Key points
- Medicare and most insurers cover the most common lens, the monofocal IOL, according to the AAO.
- Other lens types include multifocal, accommodative, light-adjustable and toric. Ask in writing what your plan pays toward each.
- After surgery you rest 15 to 30 minutes and wear a protective shield while sleeping, the AAO says.
- Blurry vision for days or weeks is common, usually from swelling.
This guide draws on the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the FDA and the published pages of Seattle health systems. Sources last checked November 2026. It is general information, not medical advice; your surgeon decides what's right for your eyes.
Where cataract surgery happens in Seattle
These are the Seattle-area health systems whose own pages describe surgical eye care:
- Kaiser Permanente Washington: Kaiser says its ophthalmologists treat surgical eye problems including cataracts (Kaiser Permanente). Northgate Medical Center offers optometry only; its page lists Everett or Capitol Hill as the nearest ophthalmology locations.
- Virginia Mason Franciscan Health: offers complete disease-related medical and surgical eye care, with patients seen at the Seattle Main Clinic and at Virginia Mason Federal Way, Issaquah, Kirkland and Lynnwood (VMFH).
- UW Medicine: the Eye Institute at Harborview on First Hill provides complex medical and surgical eye care (UW Medicine), and UW's ophthalmology department also lists an Eye Center at UWMC Montlake.
- Swedish: general ophthalmology (Seattle Eye Care) is on the Cherry Hill campus at 1600 East Jefferson Street, Suite 202 (Swedish).
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System: listed by UW's ophthalmology department as a partner site, at 1660 South Columbian Way. Veterans should confirm eye surgery services with the VA directly.
This list covers institutions whose own pages we could check. It isn't a full directory or a ranking. Independent practices and surgery centers aren't listed here, but the same checks apply to them.
Hospital clinic or independent practice?
We don't have sourced Seattle data comparing outcomes or prices across settings, so we won't pretend otherwise. These are the differences you can check for yourself:
- Is the surgeon in your plan's network, and is the facility where they operate?
- How far will you travel for surgery and every follow-up visit, and who will drive you?
- Does the same surgeon see you after surgery, or someone else?
- Which lens types does the practice offer?
Choosing your lens
In cataract surgery, the eye's natural lens is replaced with an intraocular lens (IOL). The AAO lists these types (AAO):
| Lens type | What the AAO says |
|---|---|
| Monofocal | The most common lens; covered by Medicare and most insurers |
| Multifocal | Presbyopia-correcting; full focus at all ranges may take 6 to 8 weeks |
| Accommodative | Also presbyopia-correcting; the same adjustment and risk notes apply |
| Light-adjustable | The only IOL that can be customized after surgery |
| Toric | Corrects astigmatism |
For presbyopia-correcting lenses, the AAO says it may take 6 to 8 weeks to focus fully at all ranges. Risks include over- or under-correction, clouding of part of the IOL, and the possibility of further surgery (AAO). Details on the light-adjustable and monofocal lenses come from the AAO's guide to choosing a lens.
FDA-approved labeling for one LASIK laser notes that corneal thinning may affect future cataract surgery (FDA). Tell your cataract surgeon about any past refractive surgery, and bring your records if you have them.
What Medicare and insurance cover
The AAO says Medicare and most insurers cover the most common lens, the monofocal IOL. We haven't yet verified Medicare's own rules on other lens types, so don't rely on this page for the details of your plan. Before you choose a lens, ask the surgeon's office and your plan:
- Are the surgeon and the surgical facility in my network?
- With a monofocal lens, what will I owe for the surgery?
- If I choose a different lens, what is the extra cost, and what does it pay for: the lens, extra testing, follow-up visits?
- Do I need a referral or prior authorization first?
- If both eyes need surgery, how is each eye scheduled and billed?
A written estimate for each eye, listing the lens, the surgeon, the facility and follow-up care, makes offers easier to compare and leaves fewer surprises on the bill.
Surgery day and the weeks after
- Before the dayAsk the surgical center when to arrive, what you can eat or drink beforehand, and whether you need someone to drive you home.
- Right after surgeryThe AAO says you rest for 15 to 30 minutes.
- At nightWear the protective shield while you sleep.
- Eye dropsUse the drops your surgeon prescribes, exactly as directed.
- Daily lifeAvoid strenuous activity and don't rub your eye.
- The first weeksBlurry vision for days or weeks is common, usually from swelling. A gritty feeling should heal in about a week, or up to three months if you have dry eye.
These points come from the AAO's pages on what cataract surgery involves and side effects after surgery. Your surgeon's instructions come first.
Risks the AAO lists
The AAO lists infection, bleeding, blurred vision, halos, glare and vision loss among the risks. Before you leave the surgical center, ask which symptoms mean you should call right away, and get an after-hours number.
If you're helping a parent
- Go to the consultation together and write down the answers; there's a lot to take in.
- Run the license and board certification checks together before surgery is booked.
- Plan rides for surgery day and for every follow-up visit.
- Keep the post-op instructions and drop schedule somewhere easy to read.
- Ask the office whom to call with questions, and whether they need your parent's permission to speak with you.
Check the surgeon
Cataract surgery can feel routine because it's common and often covered, but the surgeon deserves the same scrutiny as for any operation. Our surgeon check guide shows how to look up a Washington license and discipline record on the Department of Health search and confirm certification with the American Board of Ophthalmology.
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicare cover cataract surgery lenses?
The AAO says Medicare and most insurers cover the most common lens, the monofocal IOL. Ask your surgeon's office and your plan, in writing, what you'd owe for any other lens type.
Which lens is best?
There's no single answer. The AAO lists monofocal, multifocal, accommodative, light-adjustable and toric lenses, which serve different purposes. Your surgeon can explain which fit your eyes.
How long is vision blurry after cataract surgery?
The AAO says blurry vision for days or weeks is common, usually from swelling. With presbyopia-correcting lenses, full focus at all ranges may take 6 to 8 weeks.
Can I have cataract surgery through Kaiser at Northgate?
Kaiser's Northgate page says it offers optometry only and lists Everett or Capitol Hill as the nearest ophthalmology locations.
I had LASIK years ago. Does it matter?
It can. FDA-approved labeling for one LASIK laser notes that corneal thinning may affect future cataract surgery. Tell your surgeon and share your records.
Sources
- Choosing an IOL for cataract surgery — American Academy of Ophthalmology
- IOL implants: lens replacement after cataracts — American Academy of Ophthalmology
- Presbyopia-correcting IOLs — American Academy of Ophthalmology
- What is cataract surgery? — American Academy of Ophthalmology
- Side effects of cataract surgery — American Academy of Ophthalmology
- MEL 90 patient labeling (P060004 S006) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Ophthalmology — Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
- Ophthalmology (Eye) Clinic at Harborview — UW Medicine
- Comprehensive ophthalmology location listing — Swedish
- Provider credential search — Washington State Department of Health