Cataract Cost in Bangalore, India

Cataract surgery removes the cloudy natural lens of the eye and replaces it with a clear artificial lens, usually by phacoemulsification as a day case under local anaesthetic.

A cataract is clouding of the natural lens, usually developing gradually with age, causing blurred or dim vision, glare and difficulty with night driving. Surgery is considered when it affects daily life.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust explains that cataracts are usually removed by phacoemulsification, breaking up the lens with ultrasound through a small wound and placing an artificial lens, usually as a day case.

The Hull leaflet reports loss of sight or of the eye in under 0.03%, swelling at the back of the eye in about 1 to 5% and clouding behind the lens in 5 to 30% within five years, which is treated with a quick laser.

Eye drops are used for several weeks, and glasses are usually checked once the eye settles.

Flying home: the UK Civil Aviation Authority's guidance for doctors suggests about 1 week after intra-ocular surgery, and the eye surgeon checks the eye before you travel.

The cost of cataract surgery in Bangalore typically ranges from $280 to $1,000 USD (about ₹26,600 to ₹94,900), depending on the hospital, room category and type of procedure.

What you pay depends mainly on your own case. If one eye is treated with a standard lens or technique, your bill is likely to be closer to $280 (about ₹26,600). It is likely to be nearer $1,000 (about ₹94,900) if a specialised lens or graft is used, both eyes are treated or advanced equipment is needed.

When comparing Bangalore packages for cataract surgery, check whether each quote includes:

• Surgeon and anaesthetist fees
• Operating theatre or procedure room
• The lens, implant or graft
• Hospital stay and room category
• Medicines and consumables
• Follow-up visits before you fly home

Bangalore hospitals usually put together an estimate for cataract surgery from these elements:

• Pre-operative eye tests: measurements and scans.
• Lens, implant or graft: standard or premium options.
• Surgeon grade: consultant fees vary.
• Lens type: standard or premium.
• Technique: phaco or small-incision.
• One or both eyes: and timing.
• Follow-up: drops and glasses check.

Ask whether the Bangalore eye quote covers the lens or implant, surgeon, theatre, medicines and follow-up checks, as these are often listed separately.

Eye care in Bengaluru ranges from hospital ophthalmology departments to stand-alone eye hospitals with dedicated cataract, cornea, glaucoma and retina services.

Accreditation by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH), part of the Quality Council of India, is India's main hospital quality standard, and the NABH website shows whether a Bangalore hospital's accreditation is current.

Some Bengaluru hospitals also hold Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation, an international standard, and JCI's public directory lets you confirm a hospital's status before you book.

Patients travelling from abroad can apply online for India's e-Medical visa, and accompanying family members for an e-Medical Attendant visa; check the current conditions on the official Indian visa portal before booking.