Eye Surgery in Egypt: A Guide for International Patients
Plan eye treatment in Cairo with Sayyad Eye Center. Read about appointments, recovery, follow-up and hotel options in Mohandeseen and New Cairo.
Last updated: 25 October 2026
Planning eye treatment abroad should feel clear and manageable. Whether you are an Egyptian living in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, another GCC country or Europe, or an Arab or international visitor considering care in Cairo, the most useful starting point is an individual assessment and a realistic plan for your stay.
Sayyad Eye Center welcomes visiting patients for consultations, treatment planning and follow-up. This guide explains what to send before travelling, how treatment is chosen, what to arrange after surgery and where to consider staying. A coordinator can help organise your appointments before and after treatment and discuss accommodation booking support.
What treatment can you discuss?
With Dr Fouad El Sayyad, patients can discuss cataract surgery and lens choices, SMILE Pro using the ZEISS VISUMAX 800 and other suitable refractive procedures, implantable lenses including ICL and IPCL, keratoconus and cross-linking, and corneal transplantation. The center also provides other specialist eye services, including pediatric ophthalmology and squint, glaucoma and retina care. Tell the team your main concern so that you are booked with the appropriate specialist.
The right procedure depends on your eyes and everyday needs. A treatment described as “premium” is not automatically the right choice for everyone. The aim is honest advice, careful measurements and enough time to answer your questions—not a decision driven by a short holiday schedule.
Your care with Dr Fouad El Sayyad
Dr Fouad El Sayyad is a Consultant Cornea, Cataract and Refractive Surgeon, American Board Certified in Ophthalmology, with a Fellowship in Cornea, External Eye Disease and Refractive Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis, USA.
Explain what matters most to you: driving at night, computer work, reading, sport or reducing dependence on glasses. Ask about the likely benefit, alternatives, recovery and whether glasses may still be needed. Like any surgery, eye surgery carries risks; serious complications are uncommon, but the relevant risks and your individual circumstances should be discussed before you decide.
Start planning before you book flights
Contact the team with your country of residence, preferred dates, main eye concern and whether you need care for one or both eyes.
Send available reports through the channel the team provides. A preliminary review helps plan the visit; it does not replace an examination or confirm suitability for surgery.
Ask for a proposed schedule covering assessment, any treatment and the required in-person follow-up. Keep travel bookings flexible until the plan is confirmed.
Appointments and enquiries: +20 10 000 88168 • info@sayyadeyecenter.com
Tell the coordinator your preferred language and the best time to contact you. Confirm the exact clinic and surgery map pins before booking accommodation.
Eye treatment in Egypt: travel-planning checklist
Stage | What to prepare | What to confirm with the team |
|---|---|---|
Before booking travel | Share your concern, preferred dates, reports and medicine list | Specialist, branch and proposed assessment and follow-up schedule |
Before arrival | Bring glasses, previous scans and surgical records | Individual preparation instructions and exact clinic and surgery locations |
At the assessment | Discuss your priorities and complete the required measurements | Suitability, alternatives, risks and the proposed procedure or lens |
Around treatment | Arrange transport and a companion when needed | Written preparation instructions and early review appointments |
Before returning home | Collect your report, drop schedule and contact instructions | Surgeon’s travel advice and local follow-up arrangements |
After returning home | Attend agreed reviews and share reports with your local doctor | Use the existing urgent-care instructions for warning symptoms |
Before you travel and during your visit
What to send and bring
Your latest glasses or contact-lens prescription, previous scans and eye reports, and details of earlier eye surgery. For corneal conditions, older scans can be especially helpful.
A list of medicines and eye drops, allergies and relevant medical conditions. Bring glasses, prescriptions and enough regular medicines for your stay.
Your travel dates and the name of your eye doctor at home, if you have one. If you are considering surgery for a child, discuss the parent or guardian arrangements in advance.
Ask how long to stop your particular contact lenses before measurements; the answer differs by lens type and condition. Do not stop prescribed medicines, including blood thinners, without instructions from the relevant doctor.
A clear care pathway
1. Plan the assessment
The coordinator confirms the specialist, appointment, branch location and which existing reports to send. Ask about support with accommodation bookings and any separate charges.
2. Examine and measure
Your in-person visit establishes the diagnosis and suitability for treatment. Further tests or treatment of the eye surface may be needed before accurate surgical planning.
3. Agree your treatment
Discuss the expected benefit, alternatives and risks, the exact procedure or lens, and the treatment location. Surgery may be postponed or advised against if that is better for your eyes.
4. Arrange surgery and early review
Confirm any preparation instructions, transport and a companion when needed. Reserve time for the postoperative appointments specified by your surgeon.
5. Leave with a follow-up plan
Before travelling home, obtain your drop schedule, report, next review dates, contact instructions and advice about flying. Arrange any necessary examination with an eye doctor near home.
