Australia has a large and predominantly private volume of elective lens interventions, while admissions for cataract extraction from public hospital waiting lists increased again in 2024-25. An aging population and a highly developed same-day surgery model support continued demand for ophthalmic devices. However, market entrants must distinguish between procedure categories, hospital channels and device-specific regulatory obligations when assessing the opportunity.

A large and measurable procedure base

In 2024-25, "Other cataract surgery" was Australia’s most common surgical intervention at the procedure-block level among elective hospitalisations involving surgery. Separately, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) recorded 323,497 elective surgical admissions under the broader AR-DRG category C16Z "Lens interventions", making it the largest AR-DRG in its national table. The next-listed category, C03B "Retinal procedures, minor complexity", recorded 92,474 admissions. AIHW notes that the Australian Capital Territory did not provide private hospital data for 2024-25, so national private hospital figures for the year are an undercount.¹

These figures demonstrate the scale of lens-related hospital activity, but they should not be interpreted as a direct count of cataract operations or unique patients. AR-DRG "Lens interventions" is a hospital classification category, while admission counts represent hospital separations rather than individual people.

Public waiting-list data provide a more specific measure of cataract activity. Admissions for cataract extraction reached 87,841 in 2024-25, an increase of 4.6% from the previous year. Between 2020–21 and 2024-25, admissions increased by an average of 4.7% per year.²

Admissions reached a five-year high in 2024-25 after increasing for three consecutive years, supporting a growing public cataract procedure base. Population ageing is an important long-term demand driver, although annual activity also reflects available funding and surgical capacity.²

Population ageing supports long-term demand

Cataracts are strongly associated with age. Healthdirect Australia reports that around half of the population develops cataracts by age 70, and most cataract surgery is performed on people aged 60 and over.³

The Australian Bureau of Statistics projects that people aged 65 and over could increase from 17% of the population in 2022 to between 25% and 27% by 2071. The proportion aged 85 and over could increase from 2.1% to between 5.2% and 6.4% over the same period.⁴

These projections support a reasonable expectation of sustained clinical need for cataract assessment and treatment. Nevertheless, the ABS describes them as scenario-based projections rather than predictions. Future surgery volumes will also depend on disease severity, referral patterns, funding, patient access and available surgical capacity.

Private hospitals represent the principal delivery channel

Of the 323,497 recorded elective admissions classified as lens interventions in 2024-25, 232,548 occurred in private hospitals and 90,949 in public hospitals. Within the available data, private hospitals therefore represented 71.9% of admissions, making private hospital groups and day surgery operators an important commercial channel for ophthalmic device suppliers.¹ Procurement requirements may vary between organisations, so market-entry planning should be tailored to each target group.

Australia also operates a highly efficient same-day surgery model. Approximately 98% of cataract surgeries were performed as same-day procedures, compared with an OECD average of 75.8%.¹ This high-throughput environment increases the importance of reliable product supply, efficient setup, staff training and responsive technical service. International comparisons should be interpreted cautiously because reporting periods and admission practices may differ between countries.

Public waiting pressure remains uneven

The median waiting time for cataract extraction declined from 172 days in 2020–21 to 106 days in 2024-25, representing four consecutive annual improvements. However, 11.5% of patients admitted in 2024-25 had waited more than 365 days, up from 6.7% in the previous year. The 90th-percentile wait also increased from 353 to 372 days.²

These figures show that cataract care remains a significant public health-system need even as the median waiting time improves. They strengthen the long-term demand signal for cataract-related services and technologies, although they do not by themselves confirm future funding increases or outsourcing arrangements.

Imports demonstrate an established international supply channel

Australia imported US$121.9M of ophthalmic instruments and appliances under HS code 901850 in 2025, an increase of 13% on 2024, based on data reported to August 2026. The United States supplied 47.6%, followed by Japan, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. This substantial and diversified import activity presents an established channel for global manufacturers. As HS 901850 covers a broad product range, the figure indicates import-market activity rather than total market value.⁵

Regulatory planning should begin before commercial launch

Most medical devices must be included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods before they can be supplied in Australia, unless an exemption or another permitted pathway applies. Overseas manufacturers also require an Australian sponsor. The applicable manufacturer evidence, conformity-assessment requirements and ARTG application route depend on the device’s classification and intended purpose.⁶

Australia’s Unique Device Identification requirements are being introduced according to device risk class:

• Class III and Class IIb medical devices: 1 July 2026
• Class IIa medical devices: 1 July 2027
• Class Is medical devices and Class 3 and Class 4 IVDs: 1 July 2028
• Class 1 and Class 2 IVDs: 1 July 2029⁷

A current TGA entry for a posterior-chamber intraocular lens identifies the device as Class IIb.⁸ Therefore, manufacturers supplying Class IIb intraocular lenses must now address applicable UDI labelling and Australian UDI Database requirements. Other ophthalmic devices may follow different dates or exemptions, so classification and UDI scope should be confirmed for each product rather than applied to an entire portfolio.

Interpreting the opportunity

• The procedure base is substantial. Lens interventions are a major category of elective surgical activity, while cataract extraction remains the most common intended procedure among admissions from public hospital elective surgery waiting lists.
• The private sector is an important channel. Private hospitals account for most lens-intervention admissions, but purchasing pathways should be assessed at the individual hospital-group or day-surgery level.
• Demographics support demand. Population ageing strengthens the long-term clinical need. The actual market growth will also depend on access, funding, capacity and competitive positioning.
• Operational and regulatory readiness both matter. Reliable supply, training and service are relevant in a same-day surgery environment, while ARTG inclusion, sponsorship and class-specific UDI requirements determine when products can legally enter the market.

Australia therefore presents a sizeable and established market for cataract-related and broader ophthalmic technologies. The opportunity is supported by procedure activity, an ageing population, a strong private delivery channel and substantial international trade, but successful entry still requires device-specific regulatory planning and customer-level commercial assessment.

Planning to enter the Australian ophthalmic device market? Contact us to discuss how Qualtech can support your product classification, Australian sponsorship, ARTG strategy, labelling, UDI readiness and post-market compliance across the Asia-Pacific region.
 

References

1. 1. Surgery and other interventions - Hospitals - AIHW
2. 2. Elective surgery - Hospitals - AIHW
3. 3. Cataracts - Symptoms, those at risk, treatments_Healthdirect
4. 4. Population Projections, Australia, 2022 (base)-2071_Australian Bureau of Statistics
5. 5. Australia Ophthalmic instruments and appliances, nes imports by country in 2025
6. 6. Steps to supply for device manufacturers_Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
7. 7. About UDI in Australia_Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
8. 8. Therapeutic Goods Administration, ARTG search: Lens, intraocular, posterior chamber.