Ophthalmology
Cataract Surgery in Nigeria
The clouded natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial one. It takes about twenty minutes, you go home the same day, and it is the single most effective operation in medicine for restoring something a person had lost.
Also called: Phacoemulsification, Lens replacement, Cataract removal
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed 3 October 2026. This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Published price
₦420,000
Fixed all-in case rate, one eye
Standard monofocal lens, biometry and both post-operative reviews included.
What the price covers
- Surgeon and theatre
- Biometry, the measurement that decides your lens power
- A standard monofocal intraocular lens
- Eye drops for the first post-operative week
- Review the next day and again at six weeks
What it does not cover
- The first consultation and the examination that confirms you need surgery
- A premium lens, priced separately above
- Your final spectacle prescription and glasses
- Treating other eye disease found during assessment, such as glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy
Related prices
Both eyes, done a few weeks apart
₦798,000
Premium lens upgrade, multifocal or toric
Added to the case rate, per eye. You are told what it actually buys before you choose.
₦250,000
What would change this price
- A dense or very advanced cataract, which is a longer and more difficult operation
- A premium lens, if you choose one
- Complications needing a second procedure
- Other eye conditions treated at the same time
Most plans that cover eye surgery cover a standard lens. Premium lens upgrades are not usually covered and are quoted to you as cash. Prior authorisation is filed by the desk.
Who this is for
- Vision that has become cloudy, dim or washed out
- Glare from headlights that makes driving at night difficult
- Needing more light to read than you used to
- A cataract dense enough that it is affecting daily life, work or independence
- Cataract in a person with diabetes, where it also obstructs the view of the retina
When it is not the right answer
- An early cataract that is not yet affecting what you do
- Someone whose vision loss is actually from the retina or optic nerve, where removing the cataract will not help
- Anyone with an active eye infection, until it is treated
The pathway, step by step
- 1
Full eye examination₦35,000
Vision, pressure, slit lamp and a dilated look at the back of the eye. A good deal of serious eye disease is found in people who came about their glasses.
- 2
Biometry
The eye is measured so the correct lens power is ordered for you. Skipping this is why some people see worse than they expected afterwards.
- 3
Lens choice, in money terms
A standard monofocal lens is in the price. Anything above it is optional, priced, and explained in terms of what it changes for you.
- 4
The operation
About twenty minutes under local anaesthetic. You are awake and comfortable.
- 5
Home the same day
With a shield for the first night and drops for the week.
- 6
Reviewed the next day and at six weeks₦25,000
Both included. The final spectacle prescription is taken once the eye has settled.
Recovery, realistically
Day 1
Vision is often clearer immediately, though it can be hazy at first. Shield worn at night. Reviewed the next day.
Week 1
Drops four times a day. No rubbing, no swimming, no dust. Most people are reading comfortably within days.
Week 2 to 6
Vision continues to sharpen as the eye settles.
After six weeks
Final result. Spectacles prescribed if you need them, usually for reading.
Risks you should be told about
- Infection inside the eye, rare but serious, which is why the drops matter
- Swelling at the back of the eye, usually treatable with drops
- Clouding of the membrane behind the lens months or years later, treated with a quick laser
- Retinal detachment, rare
- A refractive outcome slightly different from the target, which is why biometry is done carefully
Every operation carries risk. A surgeon who lists none is not being straight with you. Yours will go through these with you before you consent.
Questions people ask
How long does it take?
The operation itself is about twenty minutes. You are at the centre for roughly half a day in total and you go home the same day.
Will I still need glasses?
With a standard lens, usually yes for reading. You are told what to expect for your eye before you choose a lens, rather than afterwards.
Is it worth operating if I have been unable to see for years?
Usually yes. A dense cataract is a harder operation and your surgeon should say so, but people who have lost years of sight to this are exactly who the operation is for.
Can both eyes be done on the same day?
We do them a few weeks apart. It lets the first eye settle and the measurement for the second be refined by how the first turned out.
Does it hurt?
No. The eye is numbed with drops or an injection. You see movement and light, not the operation.
Prices shown are Mezo cash prices in naira and were last checked on 3 October 2026. They are what you would be quoted for the standard case described here. Your final quote follows an examination, because the right operation for you may not be this one.