Tk 726 eye lens costs up to Tk 30,000 in packages

In 2023, the then government fixed the prices of artificial eye lenses to prevent irregularities in the market. Prices were set for 129 types of lenses imported from countries including Thailand, Singapore, India, the USA, Japan, Belgium, Spain, the UK, Germany, Barbados, Hungary, and Greece. The approved price range was from Tk 143 to Tk 1.26 lakh. However, despite these efforts on paper, chaos in lens pricing continues. Allegations have surfaced that consumers are being deceived through cleverly designed “package deals.” Even the cheapest Indian lens, priced at just Tk 726, is now being sold in packages costing Tk 30,000.

Consumers have long complained about irregularities and inflated prices in the lens market. Due to the lack of a fixed retail price, lenses were often sold at much higher rates than their actual cost. For instance, lenses worth Tk 500 were being sold for Tk 5,000, with buyers unable to verify the original price. To tackle this, the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) set maximum retail prices (MRP) for eye lenses on December 14, 2023. The directive clearly stated that the MRP cannot be included as part of any surgery package.

Hospitals are now required to issue a cash memo that clearly mentions the lens name, MRP, and country of origin. After phaco surgery, the patient must also be given the lens packet. Charging more than the fixed price can result in two years of imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk 2 lakh, or both. Despite these rules, hospitals continue to sell lenses as part of overpriced packages. For example, the Ocuflex lens priced at Tk 780 and the Glaufold lens at Tk 726 are being sold in packages costing Tk 30,000–35,000.

Similarly, higher-end lenses like the Alcon IQ (priced at Tk 16,800) and Germany’s CT-Lucia (Tk 19,000) are being sold for Tk 70,000–85,000 under package deals. Essentially, dishonest hospitals and doctors are inflating prices by 3 to 5 times—or even more—than the set MRPs. Field investigations reveal a huge gap between the DGDA-set prices and the actual charges in hospitals.

Zafar Ahmed (pseudonym), a low-income employee at a private company in Dhaka, struggled to buy a lens for his mother’s eye surgery. After failing to get an appointment at the National Institute of Ophthalmology despite a long wait, a hospital staff member advised him to go to Bangladesh Eye Hospital in Dhanmondi. There, the lens implantation was finally done before Eid.

Speaking to Views Bangladesh, Zafar said he visited several hospitals to get an idea of different lens options and their prices. “At Ispahani Islamia Eye Hospital, they refused to speak without a patient present. At Retina Glaucoma Hospital in Panthapath, they handed me a few package options. Even the most basic one would require me to prepare financially for six months,” he said. “Although the government has fixed prices, hospitals seem to completely ignore them.”

According to victims, this chaos didn’t emerge overnight. Unethical practices in eye lens pricing have been ongoing for years. But since it's not a life-threatening issue, it hasn’t received much attention. DGDA occasionally issues directives, but due to poor monitoring, they are rarely enforced. Visits to several hospitals—Bangladesh Eye Hospital, Lions Eye Hospital, Ispahani Islamia Eye Hospital, Retina Glaucoma Center, and Harun Eye Foundation—revealed that none of them follow the government pricing guidelines. They lure patients into expensive “packages” for low-cost lenses and charge extra for OT, bed rent, medicines, and even “service fees.”

After the fall of the government on August 5, oversight became even weaker, worsening the irregularities. On January 13 of this year, the DGDA held a meeting with representatives of the Medical Device Importers Association of Bangladesh and the Ophthalmic Product Importers and Owners Association of Bangladesh, warning them to follow the pricing rules. However, no significant change has followed, with importers and hospitals now blaming each other.

When asked about the pricing chaos, Dr. Mominul Islam of Islamia Eye Hospital claimed, “Hospitals are not arbitrarily increasing prices. Private hospitals have to include OT charges, bed rent, and staff costs, which vary between institutions—unlike government hospitals. So, making blanket accusations is unfair. In fact, suppliers are forcing us to buy lenses at inflated prices, which increases our overall costs.”

In response, Jasim Uddin, General Secretary of the Medical Device Importers Association, said, “We sell lenses at 10–20% less than the fixed MRP. The hospitals’ claim is not true. Why they are blaming us is something only they can explain.” No one was available at either of the two listed addresses of the Ophthalmic Product Importers and Owners Association of Bangladesh. A DGDA/OSB/BSCRS representative noted that while prices are usually kept low, the final cost rises when hospitals and doctors add their own profits (each lens often includes a commission). “Otherwise, the difference between public and private hospitals wouldn’t be this massive,” he added.

Dr. Md. Akhtar Hossain, Director of DGDA, said, “At the beginning of this year, we had a meeting with representatives of the Medical Device Importers and the Ophthalmic Product Importers associations. We listened to their concerns and gave some instructions. If we receive specific complaints about any hospital, we will definitely take action. We are increasing our monitoring and will respond to confirmed violations.”