How Much Does Cataract Eye Surgery Cost – Prices

Ballpark Estimate: $600 to 800 per eye (with insurance); $3,000 to 4,000 per eye (without insurance)

When the world takes on a blurry cast, and the problem is caused by a cloudiness in your eye lens (not in the sky), it may be a condition called cataracts. More than half of all senior citizens experience this problem, but the good news is that it’s easy to fix. A variety of highly effective surgical options exist today that can help you to regain clearer vision without putting you at risk for too many side effects.

What Are Cataracts?

A cataract is a cloudy area that develops on the lens section of your eye. This prevents light from passing through to the retina tissue at the back of your eye and as a result of this absence, things may appear blurry, and the colors you see may lose their vibrancy. A cataract occurs over time with age, although diabetes, excessive smoking, drinking, or extended exposure to bright sunlight can also be to blame.

When Your Vision Holds You Back

When your vision is obscured by cataracts, normal daily activities may suddenly become quite difficult. For instance, driving, reading, watching television, going to the movies, and working on crossword puzzles may become challenging or even impossible for you, especially if both of your eyes are affected. When glasses and other non-surgical treatments aren’t enough to help you function, it’s likely time to explore more permanent fixes, such as undergoing a cataract procedure so you can see better again.

Types of Cataract Surgery

Monofocal Lens Implant

The simplest cataract removal surgery is to remove the impaired lens and replace it with a monofocal lens implant, which restores your vision to enable you to see things from a distance. However, this lens implant won’t improve your vision of items up close, so you’ll still probably need to rely on glasses for reading and other close-up activities.

Multifocal Lens Implant

A multifocal lens implant is another, more versatile, option, which enables you to see things at both near and also far ranges. This cataract surgery is more expensive, but for people who don’t like wearing glasses, it can be well worth the extra investment.

What’s Included

While most private insurance plans and Medicare will pay for standard cataract surgery that improves nearsightedness, if you decide to go with the premium option to improve your sight at varying distances, you can expect to be responsible for the extra costs involved. Further, if you have other vision challenges, such as an astigmatism (a curve on the front part of the eye that affects your vision) you may want to address this with cataract surgery at the same time by using a special toric lens. Again the difference for this extra will also probably be at your own expense. You will also be responsible for any copays and deductibles that are part of your policy terms.

What to Expect

While most private insurance plans and Medicare will pay for standard cataract surgery that improves nearsightedness, if you decide to go with the premium option to improve your sight at varying distances, you can expect to be responsible for the extra costs involved. Further, if you have other vision challenges, such as an astigmatism (a curve on the front part of the eye that affects your vision) you may want to address this with cataract surgery at the same time by using a special toric lens. Again the difference for this extra will also probably be at your own expense. You will also be responsible for any copays and deductibles that are part of your policy terms.

Some patients may experience slight discomfort following cataract surgery and will need special eye drops for relief, as well as a shield to protect the eye area as it heals. If all goes well, you’ll probably be able to resume your normal activities within just a few days. Your vision can take longer to fully restore. Some patients find it can take up to two months to achieve their final results.

Timing

Cataract surgery is always performed on one eye at a time. Your surgeon will determine the optimum timing for your specific situation. If you need to have cataracts removed in both eyes, you can expect that the surgeries to be about a week to a month apart.

How to Find

If you’re considering cataract surgery, you should talk to your own ophthalmologist to find out if you’re a good candidate. If he doesn’t specialize in performing this type of surgery, he should be able to refer you to someone who does. You can also ask family member or friends if they can suggest someone they’ve used, or you can go to the American Board of Ophthalmology’s website to search for qualified eye surgeons.

What It Costs

What you’ll spend on cataract surgery depends on a variety of factors. The condition of your eyes, the type of procedure you select, and the level of experience the surgeon brings to the job all come into play. Where you live can also make a difference, since costs are generally higher in big cities than more rural areas.

Here are some ideas of what to expect:

• A Basic Mono-Focal Intraocular Lens, which will allow you to see only at a fixed distance, will cost around $3,000 to $4,000 per eye.
• A Multi- Focal Intraocular Lens, which will correct vision issues and enable you to see both near and far distances, will cost an additional $2,000 to $3,000 per eye beyond the basic monofocal lens cost.
• An Astigmatism Correction or Toric Intraocular Lens, without vision correction, will cost an additional $1,000 per eye beyond the basic costs.

The cost of cataract surgery can range from about $3,000 to $7,000 and up for each eye without insurance. (Or from $6,000 to $14,000 to do both eyes.)

What It Means for You

Keep in mind that if insurance or Medicare is covering the bill, it’s likely that most of the $3,000 to $4,000 cost per eye of the standard cataract surgery will be covered, minus your deductible and copays.

So for instance, a 20% co-pay would mean you would be responsible for a price of between $600 and $800 per eye.

Then you would also be responsible for any extras you select, which costs $1,000 more per eye for astigmatism correction, up to a price of $3,000 per eye for the premium lens to restore your near vision.

Risks Involved

If you’re worried about the risks involved in undergoing cataract surgery, you’ll be glad to know that this is a very common and very safe procedure and the potential for problems occurring is minimal. However, in very rare instances, patients may experience changes in eye pressure, infection or bleeding, which will need to be treated immediately. It’s also worth noting that a quarter of patients who undergo cataract surgery can develop a secondary problem down the road that can be easily corrected with a procedure called YAG laser capsulotomy. This technique costs $500 or less and most of the time insurance will cover the expense.