Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification): Complete Guide to Procedure & Recovery
The cloudy lens is broken up with ultrasound through a tiny incision and replaced with a clear artificial lens (IOL). Stitches are usually not needed.
- Also called
- phaco, cataract operation
- Duration
- About 15–30 minutes
- Anaesthesia
- Topical (drops) or local anaesthesia
- Hospital stay
- No stay — day care
Ophthalmology surgeons for Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification)
View all 7,917 Ophthalmology doctors →Not every surgeon shown performs this specific procedure, so confirm with them directly.
Doctors are listed in alphabetical order. Payment does not change a doctor's position, and a listing is not an endorsement. Registration details are shown where available. Please verify any doctor on the NMC Indian Medical Register or the State Medical Council. How listings work
Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification) in India
Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification) is an ophthalmology procedure used to treat Cataract. It usually takes about 15–30 minutes under topical (drops) or local anaesthesia, and it is usually done without a hospital stay.
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It is usually considered for cataract affecting daily vision. Only a doctor can confirm whether it is right for you after examination. Go Surgery lists 7,731 ophthalmology surgeons at 17,288 hospitals across 423 cities, including Delhi NCR, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Coverage for Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification) depends on your policy and insurer. Please check with your insurer before admission. Compare surgeons and request an appointment to discuss whether Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification) is right for you.
Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification) Surgeons by City
| City | Doctors Listed in This Speciality | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi NCR | 779 | 816 |
| Bangalore | 368 | 534 |
| Hyderabad | 300 | 668 |
| Mumbai | 285 | 546 |
| Pune | 169 | 337 |
| Ahmedabad | 166 | 1,402 |
| Chennai | 143 | 638 |
| Thane | 128 | 268 |
| Indore | 111 | 95 |
| Aligarh | 99 | 494 |
View all 423 cities
| City | Doctors Listed in This Speciality | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|
| Kolkata | 92 | 685 |
| Navi Mumbai | 87 | 146 |
| Nagpur | 84 | 145 |
| Amritsar | 82 | 613 |
| Lucknow | 78 | 101 |
| Bhopal | 72 | 92 |
| Bareilly | 70 | 14 |
| Agra | 66 | 763 |
| Thiruvananthapuram | 65 | 41 |
| Raipur | 60 | 40 |
| Chandigarh | 58 | 39 |
| Varanasi | 58 | 61 |
| Jaipur | 57 | 174 |
| Kanpur | 57 | 36 |
| Dehra-dun | 56 | 0 |
| Jabalpur | 56 | 13 |
| Hubli | 55 | 9 |
| Jammu | 55 | 6 |
| Anantapur | 54 | 327 |
| Alappuzha | 53 | 293 |
| Vijayawada | 53 | 79 |
| Ludhiana | 51 | 68 |
