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Cataract surgery for patients from Margao: how do you plan the visits?

Margao (Madgaon) and the Salcete villages around it, such as Navelim, Fatorda, Curtorim and Benaulim, are a short drive from Vasco. ReNew Vision Eye Hospital is not in Margao: it has one address, on the 2nd floor of the Pai Hospital building, Vaddem Merces Road, Vaddem, Vasco da Gama. This page explains how a cataract operation (motibindu in Konkani) is planned for someone coming from Margao, so that every trip is short and predictable.

Which road do we take from Margao, and how long is it?

OpenStreetMap routing gives about 27 km. Leave Margao northwards on NH 66 through Seraulim and Nagoa, climb on to the Verna plateau, carry on to the Cortalim junction and turn west on to the four-lane Vasco road (NH 366). It runs through Zuarinagar, Birla and Chicalim into Vasco; ask for Vaddem Merces Road at the end. On an empty road the drive is under half an hour, but traffic around Verna and Cortalim can be slow in the evening, so plan on 40 to 50 minutes.

Can we come by bus or train instead?

• Bus: KTC point-to-point shuttles and private buses run often between the Margao KTC bus stand and Vasco. The Vasco KTC bus stand is about 1 km from the hospital; take an auto-rickshaw for the last stretch.
• Train: Madgaon is the main Konkan Railway station in Goa, and a few trains link it with Vasco da Gama station, about 3 km from the hospital. Check the timetable before relying on one.

A bus is fine for a check-up with a companion. On the surgery day and the day after, a car is easier, because the patient should keep the eye protected and must not drive or ride a scooter.

Can you pick us up in Margao?

Yes. We can collect you from your home and drop you back, at zero cost to the patient. Ask for it when you call 072489 88039 to book, so that the pickup is timed for the Eye OPD. The general plan for families from other towns is on coming from another town.

How are the visits planned from Margao?

Margao is close enough that you can usually go home after every visit. A common plan:

1. The first visit: a full check-up with dilating drops, the eye pressure and a look at the retina. If surgery is advised, our eye surgeon explains phaco or SICS, the lens choices and the fee. The lens-power test (biometry) may be done the same day or at a second visit.
2. The surgery day: a few hours at the hospital, with one adult staying throughout.
3. The first check: usually the next day or soon after. From Margao most families simply come back for it rather than stay in Vasco.
4. Follow-ups over the next weeks, then the second eye if needed and new spectacles once the eye has settled. The Vision Correction Centre is in the same building.

The steps of the operation itself are on cataract surgery at ReNew Vision.

A son or daughter living far away?

Many Salcete families have children working in Mumbai, Bengaluru, the Gulf or on ships. If one of them is coming home to help, two things make Vasco convenient: Dabolim airport is about 5 km from the hospital, and Madgaon station is on the way for anyone arriving by train. Fix the surgery date around their visit: the first few days, when drops are frequent, are when a helper matters most. Our family checklist for a parent's cataract surgery covers the rest.

Sugar, BP and the doctor you already see

If a physician in Margao looks after your diabetes or blood pressure, keep seeing them. Bring the latest sugar and BP reports and the medicine strips, and mention any blood thinner. The surgeon may ask your physician for a fitness note. Read cataract surgery with diabetes.

When should we come?

The Eye OPD runs Monday to Saturday, 4 pm to 7 pm, Friday included; Sunday OPD is closed. From Margao, leaving by about 3 pm gets you there early in the OPD, which helps because dilating drops take time to work. Emergency eye care is available 24 hours: after surgery, call at any hour if pain or redness increases or vision gets worse.

Questions patients ask

How long does it take to reach ReNew Vision from Margao?

It is about 27 km. On an empty road that is under half an hour; in normal traffic allow 40 to 50 minutes, and more in the evening or in heavy rain. Open Google Maps before you leave for the live route.

Is there a bus from Margao to Vasco?

Yes. KTC shuttles and private buses run often from the Margao KTC bus stand to Vasco. From the Vasco bus stand, an auto-rickshaw covers the last 1 km or so to Vaddem.

Do we need to stay in Vasco after cataract surgery?

Usually not, coming from Margao. The drive is under an hour, so most families go home and return for the first check, often the next day. Our eye surgeon will tell you what suits your eye.

Can my mother come by bus for the follow-up visits?

Often yes, after the first check and with a companion, if the surgeon agrees. Keep dark glasses on, avoid crowded buses where the eye may be bumped, and never rub the eye.

Does ReNew Vision have a clinic in Margao?

No. ReNew Vision Eye Hospital has one address, in Vaddem, Vasco da Gama. Patients from Margao come to Vasco, and we can collect you from your home and drop you back, at zero cost to the patient.

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