The invention relates to a device for cutting the cornea of an eye in order to correct the refractive power thereof, with a ring body that can be suctioned onto the eye, with an applanator (7) for deforming the cornea, and with a blade (4) which is guided in a guide plane perpendicular to the axis of the ring body, is mounted in front of the applanator (7) and is used to cut a pocket in the corneal tissue. So as to avoid adversely affecting the cutting depth and therefore the cutting accuracy upon penetration of the holder into the corneal pocket, provision is made that the blade (4) is secured on a blade receptacle (50) of a holder or fixture in such a way that the top side (51) of the blade receptacle (50) does not protrude above the top side (44) of the blade (4), at least within the depth of penetration of the blade receptacle (50) into the cornea.
