Frequently Asked Questions on Cataract Surgery

What is a cataract? A cataract happens due to cloudiness in the natural eye lens mainly because of the deterioration of the eye lens. The condition generally affects old age people and causes visual impairment. The individual with cataract often face difficulty reading and has blurred vision. Is it possible to cure cataracts without surgery? While it is possible to stop further development and worsening of the cataract by following a certain diet and medication, but only a surgery can help you get permanently rid of the cataract. Cataract surgery with the advanced technological procedure is the best option to have your normal vision restored. When is cataract surgery recommended? Cataract surgery is recommended when the cataract of the patient becomes severe and prevents him from performing everyday menial tasks such as walking, reading, cooking, driving, etc. As soon as a patient develops cataract in the eye, then it is best to go for the surgery, however, if the cataract is mild and does not interfere with everyday tasks, then, the doctor may not suggest surgery. The doctor suggests the best course of treatment according to the severity of the cataract of the patient. Is cataract surgery performed on both eyes simultaneously? No, it is not possible to operate both eyes at the same time as it may cause damage to the eye. The surgeon first conducts the surgery to remove the cataract from one eye and after some weeks of the surgery, when recovery is noticed, he operates the patient for performing cataract surgery on the other eye. The gap between the two surgeries is essential for ensuring an effective surgery to the first eye so that the normal vision of the first eye is easily restored. What are the different types of cataract surgery? There are different types of cataract surgery such as Laser-assisted Cataract Surgery, Extracapsular Cataract Extraction (ECCE), Phacoemulsification, etc. However, the best cataract surgery for the patient is decided only after they visit an eye specialist. Out of these surgeries, Phacoemulsification is the most advanced procedure for cataract surgery as it uses ultrasonic waves for destroying the faulty lens and can be performed by making very small incisions. How is the cataract surgery done? For operating the patient for cataract surgery, he is given general anesthesia to put him in a state of oblivion so that he does not experience the pain caused in the surgery. Then, a surgeon makes a small incision in the surface of the eye with a laser. He then destroys the cloudy natural eye lens and sucks out the remnants of the lens with a method called aspiration. Then, he inserts the Intraocular Artificial Lens (IOL) of high-quality into the patient’s eye and closes the incisions. The surgery takes up to 30 minutes to complete. Is cataract surgery safe and painless? Yes, it is a safe and painless process as the patient is put under anesthesia before beginning the surgery. However, he may experience minimal discomfort during the surgical process due to the use of a scalpel and other surgical tools. Our surgeons make sure to minimize the pain and discomfort caused to the patient and conducts a safe cataract surgery. What not to do after cataract surgery? There are certain things to be avoided in order to have a speedy recovery after the cataract surgery. For the first few weeks, the patient is advised to carry sunglasses with him every time he steps out of the home in order to protect his eyes. Place the shield over your eyes provided by the doctor when sleeping. Avoid taking a long bath especially hot-baths in the initial days after the surgery. Use eye drops given by the doctor and visit the doctor to get your eyes checked during the recovery period. Are there any side effects of cataract surgery? There are some chances of infections or other complications if the patient already has some underlying health issues. Some patients may experience swelling in the eye, bleeding, itching, but there are no major complications involved. But side effects rarely happen in the cataract surgery as the surgeon comprehensively analyzes the medical health of the patient to make sure there will be no complications after the surgery. The surgeon will not perform the cataract surgery unless it is confirmed that you are healthy enough to undergo the surgery. How to find the best hospital for cataract surgery? The best eye hospital for cataract surgery in India is selected on the basis of the experience of the surgeons and the number of successful cataract surgeries performed by them. We Care India is the best medical tourism company to contact in India in order to get your cataract treatment from highly experienced ophthalmologists and surgeons. We offer cataract surgery cost in India at the most affordable cost and to find out other details, contact us.

How does Traditional Cataract Surgery differ from Laser Cataract Surgery?

