Top 6 Clinics for Safe Cataract Surgery in Singapore

Cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed eye operations and is generally considered a safe and effective procedure. It removes the eye’s cloudy natural lens and replaces it with a clear artificial intraocular lens.

Cataracts are particularly common among older adults in Singapore. NUH reports that about 78.6% of elderly patients are affected, with prevalence increasing sharply with age.

If cataracts have started affecting reading, driving, recognising faces or other daily activities, an ophthalmologist can assess whether surgery is appropriate.

Below are six established Singapore eye clinics and centres that provide cataract assessment and surgery. The list is intended to help patients compare services and does not represent an independently audited safety ranking. No surgeon or clinic can guarantee a complication free operation.

Cataract Surgery Clinics in Singapore at a Glance

The table below gives you a quick comparison of the six cataract surgery clinics, including their setting, location and areas of focus.

 

Each clinic offers a different care setting and range of ophthalmology services. The right choice depends on your eye health, cataract complexity, preferred surgeon, lens needs, budget and whether you prefer private or public care.

1. International Eye Clinic, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre

International Eye Clinic is a private ophthalmology clinic at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre led by Consultant Eye Surgeon Dr Currie Chiang. Her clinical interests include cataract and refractive surgery, supported by ophthalmology training in Singapore and the United Kingdom.

The clinic provides cataract surgery using phacoemulsification, where the cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens. It also offers glaucoma treatment, retina laser and retinal disease treatment, and refractive procedures such as LASIK, EPI-LASIK, SMILE and SMILE Pro for suitable patients.

Before surgery, patients can also undergo an eye screening check-up, lens measurements and other assessments to help determine the most appropriate treatment approach.

Location: Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, Orchard

Useful for patients considering: Private cataract assessment, continuity with one ophthalmologist and different intraocular lens choices.

2. Singapore National Eye Centre

Singapore National Eye Centre is Singapore’s major specialist public eye centre and provides dedicated cataract and comprehensive ophthalmology services.

Its clinics assess and treat cataracts as well as other age related eye conditions. Cataract surgery is performed within SNEC and its affiliated centres, including facilities at Sengkang General Hospital.

SNEC reported more than 426,000 patient visits and 30,000 surgeries across SNEC and affiliated centres in 2024, reflecting the scale of its ophthalmology service.

A tertiary eye centre can be particularly useful when cataracts occur alongside other conditions such as glaucoma, retinal disease, corneal problems or previous eye surgery.

Location: Third Hospital Avenue, Singapore

Useful for patients considering: Public sector ophthalmology, complex eye conditions and access to multiple eye subspecialties.

3. NUH Eye Surgery Centre

The National University Hospital Eye Surgery Centre provides cataract assessment and surgery within a tertiary academic hospital.

NUH offers standard phacoemulsification as well as femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery for suitable patients. Different intraocular lens options are available depending on the patient’s eyes and visual requirements.

NUH also publishes clinical outcome information. Its cataract quality page states that 3,612 cataract operations were performed in 2022 and that 99.1% of eyes undergoing phacoemulsification achieved best corrected vision of 6/12 or better. Outcomes depend on the health of the eye and other existing conditions, so this figure should not be interpreted as a guaranteed individual result.

Location: NUH Medical Centre, Kent Ridge

Useful for patients considering: Public hospital care, cataract surgery combined with other ophthalmic subspecialty needs and access to published institutional outcome monitoring.

4. Chelvin Sng Eye Centre

Chelvin Sng Eye Centre is a private ophthalmology practice at Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre.

Dr Chelvin Sng is a Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist whose clinical work includes cataract and glaucoma treatment. The clinic provides conventional cataract surgery, laser assisted cataract surgery and management of complex cataract cases.

The clinic also describes experience in situations such as dense cataracts, small pupils, lens instability and cases where cataract treatment needs to be considered alongside glaucoma surgery.

Location: Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre

Useful for patients considering: Private cataract treatment, complex cataracts or combined cataract and glaucoma considerations.

5. Eye Care Clinic and Clearvision

Eye Care Clinic was established in 1993 by Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist Dr Tony Ho.

Dr Ho’s stated clinical interests include cataract and refractive surgery, childhood myopia control and retinal disease. The practice operates a main clinic at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre together with additional eye care locations.

Patients comparing private cataract practices may consider factors such as the surgeon’s cataract experience, available lens options, preoperative testing and accessibility of follow up appointments.

Location: Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre and other locations

Useful for patients considering: Private specialist cataract care and refractive considerations.

6. International Eye Cataract Retina Centre

International Eye Cataract Retina Centre provides ophthalmology services at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre and Farrer Park Medical Centre.

Its specialist team provides cataract surgery as well as retinal, glaucoma and other ophthalmic treatment. The centre states that it manages both routine and complex cataract cases.

Having cataract and retinal expertise within the same practice can be useful for patients whose expected vision after cataract surgery may also be affected by retinal disease.

Locations: Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre and Farrer Park Medical Centre

Useful for patients considering: Cataract surgery in patients who may also require retinal evaluation or treatment.