Understand treatment costs
The indicative cost of SMILE Pro ranges from USD 1,100 to USD 1,300 for both eyes. Prices may vary from month to month. This range applies to SMILE Pro; costs for other procedures depend on the treatment. Confirm which tests, medicines and follow-up visits are included, along with any change or cancellation terms. Budget separately for flights, accommodation and local transport unless their inclusion has been agreed.
If you intend to claim on insurance, confirm cover and any authorisation directly with your insurer before treatment. Check current entry requirements with the Egyptian authorities or consulate for your nationality; a medical appointment is not an entry permit.
How long should you stay in Cairo?
There is no single safe trip length for every eye operation. The team should give you a proposed stay before travel and refine it after examination. Allow time for assessment, treatment and the required early reviews. The shortest available flight itinerary should not determine your care.
SMILE Pro, LASIK or surface laser
What affects your travel plan: Allow for measurements and early follow-up. Surface laser can require additional checks while the surface heals and a bandage lens is managed. Dryness and visual fluctuation can affect comfort and return to work.
Cataract surgery and lens selection
What affects your travel plan: Accurate measurements, eye health, the chosen lens and whether one or both eyes need surgery shape the schedule. Discuss the interval between eyes rather than assuming both fit one short visit.
ICL or IPCL
What affects your travel plan: Sizing, lens availability and any toric prescription can affect scheduling. Early reviews check the eye, including pressure and lens position. Confirm the lens order and timing before fixing travel.
Keratoconus and cross-linking
What affects your travel plan: The protocol and surface healing determine early reviews. With epi-off treatment, plan for comfort, surface checks and bandage-lens management. The main aim is to stabilise the cornea; visual recovery can take longer than the visit.
Corneal transplant or retina surgery
What affects your travel plan: These may require a longer or more flexible stay and continued care after returning home. Donor-tissue arrangements can affect transplant scheduling. Ask specifically whether an air or gas bubble will be used.
Flying after eye surgery
Ask your surgeon when you may fly and whether the necessary early examinations have been completed. Feeling comfortable or seeing better is not enough to decide. If an air or gas bubble is present inside the eye, do not fly until your surgeon confirms it has completely gone and clears you to travel. This can apply to some retinal and corneal operations.
A comfortable recovery in Cairo
Arrange a lift after surgery; do not drive yourself. Choose a clean, quiet place to stay with easy access to your review appointments. Follow the instructions on drops, eye protection, showering, activity and swimming. Take sightseeing plans around your recovery, and avoid dusty or strenuous outings until cleared.
After you return home
Keep the agreed follow-up appointments and share the surgical report with your local eye doctor when ongoing care is needed. Remote contact can help with questions, but it cannot replace an examination when pressure checks, scans or a physical assessment are required. Sudden loss of vision, increasing pain, marked redness, or new flashes, floaters or a curtain in your vision need prompt local eye assessment; do not wait for a flight back to Cairo.
Questions international patients often ask
Can I arrange treatment while visiting family in Egypt?
Yes, you can ask the team to coordinate appointments around your visit. Keep enough time for tests, the recommended treatment and follow-up, and allow flexibility if the plan changes.
Can you choose my operation from reports sent online?
Reports can guide preliminary planning. The final recommendation follows an in-person examination and any required measurements. The safest option may differ from the procedure you first had in mind.
Can I have both eyes treated during one trip?
Sometimes, but it depends on the operation, your eyes, lens or tissue availability and the review schedule. Ask for a plan for each eye before confirming your return date.
Will I definitely be free of glasses?
No procedure can promise that for everyone. Your surgeon will explain the realistic range of vision and when glasses may still help, particularly for reading or specific tasks.
Can I travel alone?
Discuss this in advance. You need transport after surgery, and a companion may be necessary or helpful for drops, meals and early reviews. This is particularly important with limited vision or treatment of both eyes.
Can someone help organise the visit?
A coordinator helps arrange your appointments before and after treatment. Ask about accommodation booking support and confirm exactly what is included, who makes reservations and any separate charges.
What if I need an urgent review after going home?
Use the contact instructions in your discharge plan, and seek urgent local eye care for warning symptoms. Arrange suitable local follow-up before leaving Egypt if your surgeon recommends it.
Should I stay near Mohandeseen or New Cairo?
Choose according to where your assessment, surgery and most follow-up visits will take place. They may not all be at the same venue. Cairo traffic varies, so confirm the map pins before paying for a room.
Ready to plan your visit?
Contact Sayyad Eye Center on +20 10 000 88168 or info@sayyadeyecenter.com. Send your preferred dates, country of residence and main concern, and ask for the international-patient coordinator. Begin with a consultation plan; the treatment decision comes after careful assessment.
