Let India Roll Your Cloudy Vision Away

Can Universal Health Care Restore Your Sight?

The movement to a universal system of health care in the United States has been a topic of significant debate.  Proponents argue that universal health care will make treatment affordable.  Opponents argue that the wait times seen in countries with universal health care detract from accessibility and can make some procedures dangerously unavailable.  One such condition is glaucoma, which affects the vision and when untreated, almost certainly leads to blindness. 

Currently, there is no known cure for glaucoma, but surgery can stop the condition from worsening or at least slow the deterioration.  Untreated, glaucoma may be even more dangerous than previously considered.  In addition to blindness, a University of Michigan Health System study links untreated visual disorders like glaucoma with the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.  The key to treating glaucoma is time; time that universal health care systems don’t always permit.

How Much Does Glaucoma Surgery Cost?

The risk of getting glaucoma increases with age.  For example, only half a percent of people younger than 50 get the disease compared to 10 percent of people over 80.   Sadly, the people most at risk for glaucoma are usually approaching or beyond retirement age and are limited to fixed incomes.  This makes it difficult to pay up to $7,500 for the procedure in the States.  Accredited Indian hospitals offer as low as 10 percent of the US cost for most medical procedures including glaucoma surgery.  Regardless of the price, when asking the question, “how much does glaucoma surgery cost,” patients must also consider the cost of not having the surgery as well.  Older people may not be as inclined to take a medical tourism trip because of skepticism against trying something new, but they should certainly seek the appropriate advice before turning down a viable option.

Seeing Your Way to India

Waiting months, or years, for glaucoma surgery through a universal health care system can worsen the condition and lead to other diseases.  Indian hospitals, like Wockhardt, are renowned centers of medical excellence in the medical tourism community for their advice and experience in most procedures; not to mention they’re usually much more affordable than most US facilities.  Medical tourism may be the way older patients can see around both the wait times of universal health care and the lack of affordable health care under the current health care system.