From Canada · Cataract surgery · United Arab Emirates
Cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates from Canada: what the trip costs against the wait at home
Prices checked 27 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
For Canadians, cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates costs C$7,810 at the clinic we checked, or about C$9,870 with a rough travel estimate added.
- Clinic price
- C$7,8101 provider, one eye, standard
- With travel
- C$9,870clinic C$7,810 + about C$2,060 travel (rough estimate)
- Pay privately in Canada
- Not verified
- Wait in Canada
- Median 66 days; 1 in 10 waited over 222 days (2025)
- Cover in Canada
- Provincial plans pay for cataract surgery with a standard lens; it is one of the priority procedures whose waits CIHI publishes.
- Soonest booking there
- Not published: ask in writing
- Rank from Canada
- 8 of 8 countries by total trip cost
Figure 1Where the money goes, in CAD
Trip total C$9,870
Figure 2Cataract surgery: cheapest trip from Canada, by country
How soon hospitals in United Arab Emirates can see you
At home the official figure is median 66 days; 1 in 10 waited over 222 days. These hospitals run a service for international patients; the booking time is each one's own words.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
- Heart
- Cancer care
- Neurology
- Transplant
No booking time published: ask in writing
Estimated prices for 2 treatmentsDetails
Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)
- Cancer care
- Orthopaedics
- Heart
- Fertility
No booking time published: ask in writing
17 published pricesDetails
Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (and Abu Dhabi)
- Eyes
No booking time published: ask in writing
Estimated prices for 2 treatmentsDetails
Published cataract surgery prices in United Arab Emirates
Each row is a price the provider publishes itself, in its own currency, with what it includes. The converted amounts use a fixed European Central Bank rate.
| Provider | Published price | What the price is for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)Dubai | AED 20,489.31about £4,170 · €4,980 · C$7,810 · $5,580 | Cataract removal with insertion of IOL (regular), outpatient package'Gross price 35,179.46 AED'. The page does not say per eye or both eyes; monofocal not stated ('regular'). | Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)read 27 October 2026 |
| Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)Dubai | AED 23,676.62about £4,820 · €5,760 · C$9,020 · $6,450 | Cataract removal with IOL (multifocal)'Gross price 36,479.46 AED'; per eye not statedNot comparable | Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)read 27 October 2026 |
| Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)Dubai | AED 22,613.94about £4,610 · €5,500 · C$8,620 · $6,160 | Cataract removal with IOL (toric)'Gross price 36,479.46 AED'; per eye not statedNot comparable | Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)read 27 October 2026 |
| Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)Dubai | AED 25,489.31about £5,190 · €6,200 · C$9,710 · $6,940 | Cataract removal (femto) with IOL (regular)'Gross price 28,879.46 AED'; femtosecond; per eye not statedNot comparable | Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)read 27 October 2026 |
Prices are copied as published, in the provider's currency. Conversions use the European Central Bank reference rates of 23 October 2026 and are rounded. A provider can change a price at any time: ask for a written quote.
Against waiting or paying in Canada
Canada (national), 2025: Median 66 days; 1 in 10 waited over 222 days. Days from the decision to operate to cataract surgery: median and 90th percentile; 69.7% were treated within the national benchmark. Waits and prices for cataract surgery in Canada.
Can your provincial plan pay?
Ask your provincial health plan before you book. We have not reviewed provincial rules for planned care abroad yet, and they differ by province.
Planning the trip from Canada
- Get a written quoteSend the clinic your referral or reason for cataract surgery and ask for an itemised price in writing, with the date and what happens if the result needs follow-up.
- Before you goAsk your optician or eye doctor for your latest prescription and any eye reports.
- Before you goPlan for the clinic's rules on flying after surgery, and bring someone with you if you can.
- Entry rulesCheck the official advice before booking: Canadian citizens (travel.gc.ca).
- LanguageArabic; English is the everyday language of private hospitals.
- After you returnYou will use eye drops for several weeks. Tell your optician you had surgery abroad and bring the operation note with the lens details.
- After you returnSudden pain, worsening vision or flashing lights after surgery need urgent care at home.
Compare with your wait and price at home
Compare United Arab Emirates with every other country for cataract surgery from Canada: price, how soon, and the hospitals.
Related pages
- Cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates: every price line and how to book
- Cataract surgery abroad: price report for all countries
- Treatment in United Arab Emirates: every procedure
- Cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates from the UK
- Cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates from Ireland
- Cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates from the US
Cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates from Canada: questions
How much is cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates for Canadians?
The published prices we found work out at C$7,810 at the clinic, from Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai). Adding a rough travel estimate of C$2,060 for a return flight and a hotel, the trip comes to about C$9,870. Your own fares and dates will change that part.
Is it cheaper than paying privately in Canada?
We have not verified a self-pay price in Canada for this, so compare the trip total with a written quote from a provider at home.
How long is the wait for cataract surgery in Canada?
Canada (national): Median 66 days; 1 in 10 waited over 222 days (2025). Days from the decision to operate to cataract surgery: median and 90th percentile; 69.7% were treated within the national benchmark.
How many days do I need in United Arab Emirates?
3 to 5 days: assessment, the operation, and a check-up the next day before you fly. That is our planning estimate, not medical advice; ask the clinic for its schedule in writing.
Will my provincial plan pay for it?
Ask your provincial health plan before booking; we have not reviewed provincial rules for planned care abroad.
Sources
- Prices. Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai). Read 27 October 2026.
- Wait times for priority procedures in Canada, 2008 to 2025: data tables. Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), 25 June 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.