The technology we use at EyeLaser Zurich is so advanced that it unites two patient groups. The implantation of a modern multifocal lens (hybrid) allows you to live without glasses. However, the path to achieving this differs depending on your initial situation.
You don’t have cataracts, but want to get rid of your progressive glasses?
From around 45–50 years of age, the natural lens loses elasticity (presbyopia). Corneal laser treatment has its limitations here. The replacement of the natural lens with a Odyssey hybrid lens permanently solves the problem.
The price depends not on the lens but on your situation. Three cases, three clear answers.
Cataract with basic insurance
We bill the operation to your basic insurance under the TARDOC tariff. For an EDOF or multifocal lens you pay a surcharge of CHF 2,700 per eye, plus CHF 1,000 with the femtosecond laser.
Lens exchange without cataract
Refractive lens exchange without cataract costs CHF 5,000 per eye, CHF 6,000 with the femtosecond laser — regardless of which implant is used.
Cataract as a self-payer
Without Swiss basic insurance, cataract surgery is priced like lens exchange: CHF 5,000 per eye, CHF 6,000 with the femtosecond laser.
Realistic guide values from practice — your personal course is closely monitored at the follow-up checks.
Transparency
Multifocal lenses are a mature technology — we discuss these points openly:
«Think of blood-pressure therapy: you start with one tablet, measure again — and adjust the dose until the value is right. It is the same with the correction of presbyopia: we correct, the brain gets used to the new vision, and if necessary we fine-tune. A touch-up is not a setback but part of a precise treatment — and included in our fixed price.»
In the past, cataract surgery was a purely “repair procedure.” The cloudy lens was removed and a standard (monofocal) lens was inserted. The patient could see brightly again but still needed glasses for distance and near vision.
The result: You not only lose the cataract but also gain freedom from glasses.
For a long time, classic “trifocal lenses” were the standard. They had sharp rings that split light. This worked well but often led to glare (halos) and loss of contrast at night.
At EyeLaser Zurich, we rely on the 2nd generation (Hybrid & EDOF), such as the Johnson & Johnson Tecnis Odyssey or Bausch + Lomb Envista.
The price depends not on the lens but on your situation. Three cases, three clear answers.
Cataract with basic insurance: We bill the operation to your basic insurance under the TARDOC tariff. For an EDOF or multifocal lens you pay a surcharge of CHF 2,700 per eye, plus CHF 1,000 with the femtosecond laser. All cataract surcharges
Lens exchange without cataract: Refractive lens exchange without cataract costs CHF 5,000 per eye, CHF 6,000 with the femtosecond laser — regardless of which implant is used. Refractive lens exchange
Cataract as a self-payer: Without Swiss basic insurance, cataract surgery is priced like lens exchange: CHF 5,000 per eye, CHF 6,000 with the femtosecond laser.
A premium lens tolerates no errors. Therefore, we leave nothing to chance in planning.
We measure your eye with the Heidelberg Anterion and CSO MS-39. This data flows into AI-based formulas (such as Kane, Barrett, or Hill-RBF). These algorithms “learn” from thousands of eyes worldwide and predict the position of the lens in the eye more precisely than any classical formula.
We recommend performing the procedure with the femtosecond laser.
An eye is living tissue. Wound healing is individual.
We only operate if the anatomy is correct. We rigorously check:
Lens exchange is a procedure inside the eye. Especially in young patients with high myopia, there is a statistical risk that the retina may detach years later.
In very rare cases (under 1%), the brain does not adapt to the new vision (“lack of neuroadaptation”).
The solution: We will not leave you alone. A Lens replacement is possible. We remove the multifocal lens and insert a classic monofocal lens. Thanks to our precise preliminary examination (simulation tests), however, this scenario is extremely rare.
Book your eligibility check in Zurich. Experience what happens when state-of-the-art technology meets true Swiss treatment quality.
book an assessmentFAQ – Frequently Asked Questions in Zurich
It depends on your situation, not on the lens. With a medically indicated cataract and basic insurance, the operation is billed under the TARDOC tariff; you pay the surcharge for the lens — CHF 2,700 per eye for EDOF and multifocal lenses, plus CHF 1,000 with the femtosecond laser. Refractive lens exchange without cataract costs CHF 5,000 per eye, CHF 6,000 with the femtosecond laser, regardless of the implant. Without Swiss basic insurance, lens-exchange prices apply to cataract surgery as well.
Swiss basic insurance covers only what is “economical and appropriate”: the manual operation with a scalpel. The laser counts as comfort technology for higher precision. Because it is not strictly necessary to remove the cataract but is recommended for a premium result, it has to be paid privately. With us, femtosecond-laser assistance costs CHF 1,000 per eye.
Yes. The material (hydrophobic acrylic) is ageing-resistant and glistening-free; it stays clear for life. What can happen: the natural capsule holding the lens may cloud after years (posterior capsule opacification). This is polished away painlessly in about two minutes with a YAG laser in the practice.
No. We use modern anaesthetic drops. You are awake but feel no pain — only that work is being done on the eye, and you see coloured lights. The procedure takes only about 15–20 minutes per eye.
Yes. Modern hybrid lenses (Odyssey) are designed to minimise halos (rings of light) and are far better tolerated than older trifocal lenses. During the first 3–6 months the brain adapts (neuroadaptation): light effects are still noticed at first and fade with time.
Because biological tissue is never 100% predictable. Even with AI formulas a deviation of 0.5 dioptres can remain. A surgeon who only implants lenses often cannot do anything about it. At EyeLaser we use our excimer laser to smooth this residual error on the cornea. This is included in the premium package.
Probably not. At this age the risk of retinal detachment after lens exchange is statistically higher, and you can usually still accommodate (focus) yourself. We would most likely recommend an ICL (implantable contact lens). We check this with our risk calculator.
The kappa angle is the difference between the optical axis of the eye and your line of sight. Multifocal lenses have rings. If you do not look exactly through the centre of these rings (because of a large kappa angle), you get glare and poor vision. We measure this beforehand. If the angle is too large, we do not implant a multifocal lens.
Some supplementary insurance policies (VVG) contribute to refractive procedures, similar to laser eye surgery. This varies between CHF 500 and CHF 1,500 per eye. We provide the documents you need to submit a claim.
You usually see well the next day. Full visual acuity and neuroadaptation (getting used to the new vision) settle over 3 to 12 weeks. Most patients are fit for work again after 2–3 days.