Cataract Surgery in India A cataract is a problem in the eye whereby the lens of the eye becomes cloudy making the vision of the patient unclear and blurry. The main reason behind the deterioration in the quality of the lens is age because usually old age patients deal with this condition. The condition, if left untreated for a while, can result in severe visual impairment or even blindness. To treat cataracts, surgery is performed where the original faulty lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens of better quality. There are two methods to perform cataract surgery in India, which are traditional cataract surgery and laser cataract surgery. At We Care India, we are a well-known medical tourism company in India having the best eye specialists and surgeons. We operate in collaboration with the best ophthalmologists and eye hospitals and provide to our patients the finest cataract eye surgery at a reasonable cost. Our eye specialists have performed a lot of successful cases of eye surgery in India and provide the highest quality eye treatment to the patient. Also, our success rates for cataract eye surgery in India are the highest, which is why patients from developed nations prefer India for their eye treatment. Different methods for Cataract Surgery can be formed in two ways, cataract eye surgery and laser eye surgery. When thinking of undergoing cataract surgery, both the methods are safe and effective at removing the cataract from your eye. The best procedure for the patient mainly depends on their specific eye condition or as suggested by the doctor. However, both the procedures are safe but there is a difference in the method by which both the processes are executed. Traditional Cataract Surgery This is a complex and widely performed method of cataract surgery and there has been a lot of successful cataract surgeries performed via the traditional method. During the traditional cataract surgery, the surgeon makes a small incision into the corner of your eye for removing the poor vision lens. Through the incision, a sharp ultrasound probe enters for breaking up and destroying the defective lens. The surgeon then suctions out the remaining pieces and places an artificial lens in the eye. In the end, usually, surgeons are not required as the cut made in the eye during the surgery recovers on its own. Laser Cataract Surgery The basic difference between traditional cataract surgery and laser cataract surgery is that traditional one is executed manually whereas in laser cataract surgery is done with the aid of technological instruments. In the laser cataract surgery, before performing the main procedure, the surgeon places a 3D camera over the patient’s eye in order to map out the affected area inside your eye and accordingly, makes a surgical plan in accordance with the size of the eye so that they can make the exact required incisions. During the surgery, a laser programmed according to your eye condition makes an incision into the eye and an opening in the front part of the lens. The laser beam softens the cataract and destroys the lens. The broken pieces of the faulty lens are removed from the eye and an intraocular lens (IOL) is placed inside it. There is no requirement of stitches in this process as well unless the condition of the patient’s eye demands so. The laser eye surgery offers positive results or almost the same outcomes as the traditional cataract surgery; the only difference is the surgical tools and methods used for performing the treatment. Choose us for effective Cataract Surgery We offer the best affordable cost for both types of cataract eye surgery in India. Our ophthalmologists and eye specialists have a great deal of experience in performing the supreme quality eye surgery in India. They use the latest technological equipment for operating patients for different types of eye surgeries in India. Our team at the concerned hospital provides extensive care and assistance to the patients and make sure that the patients get the best eye treatment within an affordable price range. Our eye specialists at We Care India perform the best treatment for traditional cataract surgery and laser cataract surgery and ensure that the patients get effective results in their treatment. In addition to the best quality treatment, we offer highly affordable cost for eye treatment in India. We understand that eye treatment is a complex surgery and assistance of the adroit eye specialists is required who are adept at performing the best eye treatment in India. We have the best surgical tools and instruments for implementing both types of cataract eye surgery. Our success rates for cataract eye surgery are the highest, which is why patients from over the world choose India for their eye treatment.

What is the Average Cost for Cataract Surgery in India?