| Visakhapatnam | 51 | 65 |
| Agartala | 49 | 301 |
| Vadodara | 49 | 76 |
| Ahmadnagar | 48 | 345 |
| Akola | 48 | 363 |
| Guwahati | 48 | 19 |
| Mysore | 48 | 29 |
| Bhubaneshwar | 47 | 0 |
| Mangalore | 47 | 13 |
| Puducherry | 47 | 8 |
| Borivli | 46 | 0 |
| Greater-noida | 45 | 21 |
| Surat | 45 | 85 |
| Amravati | 43 | 446 |
| Gwalior | 43 | 22 |
| Madurai | 43 | 33 |
| Jalandhar | 42 | 30 |
| Meerut | 42 | 23 |
| Shiliguri | 41 | 0 |
| Thrissur | 41 | 0 |
| Guntur | 40 | 19 |
| Tiruchirappalli | 40 | 9 |
| Coimbatore | 39 | 83 |
| Gorakhpur | 39 | 8 |
| Pimpri-chinchwad | 39 | 9 |
| Bhatpara | 38 | 0 |
| Udaipur | 38 | 10 |
| Jodhpur | 37 | 25 |
| Dombivli | 35 | 0 |
| Kollam | 35 | 8 |
| Kukatpalli | 35 | 0 |
| Srinagar | 34 | 9 |
| Howrah | 33 | 16 |
| Ajmer | 32 | 349 |
| Ambattur | 32 | 360 |
| Bhilai | 32 | 2 |
| Moradabad | 32 | 7 |
| Patiala | 32 | 9 |
| Belgaum | 31 | 5 |
| Secunderabad | 31 | 0 |
| Bhavnagar | 29 | 5 |
| Panihati | 29 | 0 |
| Solapur | 29 | 20 |
| Patna | 27 | 269 |
| Prayagraj | 27 | 559 |
| Imphal | 26 | 0 |
| Rajkot | 26 | 41 |
| Bathinda | 25 | 13 |
| Habra | 25 | 0 |
| Kharagpur | 25 | 0 |
| Palakkad | 25 | 8 |
| Hisar | 24 | 19 |
| Kolhapur | 24 | 15 |
| Mathura | 24 | 9 |
| Nashik | 24 | 89 |
| Bhilwara | 23 | 0 |
| Bikaner | 23 | 4 |
| Kamarhati | 23 | 0 |
| Kota | 22 | 6 |
| Nanded | 22 | 6 |
| Ujjain | 22 | 1 |
| Alwar | 21 | 278 |
| Nellore | 21 | 7 |
| Baharampur | 20 | 0 |
| Barddhaman | 20 | 0 |
| Kannur | 20 | 3 |
| Ranchi | 20 | 304 |
| Bhayandar | 19 | 0 |
| Nagercoil | 19 | 2 |
| Brahmapur | 18 | 0 |
| Kozhikode | 18 | 8 |
| Navsari | 18 | 0 |
| Bellary | 17 | 4 |
| Kalyan | 17 | 2 |
| Kurnool | 17 | 6 |
| Vellore | 17 | 6 |
| Jalgaon | 16 | 8 |
| Shivaji-nagar | 16 | 0 |
| Anand | 15 | 227 |
| Durgapur | 15 | 7 |
| Dwarka | 15 | 0 |
| Karol-bagh | 15 | 0 |
| Panaji | 15 | 0 |
| Bhandara | 14 | 2 |
| Bharuch | 14 | 15 |
| Haldwani | 14 | 0 |
| Margao | 14 | 1 |
| Ongole | 14 | 1 |
| Rewa | 14 | 3 |
| Salem | 14 | 22 |
| Karimnagar | 13 | 19 |
| Malegaon | 13 | 0 |
| Nizamabad | 13 | 9 |
| Yavatmal | 13 | 3 |
| Junagadh | 12 | 2 |
| Sangli | 12 | 0 |
| Aizawl | 11 | 135 |
| Kakinada | 11 | 6 |
| Kottayam | 11 | 10 |
| Kulti | 11 | 3 |
| Muzaffarnagar | 11 | 2 |
| Rampur | 11 | 2 |
| Rohtak | 11 | 13 |
| Ulhasnagar | 11 | 0 |
| Valsad | 11 | 2 |
| Begusarai | 10 | 65 |
| Bharatpur | 10 | 2 |
| Dhanbad | 10 | 67 |
| East Delhi | 10 | 0 |
| Malappuram | 10 | 9 |
| Pali | 10 | 3 |
| Saharanpur | 10 | 0 |
| Tirupati | 10 | 4 |
| Davangere | 9 | 0 |
| Hapur | 9 | 2 |
| Ichalkaranji | 9 | 0 |
| Latur | 9 | 4 |
| Muvattupuzha | 9 | 0 |
| Muzaffarpur | 9 | 10 |
| Raurkela | 9 | 2 |
| Ankleshwar | 8 | 157 |
| Asansol | 8 | 330 |
| Bokaro | 8 | 1 |
| Chengannur | 8 | 2 |
| Chikkamagaluru | 8 | 0 |
| Gaya | 8 | 27 |
| Gondia | 8 | 2 |
| Hassan | 8 | 1 |
| Jhansi | 8 | 6 |
| Korba | 8 | 0 |
| Mahbubnagar | 8 | 1 |
| Mumbai Suburban | 8 | 0 |
