The state will pay for the eye lens replacement operation: who can benefit.

According to ТСН: Free vision restoration has become possible for thousands of Ukrainians thanks to a state program that continues to implement eye lens replacement. This program is planned to be extended next year, and operations are conducted in about a hundred medical facilities across 22 regions of the country, including private clinics that have contracts with the NHSU.

“The eye was completely blind”: real patient stories

At Kyiv City Hospital No. 4, patients are waiting for their chance to restore their vision. Oleksandr Petrovych has already replaced the lens in his right eye, and today it is his turn for the left.

“I had cataract here. The eye was completely blind. And this left one – it’s like a net. Even now when I close my eye – I see you like in a net,” shares the man.

Another patient, 83-year-old Oleksandr Oleksandrovych, has already undergone rehabilitation. Previously, his vision was only 30%, but now he can sit back behind the wheel of a car again.

“I hadn’t driven a car for the last 3 months, I was afraid. But when I recovered – two weeks later I got in and drove,” says the retiree.

When should you see a doctor?

Cataract is one of the most common problems in older adults. Ophthalmologist Leonid Fedorov notes that the disease can develop unnoticed for many years.

“A person starts to see worse at a distance, with small objects. They say: I can’t see well what’s written on the trolleybus display. If there is any blurriness in the image – you should see a doctor immediately,” warns the specialist.

How to get the service for free: step-by-step instruction

To perform the surgery at the government's expense, the patient must follow a few simple steps:

1. Contact your family doctor, who will check your vision and write a referral.

2. Undergo an examination by an ophthalmologist, who will confirm the diagnosis (cataract or another ailment requiring lens replacement).

3. Choose a hospital. The patient can select any facility (state or private) that has a contract with the NHSU.

According to the head of the NHSU, Natalia Husak, the state allocates about 28,500 hryvnias for each such operation, which includes the cost of the lens.

“This amounts to about 15,000 surgical interventions for 2024-2025. It is done within the framework of facilities that have contracts with the NHSU,” notes Husak.

The program remains accessible to all age groups, as the main goal of the state is to improve the quality of life for citizens.