Cash prices 718 hospitals

Cataract surgery cost without insurance

The median cash price for Cataract surgery is $3,876.10 per eye across 609 US hospitals that publish a self-pay price. Most hospitals (the middle 80%) charge between $1,611.26 and $9,116.14.

Cataract surgery replaces the clouded lens of the eye with a clear implant. It is a short outpatient operation, done one eye at a time. The standard lens is included in the price, while premium lenses that also correct astigmatism or reading vision cost extra and are usually not covered by insurance.

Collected Nov 10, 2026 One price per hospital, from each hospital's own price file

Cataract surgery prices by type

66984 is standard cataract surgery with a lens implant and is used in the state table; 66982 is complex cataract surgery; and 66821 is the laser treatment for clouding that can develop months or years later.

Procedure	Hospitals	Middle 80%	Median	Medicare
Cataract surgery Cataract surgery with lens implant · code 66984	609	$1,611.26–$9,116.14	$3,876.10	—
Complex cataract surgery Complex cataract surgery with lens implant · code 66982	484	$1,592.15–$10,740.80	$3,935.18	—
YAG laser capsulotomy Laser treatment of clouding after cataract surgery (YAG) · code 66821	718	$411.81–$2,704.80	$1,125.25	$561.91median 2.0×

Procedure The service and its billing code (CPT or HCPCS). Opens the comparison of every hospital that prices it. More

Hospitals How many hospitals publish a cash price for this code here. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price.

Middle 80% Cash prices of most hospitals: a tenth of hospitals charge less than the first number (P10), a tenth charge more than the second (P90). More

Median The middle cash price: half of the hospitals charge less, half charge more. One price per hospital. More

Medicare Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same outpatient service, including the patient's share, before the local wage adjustment. A yardstick, not a price you can pay. More

What the hospital price covers

The hospital price is usually the facility fee for one eye. The surgeon, the anesthesia and a premium lens bill separately, and the second eye is a second operation.

“Most charge” is the middle 80% of hospitals (10th to 90th percentile), so one mistyped line in a hospital file cannot stretch it. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price for the code. “Medicare” is Medicare's 2026 national base rate for the same service outside a hospital stay, including the patient's share (the hospital outpatient, lab or hospital clinic rate); “median 3×” means the median cash price is three times that rate.

Cataract surgery: median by state

States with at least 5 hospitals, cheapest median first. Pick a state for its cataract surgery prices and cheapest hospitals.

Cataract surgery: median by metro area

Metro areas with at least 10 hospitals.

Paying cash: what to do

Ask for a bundled self-pay price that includes the surgeon, anesthesia, facility and follow-up visits; hospital file prices usually cover only the facility.
Ask what a premium lens or laser-assisted surgery adds to the price, and whether you need it.
Eye surgery centers usually charge much less than hospital outpatient departments.

Questions

How much does cataract surgery cost without insurance?

The median hospital cash price for Cataract surgery (code 66984) is $3,876.10 per eye across 609 US hospitals that publish a self-pay price; most charge $1,611.26 to $9,116.14. By state, the median runs from $1,824.71 in Montana to $10,558.00 in Georgia. The hospital price is usually the facility fee for one eye. The surgeon, the anesthesia and a premium lens bill separately, and the second eye is a second operation.

Is cataract surgery covered by Medicare?

Yes, with a standard lens. Premium lens upgrades are paid by the patient.

How long is recovery?

Vision often improves within days; full healing takes about a month.

Are both eyes done at once?

Usually not; the second eye is often done a few weeks later.