Home › Specialities › Cataract › Cost of cataract surgery

What decides the cost of cataract surgery?

"How much will it cost?" is one of the first questions families ask about cataract surgery, and it is a fair question. The plain answer is that there is no single price, in Goa or anywhere else, because no two eyes and no two surgery plans are the same. This guide explains what changes the cost, so you know what to ask when the plan for your eye is explained. For an overview of the surgery itself, see cataract surgery in Vasco, Goa.

Why is there no fixed price for cataract surgery?

A price list can only be written for an average eye, and real eyes differ. A soft early cataract, a hard mature one, an eye with high astigmatism and an eye with diabetes changes in the retina each need a different plan. A fee quoted over the phone, before anyone has looked at your eye, may not match what your eye needs. So at ReNew Vision the eye is examined first, and then the cost of the plan that suits you is explained.

1. The type of surgery: phaco or SICS

Phaco (phacoemulsification) uses an ultrasound machine and its consumable parts, and puts in a foldable lens through a very small opening. Manual small-incision cataract surgery (SICS) removes the lens whole through a slightly longer tunnel, without ultrasound. The equipment and materials differ, so the cost differs.

The choice is not only about money. The surgeon recommends the method that suits your eye; for example, SICS often suits a very hard cataract. How the two compare is explained in phaco or SICS.

2. The lens you choose

The artificial lens (intraocular lens, or IOL) is often the biggest single difference in cost. Lenses differ in:

• Type: a standard monofocal lens focuses at one distance; a toric lens also corrects astigmatism; a multifocal lens is designed for both distance and near.
• Material and design: lenses are made of different materials and optical designs, and these affect the cost.
• Planning: toric and multifocal lenses need extra measurements and careful planning, and they suit only some eyes.

A more costly lens is not automatically the right lens for you. A multifocal lens, for example, may not suit an eye with retina or optic nerve problems. Our eye surgeon explains which lenses are suitable for your eyes, and you choose among them knowing the fee with each. See choosing a lens for cataract surgery.

3. The condition of your eye

Some eyes need more time, care or materials during surgery. Things that can change the plan include:

• A very hard or mature cataract
• A pupil that does not dilate well
• Glaucoma, diabetes-related retina changes or other eye disease
• Weak support for the natural lens, seen after some eye injuries and in some older eyes
• Previous eye surgery

Sometimes extra medicines or small devices are needed during surgery, or more follow-up visits afterwards. Your surgeon will tell you about these before the date is fixed, so they do not come as a surprise.

4. Tests before surgery

Before surgery you need a complete eye check-up and the lens power test (A-scan biometry and keratometry), which decides the power of the new lens. Depending on your general health, you may also need blood sugar and blood pressure checks, or a fitness note from your physician. These are part of the total cost of getting your eye ready. Read about the lens power test.

5. One eye or both eyes

Most people have cataract in both eyes, but each eye is usually operated on a separate day. Cataract surgery costs are usually worked out per eye, and the cataract, the eye's condition and the lens chosen can differ between the two eyes. Ask whether the plan you are given is for one eye or both.

6. After surgery: medicines, visits and spectacles

After surgery you use eye drops for some weeks, wear a protective shield, and come for follow-up checks. Most people also need new spectacles a few weeks later, at least for reading. Ask which of these are included in the fee and which are separate. When your power has settled, new spectacles can be made at our Vision Correction Centre in the same hospital.

What about health insurance?

If you have health insurance, check with your insurer what your policy covers for cataract surgery before you fix a date. Many policies have their own rules for cataract, such as a waiting period from the start of the policy or a limit on the amount paid per eye, and some limit what they pay for the lens. Knowing this early helps you choose a plan without surprises.

Questions to ask at the consultation

• Which method do you advise for my eye, phaco or SICS, and why?
• Which lens types suit my eye, and what is the fee with each?
• Does the fee include the tests, the lens, the surgery, the medicines and the follow-up visits?
• Is this plan for one eye or both?
• Could anything about my eye change the plan or the cost?
• When will my new spectacles be checked?

Write the answers down, or bring a family member to listen with you. Clear information makes the decision easier.

Why does ReNew Vision not publish a price list?

A number on a website, given without an examination, can mislead: it may leave out what your eye needs or include things it does not. So the fee is explained in person, after your eyes are examined, for the plan that suits you, and you can take time to decide.

How can I find out the fee for my eye?

Book a cataract check-up at ReNew Vision Eye Hospital, 2nd floor, Pai Hospital building, Vaddem, Vasco da Gama. The eye OPD is open Monday to Saturday, 4 pm to 7 pm. Call or WhatsApp 072489 88039, and see timings and directions. After the examination, our eye surgeon explains the plan and the fee.

EMI facility is available for treatment and services above ₹30,000.

Questions patients ask

How much does cataract surgery cost in Goa?

There is no single figure. The cost depends on the type of surgery, the lens, the condition of your eye and the tests needed. At ReNew Vision, the fee for your plan is explained after our eye surgeon has examined your eyes.

Why is the lens such a big part of the cost?

Lenses differ in type (monofocal, toric or multifocal), material and design, and toric and multifocal lenses need extra measurement and planning. Your surgeon explains which lenses suit your eye and the fee with each.

Does phaco cost more than SICS?

Often it does, because phaco uses an ultrasound machine, its consumable parts and a foldable lens. But the method should be chosen for your eye, not only for cost. Your surgeon will explain why one method suits you.

Can I get the fee for cataract surgery on the phone?

We can explain how the fee is worked out, but the actual fee depends on your eye. It is explained after the examination, so that what you are told matches what your eye needs.

Is the cost the same for both eyes?

Not always. Each eye is assessed separately, and the cataract, the eye's condition and the lens chosen can differ between the two eyes.

This page is general eye-health information, not personal medical advice. Your eye doctor advises you after examining your eyes.