognized.

If the requirements are met, you can pay the costs for the medical treatment (lens replacement or lens implantation) and the costs of medical care and accommodation. medical care and the stay deductible. If your health insurance covers all or part of your lens surgery, this also has an impact on your tax treatment.

If you are unsure, it is best to ask your tax advisor, your contact at EyeLaser or the relevant tax office.

The cost of lens surgery at EyeLaser Zurich depends on various factors, such as the variant and the type of lenses used:

• ICL phakic lenses cost CHF 5,000 per eye
• Lens replacement Premium: CHF 5,000 per eye
• Lens replacement Premium + Laser: CHF 6,000 per eye

These prices include the entire treatment—from the preliminary examination and the procedure itself to the materials and aftercare.

• Type of lenses: monofocal lenses generally cost less than multifocal or toric lenses.
• Technology: using laser technology in lens surgery often involves an additional charge.
• Complexity of the procedure: patients with special anatomical needs may require more complex procedures.
• Clinic location: prices can vary depending on the location of the eye laser centre.

At EyeLaser Zurich, for example, Femto-LASIK is used for Lens Replacement Premium + Laser, which alone costs around half a million euros to purchase.

Yes, EyeLaser Zurich offers interest-free instalment payments over a period of up to 6 months. In addition, a preliminary examination is offered for CHF 350.–, which is credited towards subsequent treatment.

In Switzerland, health insurance companies generally only cover the costs of lens surgery if there is a medical necessity, such as cataracts. In such cases, only the standard treatment with monofocal lenses is often covered. For premium options such as multifocal or toric lenses, patients usually have to pay themselves.

Vision usually improves within the first few days after treatment. However, complete healing and stabilisation of vision can take up to three months. During this time, patients should avoid certain activities such as intense sport or rubbing their eyes to support healing.