I get mine done in the UK every year- often you can look for a special offer for a free eye test, or pay about £20 at VisionExpress. As I am diabetic and have a family history of glaucoma and macular degeneration- I used to get it for free but not now. Opticians here just test your vision, nothing else- but in the UK they do the full examination, including eye pressure (glaucoma) and a full examination of the blood vessels at back of the eye to determine any damage due to diabetes, or any other reason- the sort of examination that is only done by opthamologist doctors here. Get your family to book, or book on line for your next visit to uk.

The opticians who does the tests at my local VisionExpress used to be a former 6th form student of mine- so we have a good natter too.

Emergency walk-in clinics at airports, stations, etc, are always a lot more expensive than if you go to specialist via GP (family doctor). They provide a service where and when people want them- but at a stiff price!

No, not normal, but because of this bit below you left yourself open for extra charges:

In Switzerland any time you leave wiggle room, that is,"if nothing more complicated" you are essentially agreeing to additional charges.

For the future, when getting a quote or price estimate it is best to state that you are willing to pay up to 'X', and then if it is determined that more than 'X' is needed the provider must inform you of the cost prior to doing the work and get your agreement for the extra costs before continuing. The underlined bit is important, because if the work is already done, even without your agreement, you will likely have to pay.

Locals don't think to tell you these things because that's the way it is and always has been and so obvious to them - and we newcomers often don't know what we don't know, so don't know to ask. It isn't easy getting used to Swiss norms when one is used to doing business in a different way. One needs to be on one's toes as one is settling into the Swiss way of life.

And just in case you haven't come across this yet: In Switzerland one often has to pay to get a cost quote. This would be common in repair work, building, etc. But not in medical services. (Yet. )

Another thing you'll find - doctors sometimes do not know what their services cost, and patients often do not even ask, as everyone seems to assume that insurance will pick up the costs. But as insurance and medical practices are tightening one might start to see more questioning or refusal of costs from insurers - so IMO always best to ask upfront and to review alternatives.

Anyway - don't let this incident upset you. Just chalk it up to experience, and go out and find an nice Oktoberfest celebration and enjoy the good bits of Switzerland.

All the best...

My wife and I both had the exam today at Visilab at Zürich airport. No appt. necessary, took 5 minutes total and the cost was CHF 20 each. I think you got the wrong type of exam. We only needed to read from the chart, look at a blinking light and follow an object moved in front of us. You should have had a paper printed already that indicated to them what type of exam was needed.

one eye sees 100% of my vision. My other eye sees at 30%. Is it okay to get my driver's license? what are the degree standards for both eyes? Does it have to be more than 60% in both eyes?

That seems too much money, even for a normal eye exam!!

I converted my license and asked for my motorcycle learning permit, made the driving license eye test at Fielmann in ZH and paid like 10-15 top!

You do realise that was posted over six years ago? Perhaps you should have your eyes tested.

Barnard Castle ?

Did you have appointments, or just turn up?
I was caught out once (despite ringing in advance to check the policlinic had an in-house eye specialist and then making a same-day appointment), I was charged an extra chf 100 for an 'emergency' appointment.

My health insurance dealt with it after I'd explained but can't remember now if the extra charge was removed or they covered it.

I wanted to add a cat C to my driving license... turned up (no appointment) at my nearest optician 2 weeks ago.

Cost 15 chuffs... was out of there within 15 minutes of entering

wow, not bad... I think there is a standard fee for eye check for driving license. Maybe even regulated Anyway, I didn't have appointment and check was 20CHF. Verified few shops around and everywhere it was the same.

Feels strange to have an emergency appointment. Did you say something that you need to have it urgently? If they don't have a slot they should have offered next available.

You must get your eyes tested. Find the form for your canton and print it off - fill in what you can. Go to your local optician and tell them that you need an eye test for your driving licence. The price is fixed. They'll fill in the rest of the form. Send it off. If you need glasses, you'll be informed. If you don't then no worries. With 100% in one eye, chances are you won't need glasses. I'm 20:40 20:60 and I don't need them.

Emergency appointment in this case means that they claimed I'd just turned up with a problem and needed to be seen immediately . Which I hadn't.... I been here more than long enough to know not let them get away with things like that and requested that the insurance sort out the over-charge. I'm not going to check back through 40+ years of records to find out exactly what happened in the end!

The OP* must be fairly new if he's swapping his driving license for a swiss one and I was simply wondering if he'd been caught by a similar over-charge, especially as he's clearly had a full-blown eye control done in a walk-in style clinic rather than the very basic eye test that was required.

Policlinics (where I saw a medical doctor for a chronic eye condition rather than a high street- type optician which is what I think you're referring to) have sometimes been known to sneaking in extra charges like this, as can the drop-in clinics at railway stations and airports.

*I realise this thread is old, but it does crop up if someone's using the search function and the info might be useful to later searchers.

Username checks out.

Visilab charges 20.- for the driving licence test.


It is NOT a full eye exam, at all- just a test to confirm you have sufficient vision to drive. So totally different to full ophtalmic exam that will test the back of the yes (fundus), do glaucoma and check for Macular Degeneration, etc.

I don't even it's that. They don't test visual field do they? I actually failed part of the test but they still passed me.

Yep, they do the visual test. For me it was with and without glasses. I think you have to be able to see at least some lines in order to pass. If you have trouble finding that board, then it would be fail

Holy thread revival, Batman.

It was adams who bumped the thread, not her.

Me? Yes I realized.. I was just killing time before dinner and started commenting on random posts, new or old

Sorry this happened to you! When I needed my driver's license I just wandered into a glasses store on Bahnhofstrasse and paid 20 CHF and took the test (which was in Swiss German but I guess I guessed well enough what I was being asked..).