Medicare & Astigmatism Correction

Question: I need to have cataract surgery and am nearsighted and have astigmatism. Is there any procedure that will correct all 3 safely and is covered by Medicare? I have been diagnosed as having fibromyalgia and have taken inhaled steroids and predispose and cortisone shots for asthma and allergies for years. Is this likely to cause a problem with surgery?


Answer: Medicare really only covers the cost of basic Cataract Surgery and Lens Implants and not the correction of astigmatism whether it is corrected whether it is corrected with an astigmatism correcting Toric Lens Implant or a Limbal Relaxing Incision (LRI)-neither is covered by Medicare as part of your Cataract Surgery and they ask Cataract Surgeons to bill you for both types of astigmatism correction. Your nearsightedness could likely be corrected using a Monofocal Lens Implant however. Thus you need to opt and pay for the Toric Lens Implant for the astigmatism or have the nearsightedness corrected with a basic Lens Implant with the astigmatism corrected with eyeglasses after your Cataract Surgery. Make sure your advise your cataract Surgeon of all of the medications you have indicated however they should not pose a problem.

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