| Pathanamthitta | 8 | 3 |
| Rajahmundry | 8 | 3 |
| Raniganj | 8 | 2 |
| Ratlam | 8 | 3 |
| Roorkee | 8 | 0 |
| Sagar | 8 | 2 |
| Satara | 8 | 3 |
| Shahjanpur | 8 | 0 |
| Shimoga | 8 | 2 |
| Thanjavur | 8 | 2 |
| Vatakara | 8 | 0 |
| Bhiwandi | 7 | 0 |
| Bidar | 7 | 0 |
| Dhulia | 7 | 0 |
| Eluru | 7 | 0 |
| Firozabad | 7 | 0 |
| Gandhinagar | 7 | 5 |
| Hanamkonda | 7 | 1 |
| Hosur | 7 | 4 |
| Jamnagar | 7 | 6 |
| Karnal | 7 | 9 |
| Mapusa | 7 | 1 |
| Nandyal | 7 | 0 |
| Ponda | 7 | 0 |
| Raichur | 7 | 1 |
| Suryapet | 7 | 0 |
| Tiruppur | 7 | 0 |
| Yamunanagar | 7 | 7 |
| Bhagalpur | 6 | 78 |
| Daman | 6 | 0 |
| Deoghar | 6 | 73 |
| Dharamshala | 6 | 0 |
| Diu | 6 | 0 |
| Farrukhabad | 6 | 2 |
| Kadapa | 6 | 0 |
| Khammam | 6 | 12 |
| Kochi | 6 | 4 |
| Nadiad | 6 | 1 |
| Parbhani | 6 | 0 |
| Srikakulam | 6 | 4 |
| Tumkur | 6 | 5 |
| Adoni | 5 | 82 |
| Aluva | 5 | 0 |
| Itanagar | 5 | 0 |
| Jaisalmer | 5 | 0 |
| Jalna | 5 | 1 |
| Kasaragod | 5 | 1 |
| Katihar | 5 | 42 |
| Kodungallur | 5 | 0 |
| Purnia | 5 | 3 |
| Ratnagiri | 5 | 1 |
| Sikar | 5 | 5 |
| Tiruvannamalai | 5 | 0 |
| Vizianagaram | 5 | 4 |
| Bhuj | 4 | 0 |
| Bilimora | 4 | 0 |
| Chittorgarh | 4 | 0 |
| Dakshina Kannada | 4 | 0 |
| Darbhanga | 4 | 40 |
| Davanagere | 4 | 0 |
| Dewas | 4 | 2 |
| Gandhidham | 4 | 0 |
| Guruvayur | 4 | 0 |
| Hindupur | 4 | 0 |
| Mandya | 4 | 1 |
| Mavoor | 4 | 0 |
| Mumbai City | 4 | 0 |
| Neyyattinkara | 4 | 0 |
| Shimla | 4 | 1 |
| Tenali | 4 | 0 |
| Tirunelveli | 4 | 4 |
| Veraval | 4 | 0 |
| Vidisha | 4 | 0 |
| Warangal | 4 | 5 |
| Yadgir | 4 | 0 |
| Bhadravathi | 3 | 0 |
| Bihar-sharif | 3 | 40 |
| Changanacherry | 3 | 0 |
| Chhindwara | 3 | 0 |
| Dindigul | 3 | 1 |
| Erode | 3 | 3 |
| Gadchiroli | 3 | 0 |
| Godhra | 3 | 0 |
| Hanumangarh | 3 | 0 |
| Haridwar | 3 | 9 |
| Haveri | 3 | 0 |
| Jaunpur | 3 | 0 |
| Kanchipuram | 3 | 5 |
| Khandwa | 3 | 0 |
| Kolar | 3 | 1 |
| Kumbakonam | 3 | 2 |
| Mehsana | 3 | 0 |
| Ottappalam | 3 | 0 |
| Panchkula | 3 | 1 |
| Panipat | 3 | 5 |
| Panna | 3 | 0 |
| Paschim Bardhaman | 3 | 0 |
| Satna | 3 | 1 |
| Shyamnagar | 3 | 0 |
| Sitamarhi | 3 | 1 |
| Sivakasi | 3 | 1 |
| Siwan | 3 | 1 |
| Surendranagar | 3 | 0 |
| Thoothukudi | 3 | 0 |
| Udupi | 3 | 4 |
| Vasco da gama | 3 | 0 |
| Ambala | 2 | 0 |
| Arrah | 2 | 264 |
| Aruppukkottai | 2 | 0 |
| Balaghat | 2 | 0 |
| Ballari | 2 | 1 |
| Bulandshahr | 2 | 0 |
| Chamba | 2 | 0 |
| Chandrapur | 2 | 0 |
| Chitradurga | 2 | 1 |
| Churu | 2 | 0 |
| Cuddalore | 2 | 0 |
| Dispur | 2 | 0 |
| Gadag | 2 | 0 |
| Hooghly | 2 | 0 |
| Kandukur | 2 | 0 |
| Karur | 2 | 2 |
| Koderma | 2 | 1 |
| Leh | 2 | 1 |
| Machilipatnam | 2 | 0 |
| Malda | 2 | 0 |
| Mancherial | 2 | 0 |
| Mansa | 2 | 0 |
| Medchal-Malkajgiri | 2 | 0 |
| Nainital | 2 | 1 |
| Nalgonda | 2 | 0 |
| Nayagarh | 2 | 0 |
| North Goa | 2 | 0 |
| North Lakhimpur | 2 | 0 |
| Palampur | 2 | 0 |
| Patan | 2 | 0 |
| Porbandar | 2 | 0 |
| Proddatur | 2 | 0 |
