Gripper for a contact lens, such as a soft contact lens, the gripper comprising: - a gripper head having a bearing surface, the bearing surface having at least one through-opening to which suction or overpressure can be applied, the bearing surface further having a separate detection through-opening other than the at least one through-opening, through which detection through-opening a separate detection vacuum can be applied independent from the suction or overpressure that can be applied to the at least one through-opening; - a suction channel arranged in an interior of the gripper, the suction channel leading to the at least one through-opening in the bearing surface for applying suction from the interior of the gripper to the at least one through-opening in order to suck the contact lens against the bearing surface; - an overpressure channel arranged in the interior of the gripper, the overpressure channel leading to the at least one through-opening, for applying overpressure from the interior of the gripper to the at least one through-opening in the bearing surface in order to release the contact lens from the bearing surface; and - a detection vacuum tube arranged in the interior of the gripper, the detection vacuum tube leading to the separate detection through-opening in the bearing surface, the detection vacuum tube having a distal end which is arranged in the detection through-opening in a fluid-tight manner in order to allow the detection vacuum to be applied through the detection vacuum tube to the detection through-opening independent from the application of the suction or overpressure applied to the at least one through-opening in the bearing surface, characterized in that the detection through-opening is arranged in the center of the bearing surface of the gripper. - a gripper head having a bearing surface, the bearing surface having at least one through-opening to which suction or overpressure can be applied, the bearing surface further having a separate detection through-opening other than the at least one through-opening, through which detection through-opening a separate detection vacuum can be applied independent from the suction or overpressure that can be applied to the at least one through-opening; - a suction channel arranged in an interior of the gripper, the suction channel leading to the at least one through-opening in the bearing surface for applying suction from the interior of the gripper to the at least one through-opening in order to suck the contact lens against the bearing surface; - an overpressure channel arranged in the interior of the gripper, the overpressure channel leading to the at least one through-opening, for applying overpressure from the interior of the gripper to the at least one through-opening in the bearing surface in order to release the contact lens from the bearing surface; and - a detection vacuum tube arranged in the interior of the gripper, the detection vacuum tube leading to the separate detection through-opening in the bearing surface, the detection vacuum tube having a distal end which is arranged in the detection through-opening in a fluid-tight manner in order to allow the detection vacuum to be applied through the detection vacuum tube to the detection through-opening independent from the application of the suction or overpressure applied to the at least one through-opening in the bearing surface,