REFRACTIVE SURGERY • ARTICLE 035
🧠 Quick Answer: How much does ICL surgery cost?
ICL surgery cost depends on the lens model, whether astigmatism correction is needed, screening, surgeon and facility fees, medicines, and follow-up. Always confirm whether a quotation covers one eye or both eyes and ask for a written list of inclusions and exclusions.
Eye.com.ph’s EVO ICL surgical package page lists ₱150,000 per eye or ₱300,000 for both eyes, explicitly dated January 28, 2024. The six standard screening component prices listed on the screening page total ₱32,959; confirm the applicable screening charge and whether any of it is included in your surgical quotation. [1,2]
If you are budgeting for ICL surgery in the Philippines, start with two questions: Is ICL appropriate for my eyes, and what does the complete treatment plan include? The amount printed beside a package name cannot answer either question by itself.
Focus: ICL pricing, screening, lens selection, package inclusions and financial planning.
Goal: Help you compare written quotations and understand possible additional expenses.
🎯 Key Learning Points
- The lens is one part of the total cost. Measurements, surgery and follow-up also matter.
- A toric lens for astigmatism may affect the quotation; ask which exact lens is included.
- A higher price does not by itself prove better care. A lower price does not by itself prove inadequate care. Compare the actual clinical plan and inclusions.
- Screening can change the recommended lens, the treatment plan or whether surgery should proceed.
- Published prices need a date and clear terms. Your written quotation should explain any separate charges.
🔬 Anatomy Micro-Primer
An ICL is placed behind the iris, the coloured part of the eye, and in front of the natural lens. Your natural lens remains in place. This differs from cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange, which removes the natural lens. [3]
The anterior chamber is the space between the cornea and iris. Measurements of this space, the cornea’s endothelial cells and other internal eye structures help determine suitability and lens sizing. Vault describes the gap between the ICL and natural lens after implantation. Assessment and follow-up are part of care, rather than optional extras chosen only by price.
📘 Terminology Glossary
- ICL: Implantable Collamer Lens, a lens implanted inside the eye to correct suitable refractive errors.
- Toric ICL: A version designed to correct astigmatism as well as the accompanying refractive error.
- Suitability screening: Examinations and measurements used to assess whether surgery is appropriate.
- Professional fee: A clinician’s fee; it does not automatically include the implant or hospital charges.
- Package: A group of services sold together. Its written terms determine what is included.
- Quotation: A patient-specific estimate identifying the proposed treatment and its financial terms.
🧭 Quick Navigation
- Published prices and their limits
- Why quotations differ
- Inclusions and exclusions
- How to compare quotations
- Payment and coverage questions
- Frequently asked questions
📚 Related Reading
Published Eye.com.ph Prices: Read the Dates and Terms
| Item | Published figure | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| EVO ICL surgery, one eye | ₱150,000 | Request an updated quotation. |
| EVO ICL surgery, both eyes | ₱300,000 | Confirm the treatment schedule and all inclusions. |
| Listed screening components | ₱32,959 total | Arithmetic sum of six listed standard component prices, not independent confirmation of a current package quotation. Confirm the applicable charge. |
See the surgical package page and ICL screening page. The surgical page’s historical terms describe a prepaid cash or direct-transfer arrangement. Confirm current payment conditions, validity and exclusions before relying on those terms. [1,2]
The six listed screening components are refractive surgery screening, ultra-widefield retinal photographs, macular OCT, optic nerve OCT, dry-eye screening and ultrasound biomicroscopy with ICL Guru. Their listed standard figures are ₱5,845, ₱4,651, ₱6,131, ₱6,131, ₱4,278 and ₱5,923 respectively. These add up to ₱32,959. Your doctor should explain which examinations are appropriate for your eyes and the clinic should confirm what you will be billed. [2]
Do not automatically add ₱32,959 to a surgical package price. First establish whether screening is included, separate or credited under your written agreement. Also distinguish a professional-fee-only offer from a quotation that includes the implant and facility.
What Affects the Cost of ICL Surgery?
1. Your prescription and astigmatism
Your prescription helps determine the lens power and available options. Clinically significant astigmatism may require a toric lens and additional alignment planning. Ask whether toric correction is included. A stronger prescription does not automatically mean a higher fee; the actual lens, tests and services in your quotation determine the charge.
2. The exact lens and measurements
Ask for the lens model and whether the proposed lens is spherical or toric. Different models and clinical plans should not be treated as interchangeable simply because both quotations say “ICL.” Measurements help determine whether the eye can accommodate the lens and which size is suitable.
3. Screening and additional examinations
The workup may include refraction, corneal imaging, anterior chamber assessment, endothelial cell evaluation, eye-pressure measurement, retinal examination and additional imaging when indicated. A prescription alone is insufficient to decide on implantation. [2,4]
4. Surgeon, facility and perioperative services
Ask whether the surgeon’s fee, any assistant or anaesthesia-related fee, operating room, lens, consumables and perioperative medicines are included. Hospital and ambulatory facility billing arrangements may differ.
5. One eye, both eyes and case complexity
A headline figure may cover one eye only. If both eyes are planned, confirm the total, timing and whether separate facility charges apply. Additional clinical findings may require preparation, another specialist’s assessment or a different procedure.
