Waiting for cataract surgery?
On a waiting list for cataract surgery? Here is the China option
In June 2026, 73.8% of people on England’s ophthalmology waiting list had waited under 18 weeks, against a 92% standard. In Canada, 69% of cataract operations were done within the 16-week benchmark in 2024, and in Australia the median public wait was 106 days in 2024–25. In China, foreign patients are quoted individually, and a cataract trip is short: checks the day after surgery and about a week later.
- 73.8%
- England: ophthalmology waiting list, share waited under 18 weeks (NHS England, Jun 2026; standard 92%)
- 69%
- Canada: cataract operations done within the 16-week benchmark (CIHI, 2024)
- 106 days
- Australia: median public wait for cataract surgery (AIHW, 2024–25)
- 31.8 weeks
- Canada: median wait from GP referral to ophthalmology treatment (Fraser Institute survey, 2025)
Cataract and ophthalmology waits (sources: NHS England, CIHI, AIHW official statistics and Fraser Institute physician survey, 2024–26). Each measure is different, so they cannot be ranked against each other
| Where | Measure | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| England | Ophthalmology waiting list (all eye conditions), share waited under 18 weeks (Jun 2026) | 73.8% of 620,922 (standard 92%) |
| Canada, cataract | Share done within the 16-week benchmark (2024) | 69% |
| Canada, ophthalmology | Median wait from GP referral to treatment (physician survey, 2025) | 31.8 weeks |
| Australia, cataract | Median public wait from listing to surgery (2024–25) | 106 days |
| China | No published waiting-time statistic | Surgery date confirmed by the hospital before you book |
Going private at home
Skipping the list at home costs thousands per eye
In the UK, PHIN lists private cataract packages of GBP 2,635–3,295 per eye in Liverpool (2025). Canadian private surgery costs about CAD 3,000–5,000 per eye with a standard lens, and self-funded surgery in Australia about AUD 4,000–6,000 per eye. A premium lens costs more everywhere.
The China route
A surgery date confirmed before you book flights
There is no published waiting-time statistic for cataract surgery in China, so we do not quote one. Chinese hospitals usually do cataract surgery as a day case, with tests as an outpatient and admission and discharge within 24 hours. You send your reports, an ophthalmologist reviews them, and we ask the hospital for an individual quote and a confirmed date before you book anything. The CNY 5,150 (≈ USD 770) Beijing figure you may see is an insurance payment standard for insured residents, not a price for visitors.
Flying home
Usually soon after surgery, after your checks
The American Academy of Ophthalmology says there is generally no restriction on air travel after cataract surgery, and UK aviation guidance accepts fitness to fly from 24 hours in uncomplicated cases. One NHS-contracted UK provider is more cautious and advises 2 weeks before a flight of 3 hours or more. Surgeons usually check the eye the day after surgery and about a week later, so we plan about 7–10 days for one eye. That is our estimate from the check schedule, not a published figure, and your surgeon sets the date. Later routine checks can be done at home: in the NHS they are often done by a community optometrist.
Both eyes
One trip for both eyes, or two
The NHS usually treats the two eyes on separate days, often 6–12 weeks apart. In China the second eye is usually done 1–2 weeks after the first, once it is quiet and stable, which can fit into one longer trip. Some surgeons operate on both eyes on the same day for people at low risk; the trade-off is that the first eye’s result can no longer guide the second. Which approach suits you is the surgeon’s decision.
We handle the China part
An English-speaking coordinator from airport to aftercare
We book the hospital, meet you at the airport, arrange a hotel near the hospital, put an interpreter beside you at every appointment, help with WeChat and Alipay payment, translate your reports into English and stay in touch for follow-up after you fly home.
Common questions
How long is the wait for cataract surgery?
It depends on where you live, and each country measures it differently. In Australia the median public wait for cataract surgery was 106 days in 2024–25 (AIHW). In Canada, 69% of cataract operations were done within the 16-week benchmark in 2024 (CIHI), and a 2025 physician survey put the median wait from GP referral to ophthalmology treatment at 31.8 weeks (Fraser Institute). In England, 73.8% of people on the ophthalmology waiting list had waited under 18 weeks in June 2026, against a 92% standard; a cataract-only figure is not given in the headline statistics.
Is it better to have both eyes done at once, or how long should you wait between eyes?
Both approaches are used. The NHS usually treats the two eyes on separate days, often 6–12 weeks apart, and US surgeons typically wait 1–3 weeks. In China the second eye is usually done 1–2 weeks after the first, once the first eye is quiet and stable. Some surgeons operate on both eyes on the same day for people at low risk, although the first eye’s result can then no longer guide the second. Ask the surgeon which they recommend for you, and plan the trip length around it.
What is recovery like after cataract surgery, and when can you fly?
Surgeons usually see you the day after surgery and about a week later, and the NHS says eye drops are used for about 4 weeks. The American Academy of Ophthalmology says there is generally no restriction on flying after cataract surgery, and UK aviation guidance accepts fitness to fly from 24 hours in uncomplicated cases, although some UK providers advise 2 weeks before a long flight. Flying is different after retinal surgery with a gas bubble, which rules out flying for 2–6 weeks. For a trip to China we plan about 7–10 days for one eye, as an estimate, with the date agreed with your surgeon.
Complete package
Make the trip count: eye surgery + health checkup + TCM
You stay in China for the checks after eye surgery anyway. The same days can include a full health checkup and a TCM consultation, at public-hospital prices. We plan and quote all three together.
- Your cataract or vision correction surgery, quoted individually
- Health checkup about CNY 1,500 (≈ USD 220)
- TCM consultation from CNY 50 (≈ USD 7)
USD amounts converted at about CNY 6.70 per USD (2026-10-07), for reference only. Foreign patients pay the full listed price.