Ophthalmology in Lagos
Diabetic retinopathy treatment: retinal laser and eye injections
A written all-in price after a ₦35,000 consultation in Lagos, so you know the total before anything is booked.
How the price is set
Consultation, then a written price
₦35,000
Consultant ophthalmology opinion
- The retina specialist's fee for each laser session
- Numbing drops and the contact lens used during laser
- The review after each course of laser
- A written treatment plan for both eyes
Your written price covers the lines above, agreed before you pay.
Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment, Laser and Injections at Mezo Health in Lagos, Nigeria is priced in a written quote after a ₦35,000 consultation, because the right operation and its cost depend on what the surgeon finds. The quote covers the retina specialist's fee for each laser session, numbing drops and the contact lens used during laser, and the review after each course of laser. Prices last checked 23 October 2026.
Diabetes can damage the small blood vessels at the back of the eye. Caught early, laser treatment and injections can stop much of that damage from taking sight. The laser seals leaking vessels or calms an eye that is growing fragile new ones; injections dry out swelling at the centre of vision, called diabetic macular oedema. Neither brings back sight already lost, which is why a yearly dilated eye check matters for everyone with diabetes, even when vision feels normal.
Also called: Retinal laser, Laser photocoagulation, Panretinal photocoagulation, PRP laser, Diabetic macular oedema treatment, Diabetic eye treatment
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
How the price is set
Written quote after consultation
Consultant ophthalmology opinion: ₦35,000
Your price is a written quote after the examination and scan, because it depends on which eye needs what: laser sessions, a course of injections, or both. It does not move without your written agreement.
What your written quote covers
- The retina specialist's fee for each laser session
- Numbing drops and the contact lens used during laser
- The review after each course of laser
- A written treatment plan for both eyes
Not in the quote
- The first consultation
- Retinal photographs, an OCT scan or a dye test, where needed to plan treatment
- Anti-VEGF injections, priced per injection on their own page
- Diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol care, which matter as much as the laser
- Vitrectomy surgery for bleeding inside the eye or a pulling scar, quoted separately
What decides your quote
- One eye or both
- How many laser sittings are needed to complete treatment
- Injections added for macular oedema
- Bleeding inside the eye or a retinal detachment, which needs surgery
Some HMO plans cover retinal laser and some cover injections; few cover both in full. Bring your HMO number to the first consultation and the desk will file the authorisation. If the plan declines, you are told the cash price before anything is booked.
Who this is for
- Proliferative diabetic retinopathy, where fragile new vessels are growing on the retina
- Severe non-proliferative retinopathy in someone who may struggle to attend frequent checks
- Diabetic macular oedema, swelling at the centre of vision, usually treated with injections first
- Someone with diabetes whose sight has blurred, or who has not had a dilated eye check in the last year
When it is not the right answer
- Mild background retinopathy, which is watched with regular checks and better control of sugar and blood pressure
- Sudden loss of vision or a curtain over the sight, which needs to be seen the same day for bleeding or detachment
- An eye so clouded by cataract or bleeding that the laser cannot reach the retina, which is treated first
The pathway, step by step
- 1
Dilated eye examination₦35,000
Vision, pressure and a full look at the retina through a widened pupil. Both eyes, every time.
- 2
Photographs and a scan
Retinal photographs and an OCT scan show where the damage is and whether the centre of vision is swollen.
- 3
A written plan and price
Laser, injections or watchful review for each eye, with the price in writing before anything is booked.
- 4
Laser treatment
In a clinic room, sitting at a machine like the one used for eye examinations. Numbing drops and a contact lens on the eye. Usually twenty to thirty minutes, often spread across two or three sittings.
- 5
Reviews₦25,000
To check the laser has worked and to add more where needed.
- 6
Checks for life
Diabetic retinopathy can return or progress. Your interval is set by what the retina shows.
Recovery, realistically
Same day
Vision is dazzled and blurred for a few hours. Bring someone to take you home. Do not drive.
Next few days
A dull ache is common and settles with paracetamol. Normal activities can resume the next day.
Weeks after
The laser takes weeks to work. The aim is to stop things getting worse, so vision often stays the same rather than improving.
Risks you should be told about
- Some loss of side vision and night vision after extensive laser, the trade-off for protecting central sight
- Discomfort or an ache during and after treatment
- Blurred vision for a few days
- Swelling at the centre of vision getting worse for a time
- A small risk of an accidental burn near the centre of vision
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
Will laser give me my sight back?
Usually not. Laser protects the sight you still have by stopping the disease getting worse. That is why it is best done before vision has fallen, not after.
Do I need laser or injections?
It depends on where the damage is. Fragile new vessels are usually treated with laser. Swelling at the centre of vision is usually treated with injections first. Many people need both over time, one eye differently from the other.
I can see well. Why do I need treatment?
Serious diabetic eye disease often causes no symptoms until it bleeds or swells the centre of vision. Treating it while sight is still good is how sight is kept.
Does controlling my diabetes help my eyes?
Yes, a great deal. Good control of blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol slows retinopathy, and laser works best alongside it. Keep your diabetes appointments as well as your eye ones.
Why is there no fixed price on this page?
Because the number of laser sittings, whether one or both eyes need it, and whether injections are added all depend on the examination and scan. You get the price in writing before anything is booked.
Sources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- Diabetic retinopathy. NHS. Patient information.
- Type 2 diabetes in adults: management (NG28). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
- Blindness and vision impairment. World Health Organization. Fact sheet.
Links last checked 23 October 2026.
Prices shown are in naira and were last checked on 23 October 2026. A “from” price is the all-in starting price for the standard case. Every operation is confirmed in a written quote after your consultation, because the right operation for you, and its cost, depend on what the surgeon finds.