Cataract in China
白内障
The world's most common operation, at some of the world's lowest published public prices: China's procurement reform cut artificial lens prices by half or more, and People's Daily ran the headline that cataract surgery fees had fallen to the thousand-yuan level.
Where this is treated best
-
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University
中山大学中山眼科中心 · Guangzhou#1 in China for ophthalmology on the Fudan ranking — and the closest top-tier eye flagship to Southeast Asia.
Public Grade 3A -
Beijing Tongren Hospital
首都医科大学附属北京同仁医院 · BeijingAmong China's top hospitals in both ophthalmology and ENT on the Fudan specialty rankings.
Public Grade 3A -
Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University
复旦大学附属眼耳鼻喉科医院 · Shanghai#1 in China for ENT and top-3 in ophthalmology on the Fudan specialty rankings.
Public Grade 3A
Cataract surgery (phaco + IOL)
Ultrasonic removal of the clouded lens and implantation of an artificial one — a 20-minute outpatient procedure at high-volume centers.
Official listed price — Phacoemulsification + IOL implantation, surgical fee — official Guangxi catalog
¥2,242.5 (≈ US$315)
The intraocular lens is billed separately; after national procurement, standard monofocal lenses fell by 50–60%, with real published cases totaling about ¥7,300 per eye all-in.
Source: Guangxi Medical Service Price Catalog (2024), item 330406010; People's Daily on IOL procurement · Last verified: 2026-09
Typical total cost
¥4,000–15,000 per eye (≈ US$550–2,100)
The lens class decides the number: procured monofocal lenses sit at the bottom of the band, premium multifocal and toric lenses at the top.
Plan your budget at the top of the range. Final costs depend on the treatment plan your doctor sets after seeing you.