The average cost of the cataract surgery in India ranges from USD 3,500 to USD 5,000 per eye which is quite reasonable as compared to the cataract surgery in other developed countries where the cost for the same procedure will starts from USD 15,000 without any Medicare facilities. The actual the amount which you need to pay for cataract surgery without insurance depends on several factors, including the type of intraocular lens (IOL) which your surgeon will implant in your eye during the the procedure, the type of technology used during surgery, and the skill and experience of the cataract surgeon. India is a country where the cataract procedures are fully or partially covered by insurance companies so that people it becomes easy for people to pay the amount for the cataract surgery. You choose the standard cataract surgery which is less expensive than the laser cataract surgery or a premium toric IOL for astigmatism or a presbyopia-correcting IOL surgery. These are the cataract surgery for which you need to pay the additional costs as these surgeries are associated with advanced techniques and lenses with your own money. Cost of Cataract Surgery without Insurance There are cases where the surgeon often charges the same cost for the cataract surgery that they charge for elective vision correction procedure which is known as refractive lens exchange (RLE). Refractive lens exchange (RLE) is the same procedure as cataract surgery, however, this is a procedure in which the eye natural lens will be removed and has not yet become clouded by a cataract, however, replacing the eye  natural lens with an IOL, can correct significant amounts of nearsightedness or farsightedness, reducing the patient need for eyeglasses or contact lenses. The average cost of Cataract Surgery without Insurance (per eye) is as follows: Cataract Surgery with a standard monofocal IOL implant is around USD 4,000. Cataract Surgery with astigmatism-correcting IOL is around USD 5,000. Cataract Surgery with a presbyopia-correcting IOL is around USD 6,500. According to the study, the cost of the Cataract Surgery with a standard monofocal IOL implant is covered by the medical insurance companies, however, if you choose the Cataract Surgery with astigmatism-correcting IOL or Cataract Surgery with a presbyopia-correcting IOL then you need to pay the premium for these advanced procedures. The average additional cost for astigmatism-   correcting IOL is around USD 1,500 and for presbyopia-correcting IOL is around USD 2,500. What are the factors which influence the cost of Cataract Surgery in India? The following are the factors which can influence your cost of the cataract surgery and these are: Place of the treatment: The country where the surgery is performed will affect your cost of cataract surgery, especially since it determines that which surgeon or hospitals are available for you. For e.g., if you are undergoing for the cataract surgery in urban areas then you have more options to choose from. Role of Insurance Company: Your health insurance company and your doctor or hospital plays an important role in determining the cost of the cataract surgery. The estimated cost of the cataract surgery under We Care India hospitals ranges from USD 3,500 to USD 5,000 which means around 80% of the cost for the cataract surgery comes from the insurance provider and rest 20% from the patient. Insurance Plan: Your health insurance plan can also affect the cost of the cataract surgery for a few reasons such as your surgeon is in or out-of-network which can highly impact your overall cost. Your co-pay amounts and your left out deductible can also make a difference in how much you pay out-of-pocket. Anesthesia: The kind of anesthesia which your surgeon gives you also affects your cost of cataract surgery in India. In case, your anesthesiologist is in or out-of-network can impact the overall cost of the procedure and if there are any emergencies occur during the surgery than you might have to bear the additional unexpected cost for the cataract surgery. Personal Health: Your own personal health also impacts the cost of the cataract surgery for e.g. if you undergo for the cataract surgery with pre-existing health problems which will increase the cost of the cataract surgery. These are the factors which can impact the cost of your cataract surgery, however, the main factor which is impacting your cost of the cataract surgery is the type of insurance coverage you have. Will cataract surgery is covered under health insurance? There are some health insurance plans which do cover adult vision care and most do not cover. If you have Medicare or Medicaid plans then they may cover the cost of your cataract surgery. To make your process run smoothly you need to call your insurance provider and find out the following: Ask if they cover cataract surgery or not. Ask regarding the preauthorization before the procedure. What all is covered by the insurance company and what you need to pay out-of-pocket. What documentation your insurance provider required from your doctor. As we all know, that all insurance providers have different policies so to avoid the problems you make sure that you call and ask your insurance provider before you schedule your surgery. What are the other cost considerations for Cataract Surgery in India? While choosing your type of intraocular lens you choose that whether your procedure is manual or laser-assisted, here are some of the other which needs to be taken into considerations that can affect the cost of cataract surgery in India and these are: The cost of the procedure can be changed which will be based on your pre-op exam visits, medications or eye drops, and follow-up exams are included in the total. If all the items are add-on charges, the total cost of the procedure can increase substantially. The cost of the cataract surgery will also be affected by the amounts of your deductible and co-pay. So, before you proceed with cataract surgery you need to check with your insurance company that what exactly is covered for…