- US. What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?
- US. What can you get covered if you enrol for Medicare?
Requiring cataract surgery can cause a series of issues in day-to-day life such as being able to drive to the shop to get groceries, and the treatment isn't cheap either, so is it covered by Medicare and how much can you get?
Medicare covers cataract surgery, as it is considered medically necessary to treat vision issues, and works by removing a cloudy lens from your eye and replacing it with a clear artificial lens in a highly effective procedure.
But in the United States, the cost can reach between $3500 to $7000 for someone without health insurance so how much does cataract surgery actually cost as a part of the Medicare program?
Part B generally covers the cost of the surgery through traditional surgical methods or laser-assisted techniques and includes the placement of a basic intraocular lens (IOL) to replace the natural lens.
Pre-surgery exams, diagnostic tests, and post-surgery follow-up visits are covered too, as well as one pair of eyeglasses with standard frames or one set of lenses, and this can slice costs down to just 20% of the procedure.
The surgery works by two methods. Phacoemulsification uses ultrasound waves break up the cloudy lens, which is then suctioned out, whilst Extracapsular Extraction deploys a large incision is made to remove the lens in one piece.
What are the complications of cataracts?
If left untreated, cataracts can lead to severe vision impairment or blindness so cataract surgery is a safe and effective way to restore sight and enhance quality of life, with full healing typically occurs within 4-6 weeks and improvements in a matter of days.
A cataract forms when the natural lens of your eye becomes cloudy, often due to aging or other factors like injury and this can interrupt common daily activities like driving, reading or recognizition.
Color perception is also affected too, with those suffering from cataracts often seeing colors as a dull or yellowed tone instead of their natural appearance.