¿Cuánto Cuesta Cirugía de cataratas?
Cataract surgery is a procedure to remove the clouded natural lens of the eye and replace it with an artificial intraocular lens. It is one of the most common and safest surgical procedures performed worldwide.
Sin Seguro
$3,500
Con Seguro
$1,050
Medicare
$800
Promedio Nacional
$2,500
By Elena Bellini, MPH, Health Policy & Management · Last reviewed 2026-04-21 ·
Sources: CMS Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data 2025 · Methodology · Editorial standards Resumen
Cataract surgery removes the clouded natural lens and replaces it with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). It is one of the highest-volume procedures in American medicine, performed overwhelmingly in ambulatory surgery centers under topical or local anesthesia with light sedation. The operation itself takes roughly 15 to 30 minutes per eye. Most surgeons treat one eye at a time, spaced a week or more apart. The IOL is the single biggest line item you can control: a standard monofocal lens is covered by Medicare and commercial plans, while premium options — toric lenses for astigmatism, multifocal, extended-depth-of-focus (EDOF), and light-adjustable lenses — are considered refractive upgrades and require the patient to pay the upgrade fee out of pocket. Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery is likewise usually billed as a non-covered upgrade. Costs split across the surgeon, the facility, the anesthesia provider, and any premium lens or laser charges.
Qué afecta el costo
- IOL choice: standard monofocal lenses are insurance-covered, but toric, multifocal, EDOF, or light-adjustable lenses carry out-of-pocket upgrade fees often running into four figures per eye.
- Laser-assisted technique: femtosecond laser adds a non-covered technology fee at many centers on top of the base surgical fee.
- Site of service: ambulatory surgery centers are the norm and much cheaper than hospital outpatient departments for the same procedure.
- Anesthesia: topical anesthesia with minimal sedation is the least expensive; MAC anesthesia with a dedicated anesthesiologist adds cost.
- Astigmatism correction: limbal relaxing incisions or toric IOLs to correct astigmatism are billed as refractive upgrades.
- Surgeon fee differences: high-volume cataract surgeons sometimes package the professional fee into bundled quotes; others bill separately.
Cómo Ahorrar
- Accept the standard monofocal IOL if glasses for reading or distance after surgery are acceptable — this alone can save thousands per eye.
- Schedule surgery at an ambulatory surgery center rather than a hospital outpatient department.
- Ask the surgeon's office for a written quote that itemizes the surgeon fee, ASC fee, anesthesia, and any premium-lens or laser upgrade before you schedule.
- Use an HSA or FSA to pay the non-covered premium-lens upgrade portion with pre-tax dollars.
- Verify that the surgeon, the ASC, and the anesthesia provider are all in-network with your plan to avoid surprise billing.
- If you have an early-stage cataract and are paying out of pocket, ask whether updated glasses could reasonably defer surgery another year or two.
Notas sobre seguro y cobertura
Medicare Part B and essentially all commercial plans cover medically necessary cataract surgery when visual impairment is documented. Medicare pays for the surgeon, the ASC or hospital facility fee, anesthesia, and a standard monofocal intraocular lens, and it also provides a one-time pair of post-operative eyeglasses or contact lenses. Upgrades to toric, multifocal, EDOF, or light-adjustable lenses, and femtosecond laser fees, are considered refractive (non-covered) and must be paid out of pocket. Commercial plans follow a similar pattern. Prior authorization is usually not required by traditional Medicare but is increasingly required by Medicare Advantage and some commercial plans. Expect to owe 20% coinsurance under Medicare Part B after the deductible.
Data sources for this page
Cost figures on this page are compiled from the following sources, triangulated per the rules in our methodology:
- CMS Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data 2025 — primary CMS reference used as the Medicare-rate anchor.
- Hospital Price Transparency machine-readable files (HPT MRFs) from a sample of major hospitals in each state, per the federal Hospital Price Transparency rule.
- Transparency in Coverage payer in-network rate files for commercial-rate cross-validation.
- State All-Payer Claims Database (APCD) summaries where published (Colorado, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Maine, Utah, Vermont, Rhode Island, Washington, Oregon).
