Pre-operative cataract diagnostics in Turkey: what the assessment is
Pre-operative cataract diagnostics are the eye examinations and measurements done before cataract surgery to confirm that the cloudy lens is the real reason for your poor vision, to check that the rest of the eye is healthy, and to measure the eye so the surgeon can choose the artificial lens (intraocular lens, IOL) that will replace it. It is an assessment, not an operation: you are not cut or put to sleep, and the visit usually takes one to two hours. In a hospital in Turkey the assessment is normally done on the day you arrive, or one day before surgery, so the results can be used straight away.
This guide explains each test, what it decides, who needs extra investigations, what the assessment costs compared with the UK, US and Germany, and how to use the results when you compare hospitals. For the operation itself see our guides to cataract surgery on one eye and cataract surgery on both eyes.
Which tests are included before cataract surgery?
A complete assessment follows a fixed order: your history and medicines, a vision test with and without glasses, a refraction to find your glasses prescription, a slit-lamp examination of the front of the eye, pressure measurement, measurement of the eye for lens power, and, after dilating drops, an examination of the retina at the back. Extra tests are added when something needs a closer look. The table shows what each main test measures and what it decides.
| Test | What it measures | What it decides |
|---|---|---|
| Visual acuity and refraction | Sharpness of sight and glasses prescription | How much the cataract is limiting you, and your target after surgery |
| Slit-lamp examination | Lens cloudiness, cornea, pupil, front of the eye | Cataract type and grade, and any surgical difficulty |
| Optical biometry | Eye length, corneal curvature, front chamber depth | The power of the lens implant |
| Corneal topography or tomography | Shape of the cornea, including astigmatism | Whether a toric or other lens is suitable |
| Specular microscopy | Count and health of the cornea's inner cells | Risk of corneal swelling after surgery |
| Macular OCT scan and retinal exam | Retina layers at the centre and the periphery | Whether another disease will limit the final vision |
How does biometry decide the power of my lens implant?
Biometry is the most important single measurement. An optical device, usually based on laser interferometry, measures the length of the eye from front to back and the curvature of the cornea without touching it, in a few seconds per eye. A mathematical formula combines these numbers to calculate the lens power that should leave you close to your chosen target, for example good distance sight with reading glasses. If the cataract is so dense that the optical device cannot read it, an ultrasound probe (A-scan) is used instead.
An error of even a small fraction of a millimetre in eye length changes the final prescription, so good clinics repeat the readings, compare both eyes and use more than one formula, especially for very long or very short eyes or if you have had laser eye surgery before. Ask to keep a copy of your biometry printout: it is useful for any future treatment.
Why are the cornea and retina checked as well?
A cataract is not always the only problem. Corneal topography shows astigmatism, which can be corrected with a toric lens or a small corneal relaxing incision at the time of surgery. Specular microscopy counts the cells that keep the cornea clear; a low count makes the surgeon more careful and may change the plan. The retinal examination and OCT scan look for age-related macular degeneration, diabetic changes, a retinal tear or swelling at the macula. These do not stop surgery, but they matter because they limit how well you can see afterwards, and you should know that before you travel. If a retinal problem is found, a different specialist may need to treat it first.
Which patients need extra tests?
You may be advised to have additional investigations if you:
- have diabetes (retinal photographs or OCT of the macula);
- have glaucoma or high pressure (a visual field test and optic nerve scan);
- have a very dense cataract that hides the retina (a B-scan ultrasound);
- have had laser vision correction or other eye surgery (corneal mapping and special lens-power formulas);
- take tamsulosin or a similar medicine for the prostate, which can make the iris floppy during surgery (the surgeon needs to know);
- have double vision or a squint (an eye-muscle assessment, see strabismus surgery);
- take blood thinners, or have heart or blood pressure problems, which may need a general medical check.
Bring your latest glasses prescription, any previous eye reports and scans, and a list of your medicines. Contact lens wearers are usually asked to leave soft lenses out for a few days and hard lenses out for longer before measurements, because lenses can distort the cornea.
What happens during the assessment, and does it hurt?
The tests are non-invasive. Reading letters, looking into a machine for scans and having the pressure checked take seconds each. The pressure test uses either a puff of air or a drop of numbing anaesthetic. Dilating drops are put in to widen the pupil, which takes 20 to 30 minutes to work; the retina is then examined with a bright light, which is uncomfortable but not painful. Dilation blurs near vision and makes light dazzling for several hours, so do not plan to drive afterwards and bring sunglasses. Rarely, the drops can trigger an attack of raised pressure in an eye with a narrow drainage angle; the doctor checks for this before dilating.