What Actually Happens During Cataract Surgery?

Modern cataract surgery usually uses a technique called phacoemulsification.

The surgeon generally:

1. Make a small opening at the front of the eye.
2. Opens the thin capsule around the natural lens.
3. Uses ultrasound energy to break up the cloudy lens.
4. Removes the fragmented lens material.
5. Inserts a clear artificial intraocular lens.
6. Leaves the new lens inside the natural lens capsule.

The procedure is normally performed as day surgery.

HealthHub notes that cataract operations generally do not require hospitalisation, while NUH describes standard phacoemulsification as taking about 20 minutes in many cases.

Is Cataract Surgery Safe?

Cataract surgery is generally safe, but no operation is completely free from risk.

Possible complications include:

• Infection
• Inflammation
• Swelling of the retina or cornea
• Bleeding
• Increased eye pressure
• Retinal detachment
• Problems involving the lens capsule
• Intraocular lens positioning problems
• Persistent glare or halos
• Rare loss of vision

A large meta analysis covering almost 5.9 million eyes estimated the overall incidence of postoperative endophthalmitis, a serious infection inside the eye, at about 0.092%. The rate was lower in more recent studies included in the analysis.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology similarly describes serious complications after cataract surgery as uncommon.

These figures describe populations, not an individual’s personal risk.

Factors That Affect Cataract Surgery Safety and Results

1. Other Eye Conditions

Your final vision may depend on more than the cataract itself.

Conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and retinal disease can limit visual improvement even when the cataract operation itself is successful.

A Singapore population study found that retinal disease, glaucoma, macular degeneration and posterior capsule clouding were important causes of reduced vision after previous cataract surgery.

2. Cataract Density

A very dense or advanced cataract can make surgery technically more challenging.

This does not mean surgery cannot be performed, but your ophthalmologist may need to modify the procedure.

3. Small Pupils or Weak Lens Support

Conditions that prevent the pupil from widening normally or weaken the fibres holding the lens in position can increase surgical complexity.

4. Previous Eye Surgery

Tell your ophthalmologist if you previously underwent LASIK, PRK, SMILE or another refractive procedure.

Previous laser vision correction can affect the calculation used to select your artificial lens power. NUH specifically recommends informing the cataract surgeon about previous refractive surgery and bringing previous treatment records where available.

5. Diabetes and Other Medical Conditions

Diabetes may affect the retina and healing response.

A recent meta analysis also found associations between several patient and surgical factors and the risk of postoperative eye infection.

Your surgeon should review your eye health and relevant medical history before recommending surgery.

Which Intraocular Lens Should You Choose?

The artificial lens placed during cataract surgery can affect how you see afterwards.

NUH notes that multifocal lenses may reduce spectacle dependence but can be associated with glare, halos and reduced contrast in some patients.

The most expensive lens is not automatically the best lens for every patient.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Cataract Clinic

Before deciding where to have surgery, ask:

• Who will perform my operation?
• How frequently does the surgeon perform cataract surgery?
• Is my cataract straightforward or complex?
• Do I have glaucoma, retinal disease or another condition that may affect the outcome?
• Which intraocular lens options are suitable for my eyes?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of each lens?
• Do I need standard phacoemulsification or is there a reason to consider laser assisted surgery?
• What complications are relevant to my individual case?
• What does the total quoted fee include?
• How many follow up appointments will I need?
• Who should I contact if I experience problems after surgery?

A good consultation should give you enough information to understand both the potential benefits and the limitations of surgery.

Choosing the Right Cataract Clinic in Singapore

A clinic name alone should not determine where you undergo cataract surgery.

Consider the surgeon’s experience, your existing eye conditions, available lens choices, surgical facility, follow up arrangements and how clearly the risks and expected results are explained to you.

At International Eye Clinic, cataract assessment and surgery are provided by Dr Currie Chiang at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the safest cataract surgery?

Standard phacoemulsification is an established cataract surgery technique and is widely used in Singapore. The safest approach for an individual patient depends on factors such as cataract density, corneal health, pupil size, previous surgery and other eye conditions.

Is laser cataract surgery safer than standard cataract surgery?

Not necessarily for every patient. NUH notes that femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery and conventional phacoemulsification have similar types of complications, and laser assisted surgery is not recommended as a standard procedure for every cataract patient.

Is cataract surgery painful?

Local anaesthetic eye drops or injections are normally used. HealthHub states that patients should not feel pain during the operation, although sensations such as pressure or light may still be noticed.

Can cataracts come back after surgery?

The cataract itself cannot return because the natural cloudy lens has been removed.

However, the thin capsule behind the artificial lens can later become cloudy. This is known as posterior capsule opacification and can usually be treated with a short YAG laser procedure.

Can I use MediSave for cataract surgery?

Cataract surgery is generally MediSave claimable subject to prevailing limits and eligibility requirements. Your clinic can advise you about the amount applicable to your procedure and whether insurance coverage can also be used.