| Purba Medinipur | 2 | 0 |
| Ramgundam | 2 | 0 |
| Rewari | 2 | 0 |
| Rohtas | 2 | 0 |
| Sangareddy | 2 | 0 |
| Shamli | 2 | 0 |
| Silvassa | 2 | 0 |
| South Goa | 2 | 0 |
| Sri Ganganagar | 2 | 0 |
| Wardha | 2 | 2 |
| Agra Cantt | 1 | 0 |
| Ahmednagar | 1 | 0 |
| Alipurduar | 1 | 0 |
| Ambala Cantt | 1 | 0 |
| Ambikapur | 1 | 0 |
| Anakapalli | 1 | 0 |
| Angul | 1 | 0 |
| Aravalli | 1 | 0 |
| Azamgarh | 1 | 0 |
| Bagalkot | 1 | 0 |
| Balangir | 1 | 0 |
| Balasore | 1 | 0 |
| Ballia | 1 | 0 |
| Banka | 1 | 1 |
| Banswara | 1 | 0 |
| Bapatla | 1 | 0 |
| Baranagar | 1 | 0 |
| Barmer | 1 | 0 |
| Barnala | 1 | 0 |
| Betul | 1 | 0 |
| Bhadrak | 1 | 0 |
| Borgaon | 1 | 0 |
| Buldhana | 1 | 0 |
| Bundi | 1 | 0 |
| Chamarajanagar | 1 | 0 |
| Chapra | 1 | 44 |
| Cherthala | 1 | 2 |
| Chikkaballapur | 1 | 0 |
| Chikodi | 1 | 0 |
| Cuttack | 1 | 11 |
| Datia | 1 | 0 |
| Dausa | 1 | 0 |
| Deoria | 1 | 0 |
| Dhar | 1 | 0 |
| Dhemaji | 1 | 0 |
| Dhubri | 1 | 0 |
| Dhule | 1 | 0 |
| Dibrugarh | 1 | 0 |
| Doddaballapur | 1 | 0 |
| Giridih | 1 | 0 |
| Golaghat | 1 | 0 |
| Gulbarga | 1 | 6 |
| Gumla | 1 | 0 |
| Hazaribag | 1 | 0 |
| Idukki | 1 | 0 |
| Jammalamadugu | 1 | 0 |
| Jamshedpur | 1 | 87 |
| Jharsuguda | 1 | 0 |
| Jhunjhunu | 1 | 0 |
| Jind | 1 | 0 |
| Kaithal | 1 | 0 |
| Kalaburagi | 1 | 0 |
| Kamareddy | 1 | 0 |
| Karauli | 1 | 0 |
| Karwar | 1 | 1 |
| Khairthal-Tijara | 1 | 0 |
| Madhepura | 1 | 0 |
| Mahisagar | 1 | 0 |
| Mandi | 1 | 1 |
| Mandsaur | 1 | 0 |
| Mayurbhanj | 1 | 0 |
| Medhe | 1 | 0 |
| Mohali | 1 | 0 |
| Morbi | 1 | 0 |
| Morena | 1 | 0 |
| Mount_Abu | 1 | 0 |
| Munger | 1 | 7 |
| Murshidabad | 1 | 0 |
| Nalanda | 1 | 0 |
| Namakkal | 1 | 0 |
| Narsinghpur | 1 | 0 |
| Neemuch | 1 | 0 |
| North Dumdum | 1 | 1 |
| North East Delhi | 1 | 0 |
| Osmanabad | 1 | 0 |
| Pandharpur | 1 | 0 |
| Paralakhemundi | 1 | 0 |
| Pauri Garhwal | 1 | 0 |
| Prakasam | 1 | 0 |
| Pratapganj | 1 | 0 |
| Pudukkottai | 1 | 1 |
| Purba Bardhaman | 1 | 0 |
| Purulia | 1 | 1 |
| Ramanagara | 1 | 0 |
| Sabarkantha | 1 | 0 |
| Sambalpur | 1 | 0 |
| Sawai Madhopur | 1 | 0 |
| Shahjahanpur | 1 | 1 |
| Shajapur | 1 | 0 |
| Sheohar | 1 | 0 |
| Shillong | 1 | 1 |
| Shirdi | 1 | 0 |
| Shravasti | 1 | 0 |
| Siddipet | 1 | 0 |
| Silchar | 1 | 0 |
| Sirsa | 1 | 0 |
| Sitapur | 1 | 0 |
| Sivasagar | 1 | 0 |
| Solan | 1 | 1 |
| Sonipat | 1 | 0 |
| South West Delhi | 1 | 0 |
| Sri Muktsar Sahib | 1 | 0 |
| Tinsukia | 1 | 0 |
| Tiruvarur | 1 | 0 |
| Uttar Dinajpur | 1 | 0 |
| Vapi | 1 | 0 |
| Wayanad | 1 | 0 |
| West Delhi | 1 | 0 |
| West Godavari | 1 | 0 |
| West Tripura | 1 | 0 |
| Zunheboto | 1 | 0 |
When it's recommended
- Cataract affecting daily vision
What happens during the procedure
- Numbing drops (sometimes an injection)
- Tiny incision at the edge of the cornea
- Cloudy lens emulsified and removed
- Foldable lens implanted
Recovery
Vision improves within days; eye drops for a few weeks.
