If you have an Ayushman Bharat card in Punjab and need eye treatment, the first question is usually simple: “Will my treatment be covered?”The answer depends on the eye condition and, importantly, the treatment package approved under the government health scheme.
Punjab’s healthcare framework changed in January 2026 with the introduction of the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY), which provides cashless health cover of up to ₹10 lakh per family per year to eligible registered Punjab residents. PM-JAY continues to apply to its eligible beneficiaries, while Punjab’s state scheme extends coverage across the state.
For patients in Jalandhar, the practical distinction is this: medically necessary eye surgeries included in the applicable government package can be treated cashless at an empanelled hospital; elective vision-correction procedures such as LASIK is a different matter.
Eye Treatments covered under Ayushman Card?
Ophthalmology is included within the Health Benefit Packages of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY. The National Health Authority’s package framework includes cataract and other ophthalmic procedures.
Depending on the diagnosis, package and applicable authorization, covered eye procedures can include:
- Cataract surgery, including approved phacoemulsification and SICS procedures with an intraocular lens
- Glaucoma surgery
- Retinal and vitreoretinal procedures for specified conditions
- Corneal procedures, including keratoplasty
- Squint or strabismus surgery
- Lacrimal procedures such as DCR
Other ophthalmic surgeries included in the applicable government package
The important point is that having an Ayushman/MMSY card does not mean every eye procedure is automatically free. The diagnosis must correspond to an approved package, and the hospital must be empanelled and authorized to provide that particular treatment.
Is Cataract Eye Surgery Covered under Ayushman in Jalandhar?
Cataract surgery is included in the PM-JAY package structure, with defined surgical techniques and package requirements.
The government package is not simply a reimbursement of whatever treatment a patient chooses. It is a pre-defined package, with specified inclusions and conditions.
Therefore, patients should have their eyes examined first. The ophthalmologist can determine whether cataract surgery is indicated and whether the proposed treatment fits the applicable scheme package.
Is Retina Treatment Covered Under Ayushman in Jalandhar?
Retinal surgery is not excluded simply because it is a retina procedure.
Specific retinal conditions requiring surgery or other approved interventions may fall within the ophthalmology packages. However, coverage depends on the exact diagnosis, procedure and package authorisation.
This distinction matters because “retina treatment” is a broad term. A consultation, diagnostic test, injection, laser procedure or retinal surgery may have different package rules.
For an urgent condition such as suspected retinal detachment, patients should seek an ophthalmic assessment without delaying treatment while trying to determine scheme eligibility.
Does Ayushman Cover LASIK, SMILE or CLEAR?
LASIK and similar procedures are intended primarily to correct refractive error such as myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism. They are distinct from medically necessary eye surgery covered through ophthalmology packages.
Therefore, patients considering:
- LASIK
- Femto LASIK
- SMILE
- CLEAR
- Contoura or other customized refractive procedures
Do not assume that the procedure will be cashless under Ayushman Bharat or MMSY.
The final determination rests on the applicable government package and authorization, not the technology the patient selects.
What Has Changed in Punjab with respect to use of Ayushman Scheme?
Punjab’s earlier state health-cover arrangement, including the Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana, has been replaced by the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, launched in January 2026.
The current state programme provides up to ₹10 lakh of cashless treatment per family per year, with the stated objective of extending coverage to Punjab families without the earlier category-based restrictions.
That does not, however, mean that every medical procedure is automatically covered. Treatment remains package-based and subject to the scheme’s eligibility, empanelment, authorization and package rules.
What Does “Cashless” eye treatment actually mean?
Under an approved government package, the patient does not ordinarily pay the hospital for the covered package as an ordinary private patient would.
But cashless does not mean that every service, investigation or upgrade chosen by a patient is automatically included.
The treatment has to be:
- Covered under the applicable scheme.
- Performed at an appropriately empanelled hospital.
- Clinically indicated.
- Authorized under the relevant package requirements.