Where to stay: hotel options and apartments
These are accommodation options to consider for visits in the Mohandeseen and New Cairo areas, with a choice of advertised 5-, 4- and 3-star categories. They have not been inspected for postoperative care. Choose only after confirming your treatment locations, current guest reviews, room facilities and cancellation terms. No walking distance or fixed journey time is implied.
For appointments in Mohandeseen
5-star
Hotel and area: Cairo Marriott Hotel
16 Saray El Gezira Street, Zamalek
Planning note: An option on Gezira Island. Allow for a car journey across the Nile to Mohandeseen.
4-star
Hotel and area: Holidays Express Hotel
2 Gamaat El Dowal El Arabia Street, Sphinx Square
Planning note: A Mohandeseen-area option on the same street corridor as the published clinic address. Check the exact route and recent reviews.
3-star
Hotel and area: Havana Hotel Cairo
26 Syria Street, Mohandeseen
Planning note: A smaller hotel option within Mohandeseen. Confirm lift access, room availability and transport arrangements.
For appointments in New Cairo / Fifth Settlement
5-star
Hotel and area: The Westin Cairo Golf Resort & Spa, Katameya Dunes
Road 90, New Cairo
Planning note: Close to the Mivida surgery venue: approximately 1.1 km straight-line. The New Cairo consultation clinic is farther away: about 9.1 km straight-line.
5-star
Hotel and area: Dusit Thani LakeView Cairo
Road 90 South, Fifth Settlement
Planning note: A New Cairo option. Match its location to the confirmed clinic and surgery venue before booking.
4-star
Hotel and area: Helnan Landmark Hotel
90th Street, Fifth Settlement
Planning note: A hotel option in New Cairo. Ask for the current hotel map pin and compare the route to your appointments.
3-star
Hotel and area: NewCity Hotel & Suites – Front of AUC
AUC area, New Cairo
Planning note: An apartment-style option near the American University in Cairo. The AUC area may be farther from your treatment venue than other New Cairo locations.
Categories reflect hotel or travel-platform listings checked on 6 October 2026; they are not medical quality ratings. Rates, availability and services change. Official hotel websites and category-check sources are listed at the end.
Apartments and accommodation support
Airbnb and serviced apartments
You can also book through Airbnb or choose a serviced apartment. Prioritise a clean, quiet property with a private bathroom, reliable air conditioning, lift or step-free access when needed, and space for a companion. Check the exact location, recent reviews and cancellation terms. Ask about access and cleaning before payment rather than relying on photographs alone.
Booking support and independence
Ask our coordinator about help organising accommodation around your appointments before and after surgery. Confirm the chosen property, dates, total charges and who completes the reservation. Sayyad Eye Center is not affiliated with the hotels listed or with Airbnb. Accommodation is booked separately from medical care; listing an option does not guarantee availability, service quality or suitability for your recovery.
Hotel proximity and live directions
Choose accommodation for the venue you will actually visit. The published clinic map pins place Mohandeseen at 3A Gamaat El Dowal El Arabia Street, Sphinx Square, and the New Cairo consultation clinic at Medical Park 2, opposite New Cairo Court. The Mivida surgery venue is a separate location in Eterna Healthcare City. Confirm your appointment venue with the coordinator.
Distances below are approximate straight-line calculations from published map coordinates, checked on 6 October 2026. They are not walking or driving distances. Gates, bridges and traffic affect the journey; use live directions before booking.
Holidays Express · 4-star
To relevant care venue: About 0.1 km to Mohandeseen
Havana Hotel Cairo · 3-star
To relevant care venue: About 1.4 km to Mohandeseen
Cairo Marriott · 5-star
To relevant care venue: About 1.6 km to Mohandeseen; the driving route crosses the Nile
Helnan Landmark · 4-star
To relevant care venue: About 1.3 km to New Cairo consultation clinic; 9.9 km to Mivida surgery venue
Dusit Thani LakeView · 5-star
To relevant care venue: About 3.5 km to New Cairo consultation clinic; 7.9 km to Mivida surgery venue
NewCity Hotel & Suites · 3-star
To relevant care venue: About 6.7 km to New Cairo consultation clinic; 4.1 km to Mivida surgery venue
The Westin Cairo · 5-star
To relevant care venue: About 9.1 km to New Cairo consultation clinic; 1.1 km to Mivida surgery venue
Among this shortlist, Holidays Express is closest geographically to Mohandeseen, Helnan Landmark to the New Cairo consultation clinic, and the Westin to the Mivida surgery venue. This compares location only, not hotel quality. Check the actual road route and recent guest reviews.
