In the world, many people suffer from eye related problems. India is one of the best countries for medical tourism and hosts millions of successful cases each year. The cost of a corneal transplant in India is lower in comparison to other countries. India offers world-class healthcare infrastructure, hospitals, and medical facilities at reasonable prices. Surgeons of India are well trained, experienced, and dedicated to their work. In this blog, we describe the cost of the eye (cornea) transplant surgery in India and explore other topics, like cornea transplantation, types, benefits, causes, and cost affecting factors. Also, know the best hospital for eye transplantation, and why India is the best destination for eye or cornea surgery.
What is a Cornea Transplant?
Keratoplasty or the cornea transplant, is the surgical procedure to replace the damaged tissue and diseased cornea. Doctors replace the damaged & diseased cornea with the donated cornea.
Causes of Corneal Transplant
The causes of the Keratoplasty are:
- Physical injuries (like trauma and burns)
- Optical infection (like bacterial, fungal, and viral infection)
- Building a cone shape
- A progressive thinning
- Blocking light or UV rays that causes blurred vision or loss of vision
Benefits of Cornea Transplant
- Restored and improved vision
- Relief from pain
- Enhanced quality of life
- Improving the appearance of a damaged or scarred cornea
- Psychological benefits for some patients
Types of Eye Transplant or Keratoplasty Treatment
Here, we describe the types of the eye transplantation treatment:
- Penetrating Keratoplasty Surgery: It is a full thickness corneal transplant surgery. In this surgery, surgeons remove the infected or diseased cornea completely and replace it with a donor or a healthy tissue. It is also known as corneal graft surgery.
- Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty: It is the specialized type of the surgery that focuses only on the front layer of the cornea. Surgeon leaves the patient’s healthy layer intact and replaces the front or middle damaged layer only.
- Endothelial Keratoplasty: This transplantation surgery is also known as endothelium surgery. It only focuses on the inner layer transplantation. In this surgery, doctors replace diseased endothelial cells with the donated tissue. This surgery has a low risk of complication and provides faster visual recovery.
- Artificial Cornea: In this surgery, the artificial cornea or human made device is implanted and replaces with the damaged cornea. Artificial Cornea is also known as the keratoprosthesis (KPro). This is a human made optic lens that is used in conditions, like when a person has multiple failed donor corneal transplants.
What is the Cost of the Eye Transplant in India?
The cost of the treatment varies from different factors, like the type of the hospitals and surgery. The cost of this procedure ranges between ₹50,000 to ₹2,80,000 or approximately $480 – $3,000.
- The minimum cost of the eye transplantation treatment is ₹40,000 or $480.
- The average cost of the eye transplantation treatment is around ₹80,000 to ₹2,00,000 or $600 – $2,500.
- The maximum cost of the eye transplantation treatment is approximately ₹2,80,000 or $3,000.
Cost of the Corneal or Eye Transplant in India by the Type of the Surgery
| Types of Surgery | Cost in INR | Cost in USD |
| Penetrating Keratoplasty (PK) | ₹50,000 – ₹1,00,000 | $400 – $900 |
| Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DALK) | ₹50,000 – ₹1,20,000 | $400 – $1100 |
| Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK/DSEK) | ₹60,000 – ₹1,50,000 | $600 – $1,400 |
| Artificial Cornea (Keratoprosthesis) | ₹2,00,000 – ₹3,50,000 | $2,200 – $,3900 |
Cost Breakdown Eye (Cornea) Transplant Treatment in India
The breakdown of the cost of the eye transplant or Keratoplasty surgery is:
| Components | Cost in INR | Cost in USD | Details of the Cost |
| Pre-Operative Costs | 5,000 to 30,000 INR | 60 to 350 USD | Diagnostic Tests, Doctor’s Consultation fee, Per-Operative Medication |
| Surgeon Fee | 20,000 to 1,10,000 INR | 250 to 1200 USD | Cost of the Surgeon, Surgical Team, Nursing Staff |
| Hospitalization Costs | 10,000 to 1,20,000 INR | 110 to 1,20,000 USD | Room charges, Medical Equipment & Nursing Staff charges, Anaesthesia Charges, OT & Medication Charges |
| Graft Cost | 10,000 to 40,000 INR | 110 to 380 USD | Artificial or Donated Tissue |
| Post-Operative Costs & Routine Medication | 2,500 to 10,000 INR | 30 to 110 USD | Medication Charges, Follow-up Consultations Charges, and Additional Tests |
| Additional Charges | 9,000 to 25,000 INR | 80 to 300 USD | If any Complication |
What is the Cost Comparison of Corneal Transplant in India and Different Countries?
