Cataract (Phaco + IOL) Surgery in Pune
Bladeless lens replacement with premium IOLs. A phaco approach with same-day discharge and a typical recovery of 2–3 days. But surgery is the last step, not the first — start with a ophthalmologist and rule out the simpler fixes.
How it works
You don't buy an operation here — you start with a doctor. Book a consultation first; Cataract (Phaco + IOL) surgery happens only if a ophthalmologist confirms you need it.
About cataract
A cataract is clouding of the eye's natural crystalline lens, which should be completely transparent. With age the proteins inside the lens aggregate and scatter light, reducing sharpness and — earlier and more noticeably — contrast. It is painless and progressive, and no drop, tablet or exercise reverses it: the only definitive treatment is replacing the lens. Different types behave differently, and a posterior subcapsular cataract in particular causes disproportionate glare and reading difficulty long before the vision chart looks bad.
When is surgery actually needed?
Early cataract is managed by updating your spectacles, improving task lighting, using anti-glare lenses and avoiding night driving. That is a legitimate stage of treatment, not a stalling tactic, and it can last years. Surgery is advised when the reduced vision genuinely interferes with what you need to do — driving, reading, work, or moving about safely — or when the cataract is preventing examination and treatment of the retina behind it, or has caused a secondary problem such as lens-induced glaucoma. Waiting until a cataract is 'mature' is no longer advised: a dense lens is harder and riskier to remove than a moderate one.
Why phaco, not open surgery
Phacoemulsification is done under anaesthetic drops through an incision of 2 to 2.8 mm that seals itself without a stitch. A circular opening is made in the front of the lens capsule, an ultrasound probe emulsifies and aspirates the cloudy lens material, and a foldable intraocular lens is injected into the preserved capsular bag, where it unfolds and centres itself. The power of that lens comes from biometry measurements taken beforehand. Monofocal, toric and multifocal or extended-depth-of-focus lenses trade spectacle independence against contrast and night-time haloes — that is a clinical conversation with your surgeon about your eye and your work, not a menu choice by price.
Your options for cataract
Non-surgical options are listed first where they exist. Which one suits you depends on your examination and reports — this table is here so you can ask better questions, not to choose for you.
Our ophthalmologist surgeons
Dr. Sanjay Kulkarni
Senior
Dr. Arjun Menon
Senior
Dr. Karan Malhotra
SeniorDr. Imran Sheikh
SeniorCost, EMI & insurance
Covered by insurance
Cataract (Phaco + IOL) surgery is covered by most health policies. We start cashless pre-authorisation before admission — you pay nothing extra at discharge.
Your recovery timeline
Week by week after cataract (phaco + iol) surgery
Home within a few hours with a protective shield. Vision is often blurred and glary on the first evening — that is normal.
Review appointment, drops start, and most people already notice a clear improvement.
No rubbing, no water in the eye, sunglasses outdoors. Shield at night.
Drops taper. Most daily activity resumes; driving once vision meets the legal standard and the surgeon agrees.
Refraction stabilises and final spectacles are prescribed. The second eye is usually scheduled once the first has settled.
Risks, preparation & aftercare
Every operation carries risk. These are the complications your surgeon will take you through before you consent — they are listed here so you read them without a pen in your hand.
Possible complications of cataract (phaco + iol) surgery
Before your procedure
Biometry to calculate the lens power, a dilated retinal examination, and corneal and macular assessment. Blood sugar and blood pressure controlled. Tell the surgeon if you take tamsulosin or any alpha-blocker for the prostate — it causes floppy iris syndrome and changes the surgical plan, and it matters even if you stopped it years ago. Antibiotic drops as prescribed, no eye make-up, and nothing by mouth only if sedation is planned.
After you go home
Use every drop exactly on the schedule given — this is the instruction patients most often get wrong. Wear the shield at night for a week. Do not rub the eye, swim, or let water splash into it. Avoid dusty environments and heavy lifting for two weeks. Attend the day-one, week-one and week-four reviews. Report pain, increasing redness, discharge, flashes, floaters or falling vision the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Start with a conversation, not a commitment.
Book a ₹600 consultation with a ophthalmologist — adjusted into your surgery cost if you go ahead. No pressure, no surgery unless you need it.