A clear perspective for the short and long view

Would you like to be able to see clearly without glasses or contact lenses as soon as you wake up in the morning? For most people in Switzerland this might sound like a pipe dream, but it's actually possible thanks to laser technology. And there's another bright spot: SWICA will contribute towards the cost.

AuthorSWICA Content Team

2 minutes reading time02. March 2026

Eight out of ten people between the ages of 15 and 74 in Switzerland need corrective lenses, according to the latest figures from Optikschweiz, the Swiss professional and trade association for optometry and optics. While over half of this number prefer to wear glasses to correct their vision, around a quarter opt for a mix of wearing glasses and contact lenses.

But it doesn’t have to be like this. Nearly three percent of the Swiss population have already opted for surgery to correct their vision.

A minor operation with major results

Refractive laser surgery refers to all eye operations that can be used to correct faulty vision. The following overview explains the most popular methods, how they work and who they are suitable for:

After the eye is numbed with eye drops, it is manually prepared for laser treatment. A small incision creates a thin corneal flap that is carefully lifted to the side.

An excimer laser is used to shave the corneal tissue as necessary to correct the defect in vision. The flap is then folded back and reattaches itself naturally. A bandage contact lens worn after surgery protects the eye from environmental effects and dehydration during healing.

The more modern Femto LASIK procedure differs from the classic version in that the flap is created with the help of a femtosecond laser instead of a tiny scalpel.

This treatment is performed in particular with cases of severe short-sightedness (up to -10.0 dpt), severe long-sightedness (up to +5.00 dpt), corneal curvature (up to 5.0 dpt) and presbyopia.

This treatment is carried out without making any contact. After the eye is numbed, the top layer of the eye (epithelium) is removed using an excimer laser rather than a manual method. This same laser then removes a targeted area of the cornea’s surface in order to correct the patient’s vision. After the surgery, Mitomycin C drops help to prevent scarring. A bandage contact lens is then used to protect the eye that has been operated on.

This procedure is used for short-sightedness up to -8.0dpt, for long-sightedness up to +1.0dpt and for corneal curvature up to 5.0dpt.

As the name clearly states, this method permanently places a contact lens in the eye – either in front of or behind the iris. It is mainly used for correcting extreme short-sightedness (up to -22 dpt) or severe long-sightedness (up to +12 dpt). If your prescription worsens over time, the implanted contact lens can be replaced by means of an outpatient procedure.

All laser surgery procedures only take a few seconds. You should plan on 10 to 20 minutes for your treatment. Artificial lens implant surgery lasts around 20 minutes. With all of the procedures, you will be discharged from the eye clinic on the same day.

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Not suitable for every eye

Whether you’re a good candidate for eye surgery depends on a number of factors. An initial consultation determines whether you meet the prerequisites for treatment.

Basically, patients must be over 20 years old, as there may still be fluctuations in the severity of their vision problems before this age. Another factor is having a stable glasses prescription. If this has changed during the last one to two years, you cannot have laser treatment.

Expectant or breastfeeding mothers may not undergo eye surgery. The same goes for patients with eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma or retinal disease.