Typical hospital stay: No stay — day care
Risks & complications
- Infection (rare)
- Inflammation
- Posterior capsule opacification later (treated with laser)
- Retinal detachment (rare)
Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification) cost in India
Go Surgery doesn't publish prices for cataract surgery (phacoemulsification) yet. Costs vary with the procedure, the hospital and the city, so ask for a written estimate that lists the surgeon's fee, hospital charges, anaesthesia, consumables and follow-up.
Get a written estimateInsurance and payment options
Coverage for Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification) depends on your policy and insurer. Please check with your insurer before admission.
Paying for Your Treatment
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Ophthalmology hospitals
View all 17,304 →
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital
Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi
Allergist · Andrologist · Anesthesiologist
Hospitals Offering Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification) in India
1,341 hospitals are listed for this speciality. The 8 hospitals with the most listed surgeons are shown.
| Hospital | City | Doctors Listed in This Speciality |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital | Kolkata | 52 |
| Centre For Sight | Delhi NCR | 49 |
| ICARE Eye Hospital | Delhi NCR | 34 |
| Vasan Eye Care Hospital | Chennai | 21 |
| Vasan Eye Care Hospital | Bangalore | 18 |
| Shroff Eye Centre | Delhi NCR | 18 |
| Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital | Hyderabad | 18 |
| Centre for Sight | Delhi NCR | 16 |
Related conditions
Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification) near you
FAQs
How long does Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification) take?
About 15–30 minutes. The exact time depends on your case.
Will I need to stay in hospital?
Typical hospital stay: No stay — day care.
What anaesthesia is used?
Topical (drops) or local anaesthesia. Your anaesthetist will confirm the plan for you.
How long is recovery after Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification)?
Vision improves within days; eye drops for a few weeks.
Is Cataract Surgery (Phacoemulsification) covered by insurance?
It is usually covered by health insurance when medically necessary, subject to your policy's terms, waiting periods and sub-limits. Our insurance desk can check your specific policy.
Other Treatments
| Treatment | Duration | Anaesthesia | Hospital Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy | About 45–90 minutes | General anaesthesia | Same day or 1 day |
| Laparoscopic Hernia Repair | About 45–90 minutes | General anaesthesia | Same day or 1 day |
| Total Knee Replacement | About 1.5–2 hours | Spinal or general anaesthesia | 3–5 days |
| RIRS (Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery) | About 45–90 minutes | General anaesthesia | Same day or 1 day |
| Circumcision | About 20–45 minutes | Local or general anaesthesia | Same day |
| Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) for Varicose Veins | About 45–60 minutes | Local anaesthesia | Same day |
| Laparoscopic Appendectomy | About 45–60 minutes | General anaesthesia | 1–2 days (longer if the appendix had burst) |
| Gynecomastia Surgery | About 1–2 hours | General or local anaesthesia with sedation | Same day |
Other treatments in this speciality
Glaucoma Surgery
A new drainage pathway is created (trabeculectomy) or a drainage device inserted to lower eye pressure when drops or laser are not enough.
LASIK
A laser reshapes the cornea to correct myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism, reducing or removing the need for glasses.
SMILE Laser Vision Correction
A femtosecond laser creates a thin lens-shaped piece of tissue inside the cornea which is removed through a small incision, correcting myopia without a flap.
ICL (Implantable Contact Lens)
A thin lens is implanted inside the eye in front of the natural lens to correct high spectacle powers, especially where laser surgery isn't suitable.
Pterygium Surgery
The pterygium is removed and the area covered with a small graft of conjunctiva from the same eye to reduce recurrence.
Retina Laser (Photocoagulation)
Laser burns are applied to the retina to seal leaking vessels or reduce abnormal vessel growth in diabetic retinopathy and other retinal conditions.
Figures are counted from the Go Surgery directory. How we compile our pages: Editorial Policy.