Last reviewed 2026-04-21. See editorial standards for our fact-checking process and correction policy.
Range: $2,560 to $4,830 · 50 states shown
Costo por Estado
| Estado | Sin Seguro | Con Seguro | Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | $2,560 | $768 | $587 |
| Arkansas | $2,620 | $786 | $601 |
| West Virginia | $2,620 | $786 | $601 |
| Oklahoma | $2,670 | $801 | $613 |
| Alabama | $2,710 | $813 | $620 |
| Kentucky | $2,950 | $885 | $677 |
| Louisiana | $3,010 | $903 | $691 |
| Iowa | $3,060 | $918 | $702 |
| New Mexico | $3,060 | $918 | $702 |
| South Carolina | $3,060 | $918 | $702 |
| South Dakota | $3,060 | $918 | $702 |
| Kansas | $3,110 | $933 | $714 |
| North Dakota | $3,110 | $933 | $714 |
| Idaho | $3,150 | $945 | $723 |
| Nebraska | $3,150 | $945 | $723 |
| Tennessee | $3,150 | $945 | $723 |
| Indiana | $3,250 | $975 | $746 |
| Missouri | $3,250 | $975 | $746 |
| Utah | $3,250 | $975 | $746 |
| Wyoming | $3,250 | $975 | $746 |
| Georgia | $3,290 | $987 | $755 |
| North Carolina | $3,290 | $987 | $755 |
| Michigan | $3,330 | $999 | $764 |
| Montana | $3,330 | $999 | $764 |
| Arizona | $3,420 | $1,026 | $784 |
| Ohio | $3,440 | $1,032 | $790 |
| Wisconsin | $3,440 | $1,032 | $790 |
| Maine | $3,460 | $1,038 | $794 |
| Texas | $3,500 | $1,050 | $803 |
| Florida | $3,570 | $1,071 | $819 |
| Minnesota | $3,570 | $1,071 | $819 |
| Illinois | $3,600 | $1,080 | $826 |
| Pennsylvania | $3,600 | $1,080 | $826 |
| Delaware | $3,650 | $1,095 | $837 |
| Nevada | $3,650 | $1,095 | $837 |
| Vermont | $3,650 | $1,095 | $837 |
| Virginia | $3,650 | $1,095 | $837 |
| Colorado | $3,710 | $1,113 | $851 |
| New Hampshire | $3,710 | $1,113 | $851 |
| Oregon | $3,750 | $1,125 | $860 |
| Maryland | $3,850 | $1,155 | $883 |
| Rhode Island | $3,900 | $1,170 | $895 |
| Washington | $3,900 | $1,170 | $895 |
| Connecticut | $4,200 | $1,260 | $963 |
| New Jersey | $4,200 | $1,260 | $963 |
| California | $4,620 | $1,386 | $1,060 |
| Massachusetts | $4,650 | $1,395 | $1,067 |
| Alaska | $4,730 | $1,419 | $1,083 |
| New York | $4,760 | $1,428 | $1,092 |
| Hawaii | $4,830 | $1,449 | $1,108 |
Preguntas Frecuentes
¿Cuánto cuesta cirugía de cataratas sin seguro?
El costo promedio de cirugía de cataratas sin seguro en Estados Unidos es $3,500. Los costos varían significativamente por estado.
¿El seguro cubre cirugía de cataratas?
La mayoría de los planes de seguro médico cubren cirugía de cataratas cuando es médicamente necesario. Con seguro, el costo promedio de bolsillo es $1,050.
¿Medicare cubre cirugía de cataratas?
Medicare Parte B generalmente cubre cirugía de cataratas cuando lo ordena un médico. El monto promedio aprobado por Medicare es $800.
Revisado por Elena Bellini · Última revisión: 2026-04-21
Datos obtenidos de CMS Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data 2025. Última actualización: 2026-03-01. Esta información es solo con fines educativos y no constituye asesoramiento médico. Este sitio web es solo para fines informativos y no constituye asesoramiento médico. Siempre consulta a un profesional de salud calificado.