How it works
The surgeon removes your natural lens through a small opening and puts in an artificial lens (an intraocular lens). The operation takes 30 to 60 minutes. Usually one eye is done first and the second about a week later, and you go home the same day.
The lens choices
- Monofocal: sharp at one distance, usually far. Most people still use reading glasses. From €3,200 per eye.
- Multifocal or trifocal: focus at more than one distance, to cut down on reading glasses, with more chance of halos at night. From €3,700 per eye.
- Toric: corrects astigmatism as well.
- Blended vision or monovision: one eye set a little nearer than the other. Some people adapt within weeks; some never do, so it is often tried with contact lenses first.
Who it suits
People from about 50, and long-sighted people or those with prescriptions beyond the laser range from younger ages in some cases. Many people in their fifties and sixties who ask about it are already developing a cataract, which the same operation treats.
Who should look at something else
- Anyone under 18. Laser eye treatment is for adults, and most clinics want you a little older, once the prescription has settled.
- Anyone whose prescription changed in the last year. Wait until it has held steady.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding, when hormones can change the prescription. Wait until things have settled.
- Keratoconus, or a cornea the scans show is too thin or irregular for laser.
- Uncontrolled diabetes, or an autoimmune condition or medicine that affects healing, without extra assessment first.
- People under about 45 with a healthy natural lens, where laser or an implantable lens keeps the eye's own focusing.
Recovery
Expect three or four days of blur, glare, light sensitivity and mild discomfort, with antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops. Many people are back at work within a few days. Drive once the clinic confirms your sight meets the standard at a check-up.
The risks, honestly
Complications are uncommon but real: retinal detachment, under- or over-correction, needing a second operation, glare or halos (more with multifocal lenses), rarely permanent loss of sight, and posterior capsule opacification, a clouding behind the new lens months or years later that is cleared with a quick laser treatment.
What it costs
€2,900 to €3,700 per eye, so €5,800 to €7,400 for both. It treats defective eyesight, so it should qualify for tax relief at 20%.
Questions people ask
Is lens replacement the same as cataract surgery?
Yes, it is the same operation. It is called refractive lens exchange when it is done to reduce the need for glasses rather than to remove a cataract.
Will I still need reading glasses?
With a monofocal lens, usually yes. Multifocal lenses and blended vision reduce the need, with some trade-offs at night.
Are both eyes done on the same day?
Usually not. Most surgeons do one eye, check it, then do the second about a week later.
What age is lens replacement for?
Usually from about 50. Some younger people with high long sight or very high prescriptions are offered it after an assessment.