Cataract surgery in Medellín
The price depends on the intraocular lens you choose: see it per eye before you message us
Cataract surgery replaces the clouded natural lens with an intraocular lens. It is done by phacoemulsification through a 2.4 mm micro-incision, with no stitches and as an outpatient procedure. What changes the price the most is the lens: monofocal, extended range, multifocal or trifocal. MDE Care is not a clinic: we arrange your assessment, the surgery with the ophthalmologist and your follow-up visits in Medellín.
Vision in 24 to 48 h
usual visual recovery
Which intraocular lens fits your life?
Five questions about how you use your eyes. We suggest the type of lens that usually suits you, so you arrive at your assessment with a clear idea.
1. What do you do most in your day?
2. Does wearing reading glasses bother you?
3. Do you have astigmatism?
4. How much would halos around lights at night bother you?
5. Do you have another eye condition (glaucoma, retina, severe dry eye)?
The lens that usually suits you
Multifocal
You want to depend less on reading glasses and halos at night do not worry you much: a multifocal lens corrects distance and near vision.
Guide price per eye
COP 8,000,000 to COP 11,200,000
* Guidance only, not a diagnosis or a medical recommendation. The right lens is chosen by the ophthalmologist at the assessment, based on your eye measurements and the condition of your cornea and retina.
How much cataract surgery costs by lens
Choose the intraocular lens and how many eyes you will have operated on. We show you a guide price per eye and the total, in pesos or in dollars.
First, the assessment
Before surgery, the ophthalmologist examines the eye and measures its size and curvature to calculate the lens power. At that appointment you confirm which lens suits you, whether there is astigmatism to correct and the final price.
What the price per eye includes
- Phacoemulsification through a 2.4 mm micro-incision
- Foldable monofocal lens. Corrects distance vision
- Outpatient operating room
- Post-operative follow-up visits
What each package covers is confirmed at the assessment with the assigned clinic.
1. Which intraocular lens do you want?
If you are not sure, start with the monofocal or use the lens guide above.
2. How many eyes will be operated on?
3. Details of your case
Guide price per eye
COP 4,800,000 to COP 7,200,000
Monofocal lens · one eye
Pre-surgical assessment
COP 400,000
Not added to the total. Tick it in step 3 to include it.
Reference in the United States
COP 16,000,000 to COP 28,000,000 per eye
Only as a savings reference, not an MDE Care price.
* Guide prices, confirmed at the assessment. The extended range lens is an estimate pending confirmation with the partner surgeon. Dollar amounts are a reference conversion and may change with the exchange rate of the day.
What cataracts are
The crystalline lens is the natural lens of the eye, located behind the iris. A cataract is its clouding: the lens loses transparency and light reaches the retina blurred, as if you were looking through a fogged-up window.
It usually progresses gradually over the years. Glasses can help at first, but once the cataract starts to interfere with your daily activities, the treatment is surgery: the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens.
If you do not have a cataract but want a multifocal lens to stop using reading glasses, what you are looking for is presbyopia surgery.
Symptoms worth a consultation
- Cloudy or blurred visionThat does not fully improve with new glasses.
- Glare from lightsSunlight, lamps or headlights bother you more than before.
- Poor vision at nightDriving at night becomes hard or you see halos around lights.
- Faded or yellowish coloursColours look less vivid than before.
- Frequent prescription changesYour glasses stop working after a short time.
How phacoemulsification is done
It is the technique used to operate on cataracts. It takes 20 to 30 minutes per eye and does not require a hospital stay.
1. Local anaesthesia
The eye is numbed so you feel no pain. The type of anaesthesia is chosen by the surgeon.
2. 2.4 mm micro-incision
A tiny opening at the edge of the cornea through which the instruments enter.
3. Broken up and removed
The cloudy lens is broken up with ultrasound and suctioned out through the same incision.
4. Foldable lens, no stitches
The intraocular lens goes in folded, unfolds in place and the incision seals on its own.
