CGHS Retina Surgery Rate List: Vitrectomy, Retinal Detachment and Anti-VEGF Injections

Retinal surgery is priced per eye under CGHS, and the memorandum separates the operations by exactly what is done inside the eye — a plain vitrectomy, a vitrectomy with membrane peeling and tamponade, or a macular hole repair.

The intravitreal injection codes are the ones to read carefully: the rate covers the procedure, not the drug.

CGHS Vitrectomy Package Rates, Per Eye (effective 13 October 2025)

Vitreoretinal rates are per eye. Super-speciality hospitals are billed at the NABH rate for these codes.

• Vitrectomy (pars plana) including fluid-air exchange, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 29,750
• Vitrectomy (pars plana) including fluid-air exchange, per eye, NABH — Rs 35,000
• Vitrectomy with membrane peeling, fluid-air exchange, endolaser and gas or silicone oil tamponade, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 34,000
• Vitrectomy with membrane peeling, fluid-air exchange, endolaser and gas or silicone oil tamponade, per eye, NABH — Rs 40,000
• Macular hole surgery — vitrectomy with membrane and ILM peeling, endolaser and tamponade, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 34,850
• Macular hole surgery — vitrectomy with membrane and ILM peeling, endolaser and tamponade, per eye, NABH — Rs 41,000
• Vitrectomy with phaco-fragmentation / dropped IOL retrieval, with or without secondary IOL, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 21,250
• Vitrectomy with phaco-fragmentation / dropped IOL retrieval, with or without secondary IOL, per eye, NABH — Rs 25,000
• Anterior vitrectomy, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 6,800
• Anterior vitrectomy, per eye, NABH — Rs 8,000
• Epiretinal membrane (ERM) peeling, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 5,950
• Epiretinal membrane (ERM) peeling, per eye, NABH — Rs 7,000
• Internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 2,550
• Internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling, per eye, NABH — Rs 3,000

Retinal Detachment Surgery

• Retinal detachment surgery, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 23,375
• Retinal detachment surgery, per eye, NABH — Rs 27,500
• Retinal detachment surgery with scleral buckling, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 29,750
• Retinal detachment surgery with scleral buckling, per eye, NABH — Rs 35,000
• Buckle removal, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 7,225
• Buckle removal, per eye, NABH — Rs 8,500
• Silicone oil removal, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 7,820
• Silicone oil removal, per eye, NABH — Rs 9,200
• Silicone oil injection, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 4,250
• Silicone oil injection, per eye, NABH — Rs 5,000
• C3F8 gas injection for descemetopexy, retinopexy or pneumatopexy, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 4,250
• C3F8 gas injection for descemetopexy, retinopexy or pneumatopexy, per eye, NABH — Rs 5,000
• Anterior retinal cryopexy, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 4,250
• Anterior retinal cryopexy, per eye, NABH — Rs 5,000

Retinal Laser and Intravitreal Injections

Intravitreal injection rates cover the procedure only — the anti-VEGF drug, antibiotic or drug implant is reimbursed separately.

• Retinal laser — green laser for PRP, retinal tears, ROP or endolaser, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 2,975
• Retinal laser — green laser for PRP, retinal tears, ROP or endolaser, per eye, NABH — Rs 3,500
• Argon or diode laser for retinal detachment, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 7,225
• Argon or diode laser for retinal detachment, per eye, NABH — Rs 8,500
• Transpupillary thermal therapy (TTT), per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 7,225
• Transpupillary thermal therapy (TTT), per eye, NABH — Rs 8,500
• Intravitreal injection of drugs such as ranibizumab or aflibercept, excluding the cost of the drug, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 4,250
• Intravitreal injection of drugs such as ranibizumab or aflibercept, excluding the cost of the drug, per eye, NABH — Rs 5,000
• Intravitreal injection of antibiotics, excluding the cost of the antibiotic, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 4,250
• Intravitreal injection of antibiotics, excluding the cost of the antibiotic, per eye, NABH — Rs 5,000
• Intravitreal insertion of a drug implant (for example Ozurdex), excluding the cost of the implant, per eye, Non-NABH — Rs 5,100
• Intravitreal insertion of a drug implant (for example Ozurdex), excluding the cost of the implant, per eye, NABH — Rs 6,000

Rates shown are as per the CGHS approved package rates (Office Memorandum F.No.5-16/CGHS(HQ)/HEC/2024(PartI) dated 03.10.2025, effective 2025-10-13) (2025 (effective 13.10.2025)) and are subject to periodic revision. Always verify the latest approved rates on the official source.

