Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is performed in the Prairie Mountain Health, Southern Health-Santé Sud and Winnipeg regional health authorities. Ask your surgeon where you are having your cataract surgery.

Note: The wait time data provided is for scheduled tests, treatments and services only. Patients who require emergency care are not placed on a wait list.

On This Page:

What is Cataract Surgery?

A cataract is a small cloudy area in the lens of the eye that blocks the passage of light to the retina.  Cataract surgery is the removal of the cataract and implantation of an artificial lens to correct vision loss.


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Cataract Surgery Wait Times

Regional Health Authority Facilities Median Wait Time (in weeks)
Prairie Mountain Health Brandon Regional Health Centre 11
Minnedosa Health Centre 15
Swan Valley Health Centre 13
Southern Health-Santé Sud Portage District General Hospital 8
Winnipeg Misericordia Health Centre
12
Western Surgery Centre 9

Data for May 2025

Information on this page reflects wait times for every patient awaiting cataract surgery in Manitoba whether they are waiting for surgery on the first eye or second eye. Wait times indicated here are median, which means they represent a mid-point; some wait times are longer than those indicated, while others are shorter.

Some factors that contribute to wait times:

  • there is generally a longer wait for surgery for the  first eye than there is for the second - the wait times on this page represent a median of both.
  • patient wait times vary by surgeon. If your condition or circumstances change while waiting for surgery, it may be advisable to contact your ophthalmologist to discuss your priority for surgery, or contact your optometrist or family physician to request a referral to an ophthalmologist with a shorter wait time.

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Cataract Surgeries Performed

Regional Health Authority
Facilities
Surgeries performed
(per month)
2025/2026
Fiscal Year to Date1
2024/2025
Fiscal Year1
Prairie Mountain Health
Brandon Regional Health Centre
135 263 1,377
Minnedosa Health Centre 35 89 402
Swan Valley Health Centre 81 81 541
Southern Health-Santé Sud
Portage District General Hospital
48 96 405
Winnipeg
Misericordia Health Centre
943 1,865 11,362
Western Surgery Centre 319 597 2,758
Manitoba Total 1,561 2,991 16,845

Data for May 2025

1 Fiscal year is April to March.


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Cataract Surgeries Waiting

Regional Health Authority Facilities Surgeries Waiting
Prairie Mountain Health Brandon Regional Health Centre 738
Minnedosa Health Centre 163
Swan Valley Health Centre 144
Southern Health-Santé Sud Portage District General Hospital 52
Winnipeg 3,414
Manitoba Total 4,511

Data for May 2025


A wait list is a list of individuals who are waiting for a special medical or diagnostic service. Only suitable patients who have consented to receive the service are placed on a wait list. Patients who are not ready for the service, such as those who need time in pre-habilitation or may be recommended for other treatment options, are not placed on a wait list. Patients who have not consented to the service do not go on a wait list. Patients who are determined by their care provider to be an emergency are also not put on a wait list.


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Cataract Surgery Historical Information

Historical data for the previous 13 months is available by clicking the link below:

View the historical information here - Excel excel


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