Here, we compare the cost of Keratoplasty treatment in different countries. The comparisons are:
| Countries | Cost In Other Countries Currency | Cost in USD |
| India | 50,000 to 2,80,000 INR | 500 to 3,000 USD |
| America | 13,000 to 30,000 USD | – |
| Australia | 7000 to 45000 AUD | 5,000 to 30,000 USD |
| Philippines | 120,000 to 150,000 PHP | 2,000 to 2,500 USD |
| Kenya | 111,000 to 5,000,000 KES | 14,000 to 38,000 USD |
| Singapore | 16,700 to 34,800 SGD | 13,000 to 27,000 USD |
| Iran | 8,42,00,000 to 14,70,50,000 IRR | 2,000 to 3,500 USD |
| Ghana | 22,800 to 1,14,000 GHS | 2,000 to 10,000 USD |
| Thailand | 90,000 to 2,50,000 THB | 3,000 to 8,000 USD |
| Italy | 13,000 to 17,000 EURO | 15,000 to 20,000 USD |
What are the Factors that affect the Cost of the Cornea Transplant in India?
Here, we explain all the elements which influence the cost of the eye replacement surgery, such as the type of surgery, the location and hospital costs, and the case complexity.
- Hospital & Surgeon: The private hospitals and highly experienced surgeons charge more.
- Location: Location is also a cost affecting factor because metro cities might have higher costs.
- Donor Tissue: Cost of the donor cornea also affects the cost of eye or cornea transplant. Sometimes it increases the waiting period for the surgery.
- Post-Operative Care: The after surgery Medications, check-ups, etc, are also one of the cost affecting factors.
- Type of Transplant: The type of the transplant is also a cost affecting factor deeper or more complex partial transplants cost more.
Success Rate of the Cornea Transplant in India
The success rate of eye (cornea) transplant surgery in India is quite encouraging for corneal transplants. The average success rates of cornea transplant surgery in India range from 85% to 95%. This gives hope to patients who are struggling with vision loss. The success rate depends on the various factors, like the patient’s eye condition, the quality of the donated cornea, and the surgeon’s expertise. India is the home to many well equipped eye care hospitals and experienced specialist surgeons. Patients’ recovery depends on proper care, regular follow-up, and timely medication. Many patients notice a clear improvement in vision and enjoy a better quality of life after surgery.
Why People Prefer India for the Keratoplasty Treatment?
India is a good choice for eye (cornea) transplant treatment. Indian hospitals provide the quality treatment at an affordable cost. The surgeons are very experienced and trained, and experts in using advanced techniques for surgery. Indian hospitals are well furnished with technology and follow international standards. The patients can make appointments and have surgery on time. We offered personal care, rehabilitation care, and full medical packages (tests, surgery, and rural stay arrangements). Some famous hospitals of India are (like Sankara Nethralaya, Apollo Hospitals, Max Healthcare, and Fortis).
Top Hospitals of India for Eye or Cornea Transplant Surgery
In India, there are many famous and renowned eye care hospitals. They provide services (like laser vision correction, cataract, glaucoma, retina, pediatric ophthalmology, and contact lens services).
- Sankara Nethralaya: It is the NABH accredited super specialty eye care hospital. The headquarters of this hospital is in Chennai. This hospital has the objective of providing quality and affordable eye care treatment.
- Apollo Hospitals: It is a multispeciality hospital that provides comprehensive eye care treatment. The branches of this hospital are located all over the India, such as Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, etc. They also offer online booking and consultation services through Apollo 24/7.
- Max Healthcare: It provides advanced eye care treatment in India. Their healthcare team is well trained & experienced.
Conclusion
The conclusion is that the cost of the eye transplantation in India is low compared to other developed countries. Indian medical facilities are world class, and the surgeons of India are counted among the world’s best doctors. The success rate of eye transplants in India is greater than 85%.