Anti-VEGF Injections: The Drug Is Not in the Rate

An intravitreal injection of a drug such as ranibizumab or aflibercept is Rs 4,250 (non-NABH) per eye, and that figure excludes the cost of the drug itself. The same is true of intravitreal antibiotics and of a drug implant such as Ozurdex. For a course of injections in diabetic macular oedema or age-related macular degeneration, the drug is usually the larger part of the bill, so ask how it will be billed and reimbursed before starting.

Rates Are Per Eye

Every vitreoretinal code in the memorandum is written per eye. Where both eyes need surgery, each eye is billed against its own code, and the second eye usually needs its own permission.

How CGHS Package Rates Work

A CGHS package rate is an all-inclusive amount covering admission, surgeon and anaesthetist charges, operation theatre, nursing, routine investigations, medicines and accommodation for the standard length of stay. For an investigation, the rate is the whole charge for that test at an empanelled facility.

The 2025 memorandum lists three columns for every code: a non-NABH rate, a NABH rate that is about 15% higher, and for some categories a further super-speciality rate. Which column applies depends on the accreditation status of the hospital or laboratory you are treated at, not on your ward entitlement.

High-value implants, stents, lenses and devices are not part of the package. Where a code says the rate excludes an implant or a drug, that item is reimbursed separately against its own notified ceiling.

Referral and Prior Permission

For planned (non-emergency) procedures, a CGHS beneficiary needs a referral from the CGHS wellness centre and prior permission from the competent authority. Emergency treatment at an empanelled hospital is reimbursed up to CGHS rates without prior permission.

For investigations, the test has to be prescribed by a CGHS medical officer or by a specialist at a government or empanelled hospital for the empanelled laboratory to bill it as a cashless CGHS test.

• Carry a valid CGHS card and follow your ward entitlement (based on pay or pension)
• Use an empanelled hospital or laboratory for cashless treatment up to CGHS rates
• Obtain prior permission and a referral for planned surgery
• Ask for the OM code the hospital is billing against, and check it against the rate list

These Rates Are Revised

CGHS revises its package rates periodically, and the memorandum in force on the date of your treatment is the one that applies. The figures on this page are from the memorandum effective 13 October 2025. Before you plan a procedure, confirm the current figure for your code on the official memorandum linked above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CGHS rate for vitrectomy?

A pars plana vitrectomy including fluid-air exchange is Rs 29,750 per eye at a non-NABH hospital and Rs 35,000 at a NABH hospital under the rates effective 13 October 2025. A vitrectomy with membrane peeling, endolaser and tamponade is a higher code at Rs 34,000 and Rs 40,000.

What does CGHS pay for retinal detachment surgery?

Retinal detachment surgery is Rs 23,375 per eye (non-NABH) and Rs 27,500 (NABH). With scleral buckling it is Rs 29,750 and Rs 35,000.

Does the CGHS rate for an eye injection include the drug?

No. The intravitreal injection rate of Rs 4,250 per eye (non-NABH) covers the procedure only and excludes the cost of the anti-VEGF drug, the antibiotic or the drug implant, which is dealt with separately.

Is retinal laser covered under CGHS?

Yes. Green laser for pan-retinal photocoagulation, retinal tears, retinopathy of prematurity or endolaser is Rs 2,975 per eye (non-NABH) and Rs 3,500 (NABH).

Related

• CGHS eye test rate list
• CGHS eye surgery rate list
• CGHS cataract surgery rate list
• CGHS rate list for common procedures

Medical Disclaimer

The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.