A pre-load unit, for inserting a lens into the eye of a human or animal, includes a housing, a lens-receiving part arranged on or in the housing, having a section that protrudes from the housing, and two separate leaf-like units which, at least at their ends directed away from the housing, are in releasable contact with each other and form a chamber of storing an optical lens. A slide which is arranged movably in the interior of the housing can be moved between the leaf-like units of the lens-receiving unit. The pre-load unit may be combined with a grip piece, wherein the pre-load unit and the grip piece are connected to each other in such a way that the pre-load unit can be moved inside the grip piece.