Cataract Surgery in Warsaw

Cataract surgery for patients from Warsaw and Mazovia: full diagnostics, procedure, and all follow-up appointments take place at our clinic at Kolejowa 1 Street in Warsaw. Dr. Victor Derhartunian personally performs the surgery. The price is PLN 11,000 per eye and includes a premium implant – spherical, toric, or Customized – at a single rate, regardless of the chosen lens model. Qualification examination: PLN 400. We usually schedule the appointment within a few days, without a waiting list.

SwissLaser in numbers: over 25,000 procedures performed by the chief surgeon · clinics in Warsaw, Krakow, Vienna, and Zurich · Google: 4,8 (258 reviews, Warsaw) and 5,0 (171 reviews, Krakow)

How long is the waiting time for NFZ cataract surgery in Warsaw?

According to NFZ data (Treatment Dates Information System, as of July 2026), cataract surgery is performed in Warsaw by 14 facilities, and a total of approximately 5,800 people are waiting for the procedure. Waiting times vary drastically between hospitals: from approximately 2 weeks to over 5 months, with a median of about 6 weeks. Current dates for each facility can be checked on the official search engine terminyleczenia.nfz.gov.pl.

At SwissLaser, we usually schedule the qualification examination within a few days, and the procedure itself — within one to two weeks of qualification. We describe below how a private procedure differs from a reimbursed one, apart from the appointment date.

National Health Fund (NFZ) or Private in Warsaw? Three Key Differences

• Lens. The NFZ covers monofocal implants – providing sharp vision at a single distance, with glasses needed for other distances. EDOF, trifocal, and toric implants are not covered; at our clinic, they cost the same as any other model.
• Wait Time. In 14 Warsaw NFZ facilities, the median waiting time is approximately 6 weeks. At Kolejowa 1, we usually schedule qualification within a few days, and the procedure within one to two weeks after that.
• One Doctor from Start to Finish. Qualification, procedure, and follow-up appointments are conducted by Dr. med. Victor Derhartunian, at the same clinic.

Honestly: if a monofocal lens and reading glasses are sufficient for you, NFZ surgery is medically fully valuable. What else the NFZ covers in ophthalmology: ophthalmology under NFZ in Warsaw.

Qualification in Warsaw – 90 minutes at Kolejowa 1

Cataracts do not need to ‘mature’: we operate when vision impairment hinders daily life – driving after dark, reading, working. The decision on whether and which lens to implant is made after an examination at our Warsaw clinic (400 PLN): optical biometry, second-generation MS-39 tomography with axial length measurement, evaluation of the fundus and cornea.

For glaucoma, diabetes, AMD, after previous laser correction, or with very high myopia, the procedure is usually possible, but lens selection requires particular caution – these situations and full criteria are described in the cataract guide. In case of active eye inflammation, we first treat the cause.

How treatment proceeds in Warsaw

1. Qualification – approximately 90 minutes at Kolejowa 1; you leave with a lens recommendation and price.
2. Procedure – in our operating room, about 15 minutes per eye, with topical anesthesia, no hospital stay. The clouded lens is removed by phacoemulsification and replaced with a premium implant.
3. Second eye – standardly in the same session, or separately upon request; therefore, the price is given per eye.
4. Next-day check-up – also at Kolejowa 1, subsequent ones according to plan.

Lenses We Implant

Premium implants from Johnson & Johnson, Bausch + Lomb, Alcon, and Teleon – monofocal, toric, EDOF, and trifocal. The model does not change the price; we select it during qualification based on measurements and lifestyle: night drivers and people working with screens often get EDOF, while those expecting full independence from glasses receive a trifocal lens. Comparison of premium lenses.

How much does it cost

• Cataract surgery with premium implant: PLN 11,000 per eye – one price for every lens model, including toric. Astigmatism correction does not require an additional charge.
• Qualification examination: PLN 400 (approx. 90 minutes).
• YAG capsulotomy for secondary cataract: PLN 800 per eye – an outpatient laser procedure performed if the lens capsule becomes cloudy years later.
• Installment payment available (Santander Consumer Bank).

Full cataract price list

After the Procedure in Warsaw

• Same day: you return home, but not as a driver – an accompanying person or a taxi is needed.
• Next day: check-up at Kolejowa 1; most patients see a significant improvement within the first 24 hours.
• First week: drops according to schedule, no rubbing the eye, no swimming pool or sauna.
• 2–4 weeks: full healing; with a multifocal lens, the brain learns to use all zones for weeks to several months.

Risks – honestly

Cataract surgery is one of the most thoroughly researched procedures, but every procedure carries risks. The most common late consequence is secondary cataract, which we remove in a several-minute YAG laser procedure (800 PLN per eye) – also in Warsaw. Less common: transient corneal edema, elevated intraocular pressure, inflammation. A full overview with frequency is provided in the cataract guide.

Cataracts are the only eye disease we can completely reverse. The key decision is not whether to operate, but which lens to implant – because it remains in the eye for the rest of your life. That’s why we dedicate 90 minutes to qualification, not 15.

Dr. med. Victor Derhartunian, FEBO, FWCRS

For patients from Łódź, Radom, and all of Mazovia

The clinic at Kolejowa 1 is a 6-minute walk from Warszawa Zachodnia Station, making travel from the region simpler than to many clinics in the city center.

• Łódź: by train to Warszawa Zachodnia about 1 hr 20 min. Qualification and procedure require two visits; the check-up is the next day, so many patients stay overnight in Warsaw.
• Radom, Siedlce, Płock, Ciechanów: 1–1.5 hours; for a morning appointment, qualification can be done in one day.
• Both eyes in one session means one procedure and one next-day check-up instead of two trips.

Further information on travel, parking, and accommodation: patients from outside Warsaw.

Questions about cataract surgery in Warsaw

Contact and directions · Book an appointment

Related topics

Cataracts – guide · Cataract price list · EDOF lenses · Trifocal lenses

Our Patients’ Reviews

Google rating: Warsaw 4,8 (reviews: 258) · Krakow 5,0 (reviews: 171). All reviews, without selection or editing, can be read directly on Google: Warsaw · Krakow.

Cataract Explained by a Surgeon

Looking for a consultation and diagnostics first? See what a visit to an ophthalmologist in our Warsaw clinic looks like — the qualification examination takes approx. 90 minutes and costs PLN 400.

Content verified by Dr. med. univ. (Vienna) Victor Derhartunian, FEBO, FWCRS – specialist in refractive surgery. Last verification: October 2, 2026.

Sources

1. Liu YC, Wilkins M, Kim T, Malyugin B, Mehta JS. Cataracts. Lancet 2017;390(10094):600–612. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30544-5
2. Day AC, Donachie PHJ, Sparrow JM, Johnston RL. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists’ National Ophthalmology Database study of cataract surgery: report 1, visual outcomes and complications. Eye (Lond) 2015;29(4):552–560. doi:10.1038/eye.2015.3
3. National Health Fund. National Information System on Medical Service Waiting Times – first available appointment, cataract surgeries. terminyleczenia.nfz.gov.pl