Patients should therefore ask the hospital’s scheme desk about the exact package being authorized, rather than relying on a general statement that “eye treatment is covered.”
What about private health insurance and LASIK?
Private health insurance is separate from Ayushman Bharat and MMSY.
IRDAI’s standard exclusion wording specifies that expenses for correction of eyesight due to refractive error below 7.5 dioptres may be excluded.
This should not be interpreted as an automatic guarantee that every insurer will pay for every prescription of 7.5 dioptres or above. Actual coverage depends on the policy terms, medical circumstances, documentation and the insurer’s claim assessment.
Patients with private health insurance should therefore check their individual policy before scheduling refractive surgery.
Can You use a Health care Scheme at a Private Eye Hospital In Jalndhar?
Yes—where the hospital is currently empanelled and authorized for the relevant government package.
Duggal Eye Hospital, Jalandhar, is a NABH-accredited eye hospital offering comprehensive ophthalmic and surgical services. Its documented NABH scope has included cataract, comprehensive ophthalmic, cornea and retina services, among others.
However, empanelment and package authorization are separate from the hospital’s clinical capabilities. Patients should confirm before admission that the required procedure is currently available under the applicable scheme at the hospital.
Ayushman Eye Treatment at Duggal Eye Hospital, Jalandhar
For patients approaching Duggal Eye Hospital with an Ayushman Bharat or Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana card, the sensible first step is an ophthalmic evaluation.
Once the diagnosis is established, the hospital’s scheme/insurance desk can determine:
- Whether the condition falls under an approved package
- Whether the required procedure is covered
- Whether prior authorization is required
- What documentation is needed
- Whether the treatment can be provided cashlessly under the applicable scheme
This matters because coverage depends on the approved diagnosis and package—not simply on having a health card.
Frequently Asked Questions on Ayushman health cover?
Yes, eligible cataract surgery is included within the government health-benefit framework at appropriately empanelled hospitals, subject to package and authorization requirements.
Specified retinal and vitreoretinal procedures can be covered when they correspond to an
Routine refractive laser procedures such as LASIK should not be assumed to be covered under the government scheme.
The announced benefit is up to ₹10 lakh per family per year, subject to the scheme’s applicable rules and packages.
No. Cashless treatment may also be available at private hospitals that are appropriately empanelled for the relevant scheme and procedure.
Not necessarily. The government scheme operates through defined packages and inclusions. The exact lens and package provisions should be confirmed with the hospital before surgery.
Blog Summary:
An Ayushman Bharat or MMSY card can make a substantial difference for patients requiring covered, medically necessary eye surgery. Cataract and several other ophthalmic procedures fall within the government health-benefit framework.
But the card is not a blanket entitlement to every eye treatment. Refractive procedures such as LASIK are different from medically necessary ophthalmic surgery, and every claim remains subject to the applicable package, eligibility and authorization rules.
At Duggal Eye Hospital, Jalandhar, patients can have their eye condition assessed first and then obtain a clear answer from the scheme desk about whether the proposed treatment is covered before proceeding.
Scheme provisions, package lists, empanelment and authorization requirements can be revised. Patients should confirm the current position with the hospital’s scheme desk or the State Health Agency, Punjab, before planning treatment.
Note:The Punjab scheme references above have been checked against current 2026 reporting on MMSY and the National Health Authority’s PM-JAY package documentation; the refractive-error insurance point has been checked against IRDAI’s standard in this blog psot.
Disclaimer: Scheme rules, coverage amounts, and empanelment lists are set and periodically revised by the National Health Authority and the State Health Agency, Punjab, and can change. Patients are advised to confirm current eligibility and package details with SHA Punjab or our hospital’s insurance desk before planning treatment.
For Ayushman Bharat / MMSY eligibility, free eye camps, or a consultation, visit Duggal Eye Hospital, Kishna Pura Chowk, Jalandhar, or call 91159-00808 or 788 835 2706