A patient adapter for an eye laser apparatus comprises a first partial adapter unit (32), including a suction ring portion to be placed on an eye and affixed on the eye by means of suction force, the suction ring portion (48) having a ring axis (50) and a second partial adapter unit formed separately from the first partial adapter unit, the second partial adapter unit (34) being configured for releasable coupling to the eye laser apparatus and including an eye contact element for shaping the surface of the eye, wherein the two partial adapter units are held together mechanically in a module between a first relative position, in which the eye contact element has a first axial position with respect to the suction ring portion, and a second relative position, in which the eye contact element has a second axial position with respect to the suction ring portion.
