Cataract Surgery – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do I need a referral to book an appointment?

Yes, we must receive a referral letter from your optometrist or GP before we can schedule an appointment. If you already have your referral, please email it to reception@sightspecialists.com.au.

The wait time for an initial appointment is approximately 3-6 weeks. Surgery is usually scheduled 4-6 weeks after this appointment.

No, you will be under deep intravenous sedation and you will have no recollection of the procedure. Most of our patients report that their experience was very pleasant!

Most of our patients take 1 week off of work when having cataract surgery on both eyes. The typical recovery is:

  • Mild eye irritation for 1-2 weeks
  • No eye rubbing, swimming, or heavy weightlifting (>40kg) for 2 weeks

The process from referral to final discharge takes 3-4 months to ensure the highest level of accuracy and safety.

  1. Referral: Ask your GP or optometrist to send a referral to Sight Specialists. We will contact you when we receive your referral.
  2. Initial Assessment (week 3–6): Comprehensive testing and examination with Dr Andrew’s clinical optometrist.
  3. Measurement Scans (2 weeks later): Detailed eye measurements scans after using Dr Andrew’s regimen of lubricating eye drops. You will have the opportunity to meet Dr Andrew at this appointment.
  4. Cataract Surgery with Dr Andrew (2–3 weeks later): Most patients choose to have both eyes treated in the same week, typically 2–5 days apart.
  5. Post-Operative Care: Follow-up appointments occur at 1 week and 4 weeks after your surgery.

**Your treatment journey may slightly differ from the above, depending on our wait times and your medical needs.

We believe in complete financial transparency. When evaluating cataract surgery fees, it’s important to look at the total “out of pocket” cost of your entire treatment journey, from first consultation through to final discharge. The “out of pocket” cost is the amount left for you to pay after Medicare and insurance rebates have been applied.

The figures below show the total out of pocket cost for cataract surgery on both eyes.

Patient StatusEstimated Total Out-of-Pocket (Both Eyes)
Uninsured (Self-Funded)$7,000 – $12,000
With Private Health Insurance$1,500 – $6,000

Note: The above amounts are all-inclusive (consultations, hospital fees, anaesthetic fees, medications, post-operative laser polishing of your lenses).

We will be able to give you a precise quotation at your initial appointment, once we know what surgery plan your eyes require.

If you are comparing clinics, beware of hidden fees. Ensure that you are comparing the total out of pocket cost for your entire treatment, and be careful to compare “apples with apples”. For a detailed breakdown of cataract surgery fees, please watch the video at the bottom of this page.

When we receive your referral, we will check your insurance policy for you. Alternatively, you can call your private health insurer and ask if your policy covers Medicare item number “42702”. If your policy does not include 42702, you might decide to increase your policy and have surgery after your 12 month waiting period.

If you don’t have cataracts yet, the procedure is classified as cosmetic and it does not attract Medicare or insurance rebates. This leaves you with a higher out of pocket amount (of $1000 to $3000 per eye). Cataract surgery in this situation is called “refractive lensectomy” and it is performed in middle aged people to give them freedom from glasses.

Eligibility for Medicare and private health insurance rebates for ‘early cataracts’ is determined by examination and advanced diagnostic eye scans performed in our clinic. Occasionally, patients decide to postpone their surgery for a few years, until it can be classified as cataract surgery.

To learn about the vision correction options for young people, please click here.

Dr Andrew operates at Vision Centre Day Surgery (95 Nerang Street, Southport). This is a fully accredited day hospital that has a health fund contract with every private health insurer, including BUPA, Medibank, HCF, NIB, and all others.

Understanding cataract surgery fees in Australia

Learn more about cataract surgery

Sight Specialists logo cataract surgery dr nick andrew ophthalmologist eye surgeon sight specialists southport gold coast

Opening hours

Monday to Friday: 8am – 4.30pm

Phone: 07 56475777

Fax: 07 56365549

reception@sightspecialists.com.au

Dr Nick Andrew

Ophthalmologist and Eye Surgeon Gold Coast

Level 2, 95 Nerang St, Southport QLD 4215

Medical disclaimer

The content provided on this website is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.

All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions.

Neither Dr. Andrew nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content.

All surgical procedures carry risk. Before proceeding with any operation, always consider obtaining a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.