Types of intraocular lens for cataracts
The lens stays in your eye permanently. This is the practical difference between the options.
| Lens | What it corrects | Glasses afterwards | Keep in mind | Price per eye |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monofocal | Distance | For reading and near | The standard option | COP 4,800,000 to COP 7,200,000 |
| Extended range (Eyhance type) | Distance and some intermediate range | For close reading | Guide price to be confirmed | COP 6,000,000 to COP 7,200,000 |
| Multifocal | Distance and near | Less dependence | May cause halos around lights at night | COP 8,000,000 to COP 11,200,000 |
| Premium trifocal | Distance, intermediate and near | Less dependence | May cause halos around lights at night | COP 10,000,000 to COP 14,000,000 |
| Toric | Adds astigmatism correction | Depends on the base lens | Available in several of the options above | Confirmed at the assessment |
Guide prices, confirmed at the assessment.
Who is a candidate for surgery
A cataract that already limits your day
People with a diagnosed cataract that already makes it hard to read, drive or go about their daily activities.
Glasses are no longer enough
Those who no longer get good vision with a new prescription.
With another eye condition
With glaucoma or retina problems surgery is also possible, but the specialist decides the lens and the timing after assessing each condition.
The final recommendation is given by the ophthalmologist at the assessment, with the eye exam and the measurements to calculate the lens.
Recovery: what changes and what does not
Recovery
The usual visual recovery is 24 to 48 hours. You go home the same day, with eye drops and instructions from the specialist.
The cataract does not come back
The cloudy lens is removed completely, so the cataract does not form again.
What can happen
Over time, posterior capsule opacification may appear in the membrane that holds the lens. If it does, it is treated in the office with a laser called YAG.
What depends on the lens
With a monofocal lens you will need glasses for near. With a multifocal or trifocal lens you depend on them less, but halos may appear around lights at night.
Cataract surgery at a glance
| Duration | 20 to 30 minutes per eye |
|---|---|
| Type of surgery | Outpatient: you go home the same day |
| Technique | Phacoemulsification through a 2.4 mm micro-incision, no stitches |
| Anaesthesia | Local, the type is chosen by the surgeon |
| Visual recovery | 24 to 48 hours |
| Follow-up | In person at first; later visits can be remote when the specialist considers it safe |
| Price per eye | COP 4,800,000 to COP 14,000,000 depending on the lens, guide price |
Why arrange your cataract surgery with MDE Care
We are not a clinic: we are your coordination team. We connect you with ophthalmologists and accredited clinics in Medellín.
Clear price by lens
You know from the start how much the price changes from one lens to another, per eye.
Savings compared with the United States
There, cataract surgery costs between 4,000 and 7,000 dollars per eye. In Medellín the monofocal lens starts at 1,200 dollars per eye.
Coordination from start to finish
Assessment, surgery, follow-up and, if you travel, the logistics of your stay in Medellín.
Organizations that endorse our work
How we arrange your cataract surgery
A process with support from your first message to your follow-up visits.
Tell us about your case
Message us on WhatsApp with your diagnosis or your symptoms and the lens you are interested in.
Assessment
The ophthalmologist examines your eye, calculates the lens and confirms the final price.
Scheduling
We book your surgery date and send you the instructions beforehand.
Outpatient surgery
Phacoemulsification of 20 to 30 minutes per eye and back home the same day.
Follow-up
In person at first and remote when the specialist considers it safe.
Everything about cataract surgery
How much does cataract surgery cost in Colombia?
What is the best intraocular lens for cataracts?
What is the Eyhance lens and how much does it cost?
Does cataract surgery hurt?
How long does cataract surgery take?
When does vision recover after surgery?
Are both eyes operated on the same day?
Can a cataract come back?
Already diagnosed with a cataract?
Send us your diagnosis and we tell you which lens fits and how much it costs per eye.
Other ophthalmology procedures
Ready for your cataract surgery in Medellín?
Write to us with your diagnosis or your questions about the lens. We arrange your assessment, the surgery and your follow-up visits, with a clear price per eye from the first message.