What is the cost of presbyopia? A comparison of treatment options

Defective eyesight and visual impairments not only affect the everyday lives of those affected, but also their wallets. In many cases, the costs for a treatment are not or only partially covered by the statutory health insurance – especially if the treatment is not medically necessary.

The cost of treating presbyopia, in addition to the visual impairment itself, is an additional burden for patients. But these costs are not immutable, but depend, among other things, on the treatment approach chosen. In this article, you will find out which treatment costs you should expect in the case of presbyopia.

Cost of a visual aid for presbyopia

The most common and initially often simplest solution for declining eyesight in old age is to reach for classic visual aids such as reading glasses or contact lenses. They help you to see the close range clearly again, but they only work as long as you wear them.

The treatment costs vary greatly, depending on the type of vision aid chosen, the individual wishes and additional eyewear refinements, such as blue filters or anti-reflective coatings.

How much do reading glasses cost?

Reading glasses are the classic solution for presbyopia. It helps to see nearby objects clearly again, for example when reading books or recognizing price tags. However, in order to see into the distance, it must be removed again, so that it is not helpful when walking or driving, for example. If nearsightedness existed before presbyopia, this must also continue to be compensated. In practice, this means that you have to change your glasses when you switch from near to far vision.

A clear distinction must be made between reading glasses and reading aids, such as those found in drugstores or petrol stations. Although these reading aids are temptingly cheap in price, they are usually not intended for permanent use because they have not been correctly adapted to the defective vision.

Expect to pay between 50 and 500 euros for high-quality reading glasses from the optician. As already mentioned, the prices depend on the type of lenses, the frame material and the desired additional functions such as blue light filters.

Cost Point Progressive Glasses

The costs for progressive lenses are usually significantly higher than for simple reading glasses, often between 300 and 1,500 euros, depending on the manufacturer, lens quality and frame. However, it is a practical solution for everyday life in the long term.

A pair of progressive spectacles not only provides sharp vision at close range, but also allows vision in the distance. This makes them a popular choice, especially if there is farsightedness or nearsightedness in addition to presbyopia.

Expenditure on contact lenses

Contact lenses for presbyopia offer a more flexible and invisible alternative to glasses. Multifocal lenses in particular are designed in such a way that they enable sharp vision for both near and far range.

The costs vary from lens to lens – but you can expect to spend around 30 to 50 euros per month. In addition, there are the costs for cleaning agents and regular adjustments at the optician.

Treatment costs for laser eye surgery over 50

The cost of laser eye surgery over 50 depends on various factors – the chosen procedures or methods, your level of presbyopia, the surgeon or eye centre and the location. Many people who do not want to rely on vision aids permanently opt for laser treatment for presbyopia.

It is correspondingly difficult to give an overview here as well. Instead, we give an example below of how the prices in our laser eye centers in Stuttgart and Karlsruhe are designed.

At Bányai Neue Augen, we have been specialising in eye lasers and OPs for presbyopia for over 25 years. 

– Bányai Neue Augen

Laser presbyopia costs – PRESBYOND ®, monovision and lens exchange in a cost comparison

At Bányai Neue Augen, we rely on state-of-the-art processes and high-quality equipment from well-known manufacturers such as Zeiss to deliver the best possible result. Because laser eye treatment is intended to ensure better vision over the long term – it is therefore important that the result is convincing.

Nevertheless, we want to offer affordable treatments, so that we also offer financing in 24 interest-free monthly installments. The total cost of treatment for presbyopia is as follows:

• PRESBYOND® blended vision: This treatment method, which works with a femtosecond laser, costs Bányai Neue Augen from 3,150 euros per eye. PRESBYOND® provides a comprehensive correction that optimizes one eye for near vision and the other for far vision. Both eyes are equally corrected to the intermediate distances.
• Monovision: The Monovision method is also offered by Bányai Neue Augen. It is similar toPRESBYOND ®, but without the extended “blend zone”. The costs start at 2,900 euros per eye.
• Refractive lens replacement (RLE): This method replaces the natural lens with an artificial lens, which is particularly useful for people with concomitant cataracts or high refractive error. The cost starts at around 3,000 euros per eye, depending on the type of lens used and the complexity of the procedure.

