Glaucoma Treatment Cost in India

Overview

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that affect the optic nerve and cause vision loss over time. If not treated, the disease will lead to blindness. Glaucoma is treated by a combination of therapies that help control symptoms and slow the disease's progression. There is no cure for glaucoma; however, various treatments are available to basically help manage intraocular pressure (IOP) that damages the optic nerve in the patient and thereby preserves any remaining vision.

Decreasing intraocular pressure is the primary objective of the treatment regimen for glaucoma since this is the main risk that significantly affects optic nerve damage. Medications would be prescribed for lowering intraocular pressure, usually in the form of eye drops, which can either reduce the production of aqueous humor or facilitate its outflow through the eye.

If eye drops fail to increase the pressure sufficiently, some other treatment can be considered. One such procedure is laser trabeculoplasty, which means little intrusion and increases fluid drainage from the eye, thus decreasing IOP. Other options may require surgery, such as trabeculectomy or the introduction of drainage implants that create new drainage channels to let out the excess pressure inside the eye.

Early detection and the regular monitoring regimen of follow-up ocular examinations stand as two fundamentals for a glaucoma management program. The early identification of the disease brings in beneficial treatment options. Various factors influencing treatment choice at this juncture will be the type and severity of the disease, age, and overall eye health of the individual.

Glaucoma treatment aims to slow disease progression, preserve vision, and increase quality of life as much as possible. Patients should work together with their ophthalmologist in formulating an individualized treatment plan, monitoring the disease closely in regular follow-ups, and making any necessary modifications to the management plan.

Lowest cost around: $300, INR 20,670

Average cost: $500, INR 50,000

The highest cost is around $1500 (INR 1,20,000).

Type of treatment: Multiple glaucoma treatment modalities such as eye drops, laser treatment, MICS, trabeculectomy, etc.

It depends upon the therapy types used for the particular purpose.

Number of hospitalization days: An outpatient process does not need admission to the hospital.

Risk: Low-moderate

Recurrence: At times, it is less.

Recovery time: 1-2 days

Success rate: 90-98%

Cost-Based Classification of Various Types of Glaucoma Treatments

In India, the conventional variations concerning different types of glaucoma treatments will be:

1. Medication: Depending on the type and brand of the prescribed medicine for glaucoma, its monthly cost can range anywhere between $10 and $50.

2. Laser Therapy: Costs from $500.00 to $1,500 for each laser treatment procedure, such as Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT).

3. Surgical Therapy: It depends on the complexity of a case or the type and could cost between $1,000 and $5,000 for each surgery.

Factors Affecting Cost of Glaucoma Treatment

Treatment costs for a given glaucoma patient can vary for a number of reasons. Here are some common factors that can affect the cost:

1. Location: From city to city, from one town to another, the health facilities' pricing will be uniformly different. Residential areas, including the building where the facility is located, will differ in medical infrastructure, telemedicine, and remoteness of the place, such as living expenses.

2. The type of treatment: This will influence the cost greatly. These treatment options may range from medicine and laser therapy to surgical interventions in their charges.

3. Experience and Expertise of the Ophthalmologist: Who Should Perform Glaucoma Treatment? The ophthalmologist's experience and expertise are crucial, particularly when the procedure is performed by a reputable and experienced eye doctor. However, an excellent, highly established, and extremely experienced ophthalmologist costs more than the average surgeon.

4. Health Facility or Hospital: The cost of glaucoma treatment would differ depending on whether patients choose public or private health facilities.

5. Diagnostic Exams: These tests assess the severity and progression of eye problems. The charges for diagnostic tests may not remain constant and hinge on the kind and number of tests run.

6. Newer, Innovative Techniques for the Treatment: New and creative techniques for surgical intervention to improve glaucoma, such as in the case of a miniscule alluring operation or implantation of devices, may result in additional cost to the patient over the cost for their current method.

7. Charges Incurred Due to Anesthesia: Patients undergoing glaucoma treatment through surgery will also find anesthesia charges making contributions to the total cost. Usually, the type of anesthesia used impacts the number of hours; this could influence the cost's rapid increase.

Why Choose India?

Probably more noteworthy is that India has registered itself among most countries as a location with low-cost and high-quality treatment encompassing glaucoma. As with all other eye surgeries, glaucoma treatment is also much cheaper in India compared to other destinations, yet the healthcare measures in India adhere to the global standard levels.

They offer treatments on average that are as cost-effective as those incurred at between 300 and 1,200 US dollars. Further, as other surgeries can already be conducted using advanced technology and infrastructure, eye treatment centers in India offer the very latest equipment to conduct these treatments. Besides, the country also boasts high-profile and experienced doctors specialized in glaucoma treatment.