6. Follow-up and future treatment
Ask how many routine visits are included and for how long. Longer-term monitoring, additional medicines and treatment of complications may have separate charges. ICL surgery can require further treatment; paying for a package does not eliminate surgical risks or guarantee spectacle-free vision. [5]
What May Be Included—and What May Be Separate?
Use this list to review your quotation. It describes items to clarify, not a promise that every ROQUE Eye Clinic package includes them.
- Consultation, screening and any repeat measurements.
- The exact implant and any toric correction.
- Surgeon and other professional fees.
- Facility, operating room and surgical consumables.
- Eye drops and other medicines before and after surgery.
- Routine follow-up visits and their covered period.
- Extra visits, urgent reviews and tests outside the routine schedule.
- Retinal assessment or treatment, or treatment of ocular surface disease when indicated.
- Additional surgery, lens rotation, repositioning, exchange or removal if required.
- Any proposed enhancement and the conditions under which it could be offered.
Ask about cancellation, rescheduling, lens-ordering and refund terms before paying. In particular, establish what happens financially if screening shows that ICL is unsuitable or surgery must be postponed. Do not assume a refund, credit or free additional treatment unless the written agreement states it.
How to Compare Two ICL Quotations Fairly
Comparing packages is like comparing airline tickets: one price may include baggage and another may charge separately. Put both quotations beside each other and compare the same items.
- Confirm the price covers the same number of eyes.
- Compare the exact lens models and astigmatism correction.
- Check screening, professional fees, facility charges and medicines.
- Compare routine follow-up periods and access to urgent assessment.
- Ask which additional treatments would be billed separately.
- Check quotation validity, payment timing and cancellation terms.
- Discuss the expected benefits, limitations and alternatives with your surgeon.
For example, a lower surgical quotation with separately billed screening may still have a lower overall total than another package—or it may not. You cannot tell until you compare the complete written plans. Price alone does not establish clinical quality.
Why can ICL cost more than FemtoLASIK, SMILE Pro or PRK?
ICL adds an implanted lens and a different surgical and measurement process. That can make its price higher than corneal laser procedures, although actual quotations vary. Higher cost does not make ICL the preferred option for every eye. Suitability, risks and your visual needs come first. Glasses and contact lenses remain alternatives; refractive surgery is elective. [3]
What if screening changes the plan?
The assessment may lead to a different lens, treatment of another eye condition, postponement or advice against ICL. Ask for a revised quotation before proceeding when the proposed plan changes. Screening is valuable even when its conclusion is that you should not undergo surgery.
Insurance, HMO and Payment Questions
Coverage for elective refractive surgery may be limited or excluded. Ask your insurer or HMO about the specific procedure, diagnostics, facility and professional fees, and obtain any required written approval. An HMO affiliation alone does not establish coverage for ICL. [4]
For installments or financing, ask the clinic what is currently available, whether a third party is involved, and the total payable including any fees or interest. Do not assume an installment arrangement exists because another clinic offers one. Ask about any applicable benefit or discount directly; eligibility and coverage must be checked for the specific service.
🚨 When to Seek Urgent Eye Care
Sudden vision loss, severe eye pain, or new flashes and floaters—especially with a curtain or shadow in your vision—need urgent assessment. After surgery, worsening pain, redness or vision also needs prompt review. Seek urgent eye care rather than waiting for a price discussion or routine booking.
🏁 Take-Home Message
Budget for the complete care plan: screening, the specified lens, surgery and follow-up. Compare written inclusions and exclusions, confirm dated prices, and ask what happens if your treatment plan changes. The aim is an appropriate clinical decision with clear financial terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I prepare for ICL surgery?
Request an individualized written quotation. The surgical package page carries historical figures of ₱150,000 per eye and ₱300,000 for both eyes dated January 28, 2024. Confirm current fees, screening and exclusions before making a budget based on them. [1]
Is screening included in surgery?
It depends on your package. The screening page separately lists components totalling ₱32,959 at their published standard prices. That does not establish whether screening is included in, added to or credited against your surgical quotation. [2]
Does astigmatism affect the price?
It can if a toric lens or a different treatment plan is required. Ask the clinic to identify the lens and any price difference explicitly.
Can I get an exact price before an examination?
The clinic may provide general fee information, but the final treatment plan depends on examination and measurements. Ask whether an initial estimate can change and why.
What if I do not qualify after screening?
Your doctor should explain the findings and alternatives. Ask about screening charges and any prepaid surgery or lens-ordering terms before payment; do not assume they are refundable.
Are future enhancements or complication treatments included?
Only if your written terms say so. Ask about additional consultations, medicines, imaging, hospital care and any further procedure. Availability of an enhancement also depends on clinical suitability.
Can insurance pay for ICL?
Check your policy and obtain written confirmation for the intended treatment and related services. Do not assume approval or reimbursement.
What is the next step?
Arrange a refractive surgery consultation, discuss suitability and alternatives, and request a written quotation after the necessary assessment. For procedure details, read the ICL patient guide.
📚 References
ROQUE Eye Clinic Patient Education
St. Luke’s Medical Center – Global City • Asian Hospital and Medical Center
Medical and price information: This guide supports discussion with your ophthalmologist. A published package description is not individualized surgical advice or a confirmed current financial quotation.
Medical Disclaimer: This educational material does not replace examination, diagnostic testing, individualized counseling or informed consent. Outcomes and costs vary. Confirm the proposed treatment, benefits, risks, alternatives and financial terms with your care team.
