Refractive Lens Exchange Cost in Los Angeles
Refractive lens exchange at CCRS starts at $7,000 for both eyes, all-inclusive — the surgeon-led evaluation, both premium intraocular lenses, the procedure, all medications and every post-operative visit.
How much does refractive lens exchange cost?
Nationally, refractive lens exchange typically costs $4,000 to $6,000 per eye — roughly $8,000 to $12,000 for both. At CCRS the package starts at $7,000 for both eyes, which sits below the national range.
Final pricing depends on which intraocular lens you and Dr. Lee select. Multifocal and extended-depth-of-focus lenses cost more than monofocal ones, and the right choice depends on how you actually use your eyes. More about lens exchange →
What the price includes.
Included at CCRS
- Surgeon-led evaluation with ALCON ARGOS® biometry for lens-power accuracy
- Both premium intraocular lenses
- The procedure, with ORA® intraoperative guidance
- All medications and eye drops
- Every post-operative visit
What affects your quote
- Lens type — monofocal, multifocal or extended depth of focus
- Astigmatism — toric lenses if you need them
- One eye or both — pricing is per eye where only one is treated
- Laser touch-up — occasionally added for final refinement
Why lens exchange costs more than laser surgery.
Laser vision correction reshapes tissue you already have. Refractive lens exchange replaces your natural lens with a manufactured intraocular lens — two of them, each a precision medical device selected specifically for your eye. That hardware cost does not exist in LASIK.
The measurement burden is also higher. Choosing the right lens power requires optical biometry, and getting it wrong means a result you cannot simply adjust with drops. CCRS uses the ALCON ARGOS® biometer and ORA® intraoperative aberrometry, which measures the eye during surgery to confirm lens power before the lens is fixed in place.
And it is intraocular surgery. The procedure enters the eye rather than working on its surface, which requires a sterile operating environment and a different standard of surgical care than a laser suite.
What you get for the difference: distance and reading vision corrected together, and you will never develop a cataract in that eye, because the lens that would have become one has been replaced. For a patient in their 50s, that is often better long-term value than LASIK, which corrects distance only and leaves a future cataract surgery still ahead of you.
How it compares.
Refractive lens exchange — from $7,000 both eyes
Corrects distance and near vision together and eliminates any future cataract. Usually the better answer for patients 45 and older.
LASIK — $4,000 both eyes
Corrects distance vision only. If you are under 40 with a stable prescription and healthy corneas, LASIK is faster, cheaper and entirely appropriate.
Refractive cataract surgery — quoted individually
If a cataract has already begun forming, this is the same operation — and insurance often covers a portion of it, so ask before assuming RLE is your route.
Financing, FSA and HSA.
0% interest financing through CareCredit — a $7,000 package is $116.67 a month over 60 months. FSA and HSA pre-tax dollars are accepted.
Most health insurance plans do not cover elective vision correction, but FSA and HSA funds apply, many vision plans offer member discounts, and monthly financing including zero-interest options is available.
Cost questions
How much does refractive lens exchange cost?
RLE at CCRS starts at $7,000 for both eyes, all-inclusive. Nationally RLE runs $4,000 to $6,000 per eye, or roughly $8,000 to $12,000 for both. Your exact price depends on the intraocular lens selected.
Why is RLE more expensive than LASIK?
RLE replaces your natural lens with two manufactured intraocular lenses, which is a hard hardware cost LASIK does not have. It also requires optical biometry to select lens power and is intraocular rather than surface surgery. At CCRS the difference is $4,000 for LASIK versus from $7,000 for RLE.
Does insurance cover refractive lens exchange?
Not usually, because it is elective when performed purely for refractive correction. However if a cataract is already present, the procedure may be billed as cataract surgery and insurance often covers a portion. Ask at your consultation — it is worth checking before paying privately.
Is RLE worth it compared to LASIK?
If you are in your mid-40s or older, often yes. LASIK corrects distance vision but does nothing about the natural lens stiffening with age, so you will still need reading glasses and will still develop a cataract eventually. RLE addresses both at once.
What lens should I choose?
Monofocal lenses give excellent distance vision with reading glasses for near work. Multifocal and extended-depth-of-focus lenses reduce dependence on reading glasses but can produce more night-time halos. The right choice depends on how you use your eyes and how you feel about that trade-off. Dr. Lee will walk through it at your consultation.
Get your exact lens exchange quote.
Your free consultation includes ARGOS® biometry and a discussion of which intraocular lens fits how you actually use your eyes.
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