A cataract is an eye defect characterized by clouding of the lens. It causes blurred vision and can lead to complete opacity if untreated. Cataract surgery replaces the cloudy lens with an artificial plastic lens in a short outpatient procedure performed by an ophthalmologist. The average cost of standard cataract surgery has decreased from $3,300 per eye in 2010 to $2,700 today. Advanced procedures using presbyopia-correcting lenses or laser surgery are more expensive, ranging from $4,337 to $872 per eye. The specific facility, region, surgeon experience, and type of intraocular lens affect the total cost.

1. Cost of Cataract Surgery
Cost of Cataract Surgery
A cataract is an eye defect that’s characterized by clouding of the lens situated
close to the iris and the pupil. A person with this condition will experience blurred
vision and if they don’t receive treatment on time the lens, normally crystalline,
will be very cloudy and become opaque. It’s rareto find a person with cataract on
one eye because they tend to develop gradually in both eyes at the samepace.
Cataracts are a common occurrencein older people. The condition is curable and
the patient only requires a shortoperation to replace the cloudy lens with an
artificial plastic lens.
Who Performs Cataract Surgery?
Cataract surgery is a rather safe and quick procedure and one can undergo the
procedureas an outpatient. An ophthalmologistperforms the surgery and
decides the urgency in which a cataract surgery should bedone on one. There are

2. patients who in addition to cataract have a more server eye condition like diabetic
retinopathy or macular degeneration, which requires their ophthalmologist to
performa cataract surgery beforecontinuing with another procedureto arrest
the severecondition.
Types of Cataracts
There are multiple types of cataracts, but the most common ones are:
 Traumatic Cataracts – This can occur when a person gets injured for
instance froman electric shock.
 Secondary Cataracts – A person is at risk of getting this type of cataract
when they’re exposed to a toxic substancelike steroids and radioactive
rays, alcoholand drug abuse and diabetes.
 Congenital Cataracts – People with this type of cataract were born by it
either becausethey were exposed to some infections in the womb or by
chromosomaldefects.
 Age Related Cataracts – This is the most popular type of cataract treated. A
person with this type of cataract will experience visualimbalance, blurred
vision, cloudy eyes, will see dull colors or will be unable to see in low light.
Average Cost of Cataract Eye Surgery
The good news about cataract is that medical insurancemight be able to cover
some of the costfor your treatment. However, even with no medical insurance
the costof cataract surgery is manageable.
Generally, the cost of cataract surgery has reduced over the years. In 2010, a
standard cataractsurgery would cost$3,300 per eye, today that has been
reduced to averagely $2,700 for each eye. Age cataracts and congenital cataracts
can be easily cured by standard cataract surgery.
According to the Ophthalmology InnovatorsSummit participants, advanced
cataract surgery with presbyopia-correcting lenses which used to cost $4,461 in
2010, costs about$4,337 today. Further, laser cataractsurgery today costs about
$872 making it a bit more expensive than standard cataractsurgery.

3. What factors determine the cost of cataract surgery?
There are many factors that will determine how much a person with cataract pays
for their surgery. Oneof thosefactors is if they prefer a premiumor standard
intraocular lens (IOL), if there is laser involved in any partof the procedure, if
Medicare of private insurancecoverers someof the costfor the procedureand
also whether they will also be charged for pre-operation exam and follow up visits
as part of the procedure. Mostimportantly, charges vary with the part of the
country and the specific medical center wherethe surgery is undertaken. Finally,
the skill, experience and reputation of the surgery thatwill performthe operation
plays a big role in the cost.