Extracapsular Cataract Extraction Cost in United Arab Emirates

The cost of extracapsular cataract extraction in the UAE typically ranges from $2,000 to $6,000 USD, depending on the hospital, city, and type of procedure.

Extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) removes the cloudy lens in one piece through a larger incision and replaces it with an artificial lens. In the UAE, the price depends on:

• Lens implant: type and manufacturer.
• Anaesthetic: usually local.
• Stitches and follow-up: ECCE needs more follow-up than small-incision surgery.
• Facility: day-surgery fees.

Eye surgery in the UAE is usually priced per eye. Check whether a quote covers one or both eyes and which lens is included.

Most cataract operations now use phacoemulsification. Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust describes breaking up the lens with ultrasound through small incisions. ECCE uses a larger incision with stitches, so healing is slower; it may be chosen for very hard, advanced cataracts.

See the phacoemulsification page.

Manual small-incision cataract surgery (MSICS) is a modern form of extracapsular surgery that does not need a phaco machine. A Cochrane review found slightly better uncorrected vision at three months with phaco, similar vision with glasses, and lower cost with MSICS, based on very low-quality evidence.

Recovery after ECCE takes longer than after phaco, and stitches can cause astigmatism. Eye drops are used for several weeks, and a new glasses prescription is checked once the eye has settled.

Medically necessary cataract surgery is assessed under the insurance plan's terms; planned surgery needs prior approval.