Cataract Surgery Cost in Singapore
$5,000 to $12,000 per eye, depending on the lens and the technique you choose.
- MediSave claimable, per eye
- Corporate and personal insurance accepted
- Over 10,000 cataract surgeries by our surgeons
Camden (Orchard)Joo ChiatClementiBedokToa Payoh
What cataract surgery costs
Cataract surgery at The Straits Eye Centre costs between $5,000 and $12,000 per eye. Where your own figure falls within that range depends on the lens you choose and the technique used. Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents can use MediSave towards it, and insurance often covers part of the balance.
$5,000
A monofocal lens with standard surgery sits at the lower end.
$12,000
A multifocal or extended depth of focus lens, or laser assistance, moves it up.
The range is wide because two of the decisions inside it are yours to make, and neither can be made before one of our eye specialists has examined and measured your eyes. You are given the figure for your own operation, in writing, before anything is booked.
Cataract surgery is one line of what we publish. Consultation and screening fees at each of our six clinics are set out separately. Compare fees across our six clinics
| Where | Typical wait | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Subsidised public hospital | 3–9 months | $3,000–4,000 |
| Class A public hospital | 1–2 months | $5,000–6,000 |
| Private | 1–2 weeks | $5,000–12,000 |
Estimated cost per eye, before MediSave. Public-sector waits and fees vary by institution and by the subsidy you qualify for; our own fee is confirmed in writing before surgery. The Straits Eye Centre is a MediSave-approved clinic.
What the fee covers
A cataract surgery fee is a package rather than one charge. These are the parts it usually includes, and the ones billed separately.
Usually included
- The consultation and surgical planning
- Seeing the surgeon, confirming the diagnosis, and settling that surgery is the right step.
- The measurements
- The biometry that decides the lens power, and the corneal readings taken with it.
- The surgeon’s fee
- The operation itself, by the consultant eye surgeon who sees you.
- The facility fee
- Use of the day surgery theatre and the recovery bay.
- Anaesthesia
- Drops or a small injection around the eye, and the anaesthetist where one is involved.
- The lens
- The intraocular lens implanted during the operation. Which type you choose is what moves your own figure within the range.
- Scheduled aftercare
- The drops you go home with, and the post-operative reviews that form part of the plan.
Billed separately
- Further investigations
- Imaging beyond the standard measurements — OCT, corneal topography, a closer look at the retina — where your eyes need it.
- Treating other conditions
- Glaucoma, retinal or corneal problems found alongside the cataract.
- Reviews beyond the plan
- Anything your recovery needs past the scheduled post-operative appointments.
- The second eye
- The range is per eye. Both eyes are two operations, usually some weeks apart.
What that aftercare involves — the drops, the shield, the reviews and how long the eye takes to settle — is set out separately. See what recovery involves
What changes the price
Four things, in the order they matter. The first two are decisions you make with your surgeon; the last two are found at the examination.
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The lens you choose
A monofocal lens sits at the lower end of the range. Toric, extended depth of focus and multifocal lenses cost more. Compare the lens types.
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The technique
Standard phacoemulsification, against laser-assisted surgery where a femtosecond laser performs part of the operation. What the laser does.
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Your eyes
A dense cataract, a small pupil, previous eye surgery or an existing retinal problem can make the operation longer and more complex.
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The setting
Which licensed day surgery centre the operation is arranged at, and the class of admission.
MediSave and insurance
Yes, you can claim MediSave for cataract surgery costs, up to $2,450 per eye. MediSave can be claimed from either your own, spouse’s, or children’s MediSave account.
If you do have health insurance, you may be able to claim part of or all of the surgery cost depending on your coverage. You may enquire with our friendly staff for more assistance.
Common questions
How much does cataract surgery cost in Singapore?
At The Straits Eye Centre the fee is between $5,000 and $12,000 per eye. Where you fall within that range depends on the lens you choose and the technique used. You are given the figure for your own eyes in writing before anything is booked.
Why is the range so wide?
Because two of the decisions inside it are yours. A monofocal lens with standard surgery sits at the lower end; a multifocal or extended depth of focus lens, or laser assistance, moves it up. The complexity of your own eyes accounts for the rest.
How much can I withdraw from MediSave?
Up to $2,450 per eye for cataract surgery. The limit is set by the Ministry of Health rather than by us, so the clinic confirms what applies to you before surgery.
Will MediSave cover the whole fee?
Usually not. MediSave meets part of it and the balance is settled by insurance, by cash, or by both. What that balance is depends on the lens and technique you settle on, which is why the figure is worked out with you rather than quoted in advance.
Can I use insurance as well?
Integrated Shield plans and corporate policies often cover part of cataract surgery. What yours covers depends on your own plan and rider. Bring your insurer details to the consultation and the clinic will tell you what to expect.
Can I use a family member’s MediSave?
Yes. MediSave can be claimed from your own account, your spouse’s or your children’s, subject to the same limit per eye. This is how many families arrange a parent’s surgery.
Is the fee per eye or for both eyes?
Per eye. Cataract surgery is done one eye at a time, and where both need treating the second is usually scheduled some weeks after the first, as a separate operation with its own fee.
What if something else needs treating at the same time?
Glaucoma, retinal disease or a corneal problem found alongside the cataract is treated on its own terms and is not part of the cataract fee. Your surgeon will tell you if that applies to you and what it involves.
Is my surgeon on my insurer’s panel?
Ask your insurer directly, naming the surgeon. Panel and non-panel arrangements pay differently under the same Integrated Shield plan, and it is the detail most likely to change what you are left paying. Bring the answer to your consultation and the clinic will work the rest out with you.
Why do two clinics quote different prices?
Usually because the two quotations do not cover the same things. What is included, which lens, which day surgery facility, how many reviews are scheduled and whether GST is stated all vary between them. Compare what each fee covers rather than the headline figure, and ask for both in writing.
Get your own figure
Send us a message and we will arrange an examination. Your fee is worked out with you once the lens and technique are settled, and confirmed in writing before anything is booked.