Pre-operative cataract diagnostics cost in Turkey compared with the UK, US and Germany
The figures below are approximate ranges for a full assessment of both eyes, not hospital quotes. Private prices vary with the number of tests and whether the assessment is part of a surgery package.
| Country | Approximate cost range |
|---|---|
| Turkey | €60 – €350 |
| United Kingdom | €180 – €600 |
| United States | €250 – €1,000 |
| Germany | €150 – €550 |
What changes the price: basic biometry and refraction versus a full set with OCT, topography and cell counts, whether a consultant sees you or an optometrist, and extra tests such as visual fields. In many hospitals the assessment is included in the cataract surgery package or credited against it; ask whether the tests are charged separately if you decide not to go ahead.
Can the tests be done at home before I travel?
Often yes, and it is a sensible option. If an optician or hospital eye department near you has done a recent biometry, OCT scan and glasses prescription, send the reports to the Turkish hospital with your request. The surgeon can then give a provisional plan, an estimate of the lens type and a realistic expectation of the result before you book flights. The hospital will normally still repeat the key measurements on arrival with its own equipment, because the lens power should be calculated from measurements the operating surgeon trusts. Reports from an assessment more than a few months old may be ignored, particularly if your vision has changed.
What do the results tell you, and what happens next?
At the end the surgeon explains the grade of the cataract, any other findings, the lens options and the expected result. Options usually include a monofocal lens for one focus distance, a toric lens for astigmatism, or a lens that extends the range of focus; see cataract surgery with a multifocal lens implant for what extended-range lenses offer and limit. If the examination shows that you do not yet need surgery, or that another disease is the main cause of your poor sight, a responsible clinic will tell you so. If surgery goes ahead, it is often carried out within days, and most patients plan a stay of three to five nights in total for assessment, operation and the first check. Recovery after the tests themselves is only the wearing-off of the dilating drops.
Are there risks or limits to the diagnostics?
The tests carry very little risk. The main limits are temporary blurred vision from dilation, rare pressure rises from the drops and the fact that measurements are never perfect: even with a careful assessment, the final glasses prescription after surgery can differ from the target by a small amount, and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and the NHS both note that glasses may still be needed after surgery. An assessment cannot show how the eye will heal, and it cannot make a damaged retina or optic nerve see better. Treat any promise of a guaranteed result without glasses as a warning sign.
How to choose a hospital for your cataract assessment, and red flags
Look for an ophthalmologist registered in Turkey who explains the findings from your own scans, uses modern optical biometry and corneal mapping in the hospital, and gives you a written plan and price before you pay a deposit. Red flags are a quote given without any test results, the same lens recommended to every patient, pressure to book within hours and no named surgeon. Read how our process works and use the free quote page to send your reports. Other services are listed under eye treatments in Turkey.
Questions to ask the clinic
- Which tests are included in the price, and are they credited if I have surgery?
- Which device measures my eye length, and which formula do you use for my eye?
- Do I need any extra tests because of my diabetes, glaucoma or earlier eye surgery?
- Which lens types will you offer me, and what are the limits of each?
- Will the same surgeon who examines me perform the operation?
Hospitals with Eye Surgery in Turkey
Frequently asked questions
They are the eye tests done before cataract surgery: vision and refraction, slit-lamp examination, eye measurement (biometry), corneal mapping and a retinal check. They confirm the cataract, spot other eye disease and decide the power of the lens implant.
Biometry measures the length of your eye and the curve of your cornea, usually with a laser-based optical device in seconds. The numbers go into a formula that calculates the lens power needed to reach your target vision.
Approximate ranges are €60 to €350 for both eyes in Turkey, against about €180 to €600 in the UK. The price depends on the tests included, and many hospitals include them in a surgery package.
A full assessment usually takes one to two hours, including the 20 to 30 minutes needed for dilating drops to work. Extra tests for diabetes, glaucoma or earlier eye surgery can add some time.
No. The scans and measurements are non-invasive. Dilating drops may sting briefly, and the bright light used to examine the retina is uncomfortable but not painful. Vision stays blurred and light-sensitive for some hours.
Not if your pupils were dilated. Near vision is blurred and light is dazzling for several hours, so arrange transport and bring sunglasses. Ask the clinic how long the effect usually lasts.
Often yes. Recent biometry, OCT scans and a prescription from a local optician or eye clinic let the surgeon give a provisional plan. The hospital usually repeats the key measurements on arrival to calculate the lens power.
Usually yes. Soft lenses are left out for several days and hard lenses for longer, because they change the shape of the cornea and can give wrong measurements. The clinic will tell you how long for your type.
They give a good estimate but not a promise. Findings such as macular disease or glaucoma limit the final sight, and the glasses prescription after surgery can differ slightly from the target.
The assessment is done on arrival or the day before surgery. Most patients plan three to five nights in total, covering the tests, the operation and the first check before flying home.