Eye laser method	Short description	Cost per eye	Monthly instalment payment
PRK & LASEK	Surface treatments of the cornea for certain refractive errors.	from €990	from €58
PRESBYOND®	Specialized LASIK method to improve near and far vision in presbyopia.	from €3,150	from €111
Refractive lens exchange (RLE)	Replacing the natural lens with an artificial lens to correct defective vision.	from €3,000	Individual
SMILE MONOVISION	Precisely adjusts one eye to the distance and the other to the proximity	from €2,900	Individual

So that we can jointly determine the ideal procedure for you, comprehensive eye examinations take place in advance, which are already included in the treatment costs.

Also included is a personal consultation, in which all your questions, uncertainties and wishes find room, as well as the comprehensive follow-up examination.

Free online aptitude test

In our constellation-free online aptitude test, you can find out in a few minutes whether you are eligible for an eye laser method for presbyopia. Start the test now:

General costs of presbyopia at a glance

In summary, you will find here once again different treatment routes for declining vision in old age, including cost estimates.

Treatment Method	Description	Estimated Cost
Reading Glasses	Classic visual aid for close-up areas. Variants from low-cost to high-quality	50 – 500 Euro
Progressive glasses	Enables both near and far vision, ideal for multiple vision defects	300 – 1,500 euros
Contact Lenses	Flexible visual aid, often multifocal, for near and far vision. Ongoing costs for care products	30 – 50 Euro/month
PRESBYOND® blended vision	Laser eye treatment that allows vision at different distances	approx. €3,150 per eye
Monovision	Method in which one eye is corrected for closeness, the other for distance	approx. 2,900 euros per eye
Refractive lens exchange (RLE)	Replacing the natural lens with a multifocal artificial lens	from 3,000 euros per eye

This chart gives a quick overview of the possible costs and helps in deciding which option is best for your declining eyesight in old age.

Laser presbyopia – The treatment methods in detail

Laser eye treatment offers various methods for correcting refractive errors, including presbyopia. A comprehensive preliminary examination is necessary to determine the most suitable laser method for each individual.

Accordingly, the costs of laser eye treatment also depend, among other things, on the method and technology used by the surgeon.

In the following, we will introduce you to the most important laser treatments for presbyopia – together with the costs you can expect for the respective method from refractive surgery at Bányai Neue Augen.

Monovision

Monovision involves several techniques to correct presbyopia, correcting one eye for distance vision and the other for near vision. This method can be implemented both with contact lenses and by laser eye treatment.

Monovision is particularly suitable for patients who suffer from both nearsightedness and farsightedness. The costs vary depending on the specific treatment method and start at around €2,200 per eye.

The methods we can use for the monovision procedure include femto-LASIK treatment, SMILE® Pro, PRK, and refractive lens replacement.

PRESBYOND® – procedures and laser eye costs

PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision is an innovative method for correcting presbyopia. This technique combines proven LASIK technology with a special refractive power adjustment to improve both near and far vision.

The procedure uses an excimer laser to precisely model the cornea. The surgeon corrects the dominant eye for distant vision, while the non-dominant eye is corrected for near vision. Thanks to a special wave profile, both eyes are corrected to the middle distances. This improves the depth of field and allows the brain to process the different visual impressions optimally.

The cost of a PRESBYOND®treatment at Bányai Neue Augen is about 3,150 euros per eye.

Femto-LASIK

Femto LASIK is an advanced eye laser method that allows the use of a femtosecond laser for the precise correction of defective vision. It is suitable for the treatment of nearsightedness, farsightedness, corneal curvature and presbyopia to allow sharp vision.

The procedure is carried out in two steps: first, a flap is created in the cornea, which is then raised to treat the underlying tissue area with the excimer laser and thus bring about improved vision.

The cost of a femto-LASIK at Bányai Neue Augen starts at 2,200 euros per eye.

Refractive Lens Replacement

Refractive lens replacement is a surgical method in which the natural eye lenses are replaced by artificial lenses, so-called intraocular lenses or implantable contact lenses (ICL). Either monofocal or multifocal lenses can be selected, i.e. either lenses for sharp distance vision or lenses for sharp vision at different distances.

This laser eye surgery is particularly suitable for patients who suffer from severe refractive errors or cataracts. Lens replacement costs at Bányai Neue Augen typically start at €3000 per eye, depending on the type of artificial lens used and the complexity of the procedure.

FAQs on the costs of presbyopia