What cataract surgery costs if you have no insurance

What cataract surgery is and why the price is so uneven

MedlinePlus, a health site from the National Library of Medicine, says a cataract is a clouding of the clear lens inside your eye. It blocks light and makes it harder to see. In cataract surgery, the surgeon takes out the cloudy lens and puts in a man-made lens called an intraocular lens, or IOL.

The surgery is done as an outpatient procedure, so you usually go home the same day, says MedlinePlus. Most adults are awake and get numbing drops or a shot. The operation itself takes less than half an hour, and doctors usually treat one eye at a time. That means the prices on this page are for one eye, and a second eye is a second bill.

The study we found gives the clearest picture of cash prices. Researchers collected prices from the websites of 191 academic hospitals in 2021. Of those, 102 posted a discounted cash price for standard cataract surgery. The average was $7,818.86, the lowest was $1,120.50, and the highest was $29,729. The authors wrote that an uninsured patient may find an estimate above $10,000 in about one quarter of hospitals.

These are older numbers from hospitals that teach doctors, so your local price may be lower or higher. The wide gap is the main lesson here. Two places a few miles apart can quote prices that differ by thousands of dollars for the same operation.

What a Medicare price tells you

Medicare is the U.S. health plan that covers people 65 and older and some younger people with disabilities. It sets the amount it approves for each service. Medicare's procedure price lookup shows an approved amount of about $1,717 for cataract surgery with a lens in an ambulatory surgery center. That is a surgery center that is not part of a hospital. The amount is made of about $462 for the surgeon and about $1,255 for the facility. For the same surgery code at a hospital outpatient department, Medicare's 2026 payment file lists about $2,358 for the facility, before local adjustments.

This is not a cash price. It is only the amount Medicare approves, and a person with Medicare pays only part of it. We show it so you have something to compare with. When a cash quote is several times higher than the Medicare amount, it is fair to ask the office to explain each charge.

Medicare also pays for one pair of eyeglasses with standard frames, or one set of contact lenses, after surgery that places a lens. People without Medicare should ask whether the glasses visit is part of the price.

What is in the bill

A cataract surgery bill usually has several parts. Different businesses can send those parts, so you may get more than one bill.

• The surgeon charges a fee for the operation and the follow-up visits.
• The facility charges a fee for the operating room, staff and supplies, and a hospital usually charges more for this than a freestanding surgery center.
• The anesthesia fee pays the clinician who watches you and gives the numbing medicine and the medicine that helps you relax.
• The lens itself is part of the bill. A basic lens is the usual choice, and special lenses that correct more of your vision can cost extra.
• You may also pay for the eye exams and measurements before surgery and the eye drops after surgery.

Medicare's guidance notes that your costs depend on your doctor's charges, the type of facility and where you get care. The same is true if you pay cash. When you get a quote, check that it covers all five items above. A low price for the surgeon alone is not the full cost.

How to get a cash price before you book

Start with the eye doctor who diagnosed the cataract. Ask for a bundled cash price, which is one total for the surgeon, facility, anesthesia, basic lens and follow-up visits. Our guide on asking for the cash price has words you can use on the phone. You should also ask for a good faith estimate, which is a written list of the expected charges. Providers must give one to people who are uninsured.

Hospitals must post their prices online, and our hospital price library can help you compare. Surgery centers and hospitals in the same town often charge different amounts. You can also ask the surgeon whether the operation can be done at more than one place, and then get a quote from each.

If the bill is still too high, ask the hospital about its financial assistance policy, because nonprofit hospitals must have one. The steps for applying, and what to bring, are in our guide on hospital financial assistance.

Free and low-cost routes

A charity program called Operation Sight arranges free cataract surgery with volunteer surgeons. The ASCRS Foundation, which is a charity, runs it. The program says you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and your household income must be no more than 250 percent of the federal poverty level. You also cannot have insurance that would pay any part of cataract surgery. Your cataract must have been judged ready for surgery within the past 18 months. Acceptance does not guarantee surgery, and there is no set wait time.

EyeCare America is a program of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. It gives eligible people a medical eye exam and up to a year of follow-up care at no cost. It does not pay for surgery or surgery facility fees. It can still help you get a diagnosis you can bring to a surgery program.

The National Eye Institute also says some community health centers have an eye clinic. These centers use a sliding scale, which means the fee depends on your income, and our guide on community health centers tells you more. Medicaid rules differ by state, so check with your state Medicaid office. Ask whether it covers cataract surgery and how to apply. You can also find a cash-pay doctor near you for an exam and a referral.

Many of the same questions apply to other operations, as our surgery cost overview shows.

When to get urgent help

A painful red eye and any sudden change in vision, such as blurred or double vision, are reasons to seek emergency care, says MedlinePlus. In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Please do not let the cost keep you from calling, since emergency rooms must check and stabilize everyone who comes in, with or without insurance. This page offers general information, and your own doctor can give advice that fits you.