Canada · Cataract surgery
Canadian cataract surgery waiting time vs paying privately or going abroad
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
Days from the decision to operate to cataract surgery: median and 90th percentile; 69.7% were treated within the national benchmark: median 66 days; 1 in 10 waited over 222 days (Canada (national), 2025). Published prices abroad start at C$1,250 in Poland, before flights and a hotel.
- Official wait
- Median 66 days; 1 in 10 waited over 222 days (2025)
- Pay at home
- Not verified
- Abroad, before travel
- about C$1,250 to C$3,500 in 5 countries
- Time abroad
- 3 to 5 days: assessment, the operation, and a check-up the next day before you fly
The official waiting figure
- 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. Canada (national), 2025. Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).
Canadian waits are national figures from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, published 25 June 2026 (CIHI). Waits differ a lot between provinces. Ask your provincial health plan whether it pays anything towards planned care abroad before you book; we have not reviewed provincial rules yet.
Paying privately in Canada
We have not yet verified a published self-pay price.
Published prices abroad, in CAD
Converted at the European Central Bank rate and rounded; before flights, hotel and time off work.
| Country | Price range | Difference vs lowest home price |
|---|---|---|
| Cataract surgery in Poland | about C$1,250 to C$1,430 | — |
| Cataract surgery in Hungary | about C$1,260 | — |
| Cataract surgery in Thailand | about C$1,700 to C$3,470 | — |
| Cataract surgery in Turkey | about C$3,050 | — |
| Cataract surgery in Mexico | about C$3,290 to C$3,500 | — |
Add your flight and hotel
Add a return flight and 4 nights to see whether the trip still costs less than paying in Canada.
When not to travel
- Other eye disease that needs regular follow-up (glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, macular degeneration) unless your home specialist agrees.
- Anyone who cannot stay a few days after surgery or cannot use eye drops reliably on their own.
Next steps
Cataract surgery from Canada: questions
How long is the Canadian wait for cataract operations?
Median 66 days; 1 in 10 waited over 222 days (Canada (national), 2025). Days from the decision to operate to cataract surgery: median and 90th percentile; 69.7% were treated within the national benchmark.
How much does a private cataract surgery cost in Canada?
We have not verified a published price yet.
Where abroad is a cataract surgery cheapest from Canada?
Before travel: Poland about C$1,250 to C$1,430, Hungary about C$1,260 and Thailand about C$1,700 to C$3,470. Add a return flight and 4 nights' hotel to compare the whole trip.
Do I need a referral for a cataract surgery abroad?
Clinics differ, but a referral or a letter from your own doctor makes the result far more useful: it says what question the cataract surgery should answer, and it means someone at home will act on it.
Sources
- 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.
- Wait times in Canada, 2026. 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.