Open live driving directions
Holidays Express → Mohandeseen https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&origin=30.059%2C31.2077&destination=30.0597441%2C31.2083096&travelmode=driving
Havana Hotel Cairo → Mohandeseen https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&origin=30.05271%2C31.19685&destination=30.0597441%2C31.2083096&travelmode=driving
Cairo Marriott → Mohandeseen https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&origin=30.05711%2C31.225161&destination=30.0597441%2C31.2083096&travelmode=driving
Helnan Landmark → New Cairo consultation https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&origin=30.0171%2C31.43156&destination=30.0055124%2C31.4275579&travelmode=driving
Dusit Thani LakeView → New Cairo consultation https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&origin=30.025598%2C31.455292&destination=30.0055124%2C31.4275579&travelmode=driving
NewCity Hotel & Suites → New Cairo consultation https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&origin=30.01872%2C31.49566&destination=30.0055124%2C31.4275579&travelmode=driving
The Westin Cairo, Katameya Dunes → Mivida surgery venue https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&origin=30.003648%2C31.521561&destination=30.0010662%2C31.5324658&travelmode=driving
Explore our eye care services, or request an assessment appointment. Your appointment is confirmed after the team contacts you.
Related patient guides
Medical review
Medically reviewed by Dr Fouad El Sayyad.
Consultant Cornea, Cataract and Refractive Surgeon; American Board Certified in Ophthalmology; Fellowship in Cornea, External Eye Disease and Refractive Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis, USA.
References
Checked 6 October 2026. References are grouped here, without sentence-by-sentence citations. Hotel listings are for travel planning, not medical evidence.
AAO — Cataract surgery recovery and activities https://aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/safe-exercise-driving-cataract-surgery-recovery
AAO — Detached retina; air/gas and flying precautions https://aao.org/eye-health/diseases/detached-torn-retina
AAO — Choosing an intraocular lens https://aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/best-artificial-lens-implant-iol-cataract-surgery
Sayyad Eye Center — contact and services Sayyad Eye Center
Dr Fouad El Sayyad — professional profile https://www.drfouadelsayyad.com/en/about-us
Egypt — official e-Visa portal https://visa2egypt.gov.eg/
Cairo Marriott — official hotel website https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/caieg-cairo-marriott-hotel/overview/
Holidays Express — official hotel website https://www.holidaysexpresshotel.com/
Havana Hotel — official website; 3-star description https://havanahotelcairo.com/
The Westin Cairo — official hotel website https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/caiwi-the-westin-cairo-golf-resort-and-spa-katameya-dunes/overview/
Dusit Thani LakeView — official hotel website https://www.dusit.com/dusitthani-lakeviewcairo/
Helnan Landmark — official hotel website https://www.helnan.com/en/Hotel/helnan-landmark-new-cairo/?hid=8d7e44b6-1f4d-423a-a125-31f9951f7656
NewCity Suites — official hotel website https://newcitysuites.com/
Airbnb — independent accommodation bookings https://www.airbnb.com/
Hotel category cross-checks
Holidays Express — listed 4-star category https://www.kayak.com/Cairo-Hotels-Holidays-Express-Hotel.286143.ksp
Helnan Landmark — listed among 4-star hotels https://www.booking.com/fourstars/city/eg/new-cairo.en-gb.html
NewCity — listed 3-star category https://www.agoda.com/newcity-apart-hotel-suites-apartments/hotel/cairo-eg.html
No nightly rates or review scores are reproduced because they change. Check the property directly for your dates. The medical advice in this guide does not replace your own surgeon’s instructions.
Location verification sources
Clinic marker coordinates were extracted from the map embeds on the official contact page. Hotel locations were cross-checked against the published addresses and coordinate sources below. Calculations use great-circle distance, rounded to 0.1 km; these are approximate comparisons, not measured road routes.
Official clinic contact page and three map markers https://www.drfouadelsayyad.com/en/contact-us
Mivida surgery venue — official location https://www.provisioneyecenter.com/en/contact/
Holidays Express — location source https://mytriv.com/en/hotel/giza-holidays-express-hotel
Havana Hotel Cairo — location source https://www.gujjutours.com/en/hotels/cairo-284794/havana-hotel-cairo-524701
Cairo Marriott — location source https://www.coordinatesfinder.com/coordinates/76671-cairo-marriott-casino-hotel-cairo-egy
Helnan Landmark — location source https://egypt.worldplaces.me/hotels-in-cairo/44643241-helnan-landmark-new-cairo.html
Dusit Thani LakeView — location source https://www.dusit.com/dusitthani-lakeviewcairo/th/attractions/
NewCity Hotel & Suites — location source https://www.gites.fr/gites_newcity-hotel--suites_le-caire_h1247217_en.htm
The Westin Cairo, Katameya Dunes — location source https://eg.near-place.com/westin-cairo-resort-spa-katameya-dunes-katameya-heights-road-cairo
