An American traveller in India went to a hospital in Bengaluru with a friend and ended up booking her own eye surgery a week later. She had not travelled to India for medical treatment. In fact, she thought her eyesight was too poor for surgery.
Now, after the procedure, she says she can see almost 20/20 in both eyes. What stood out to her was not just the result but how easily she accessed treatment without health insurance. In a video shared on Instagram, Stonefish spoke about her experience at Dr Agarwal's Eye Hospital in Bengaluru and compared it with her experience of healthcare in the United States.
American Traveller Shares Bengaluru Eye Surgery Experience
Stonefish said her eyesight prescription was minus 6.75 in one eye and minus 6.5 in the other. She had assumed her short-sightedness was too severe for corrective surgery and spoke about frequently falling asleep wearing contact lenses.
Her decision to get her eyes checked was spontaneous. A friend had undergone eye surgery in Bengaluru, so she accompanied them to the hospital. Out of curiosity, she got her eyes scanned for free.
She said she had no health insurance at the time. After the examination, she booked her own surgery within a week.
"The doctors have been the best," she said, adding that her recovery had been smooth. She also said her follow-up appointments over the following month were included in the original surgery fee.
In her caption, Stonefish explained that she had not come to India for medical tourism. Her decision followed her friend's successful procedure.
She also explained why she did not have insurance in the US. According to her, she lost coverage under her parents' insurance after turning 26 and did not have a full-time job offering health benefits. She said this did not stop her from accessing the treatment she needed in India.
To put the experience into perspective, she shared what had happened to an insured friend in the US. The friend was reportedly refused a renewal of her contact lens prescription because she was in a different state. Stonefish said the refusal was over a routine eye examination.
She even shared that healthcare in India was far better than healthcare in America.
The Internet Reacted
The comments on her video were largely congratulatory, with many users sharing their own experiences of healthcare in India.
One commenter recalled meeting an American couple at a hospital in Mumbai who had no insurance and trusted Indian doctors to perform heart surgery on the husband.
Others pointed to the cost of treatment in the US. One commenter said medical procedures and medicines could leave Americans facing enormous bills, while another described India's private healthcare as a more affordable option for uninsured patients.
Some users also highlighted the convenience of getting medical tests and appointments in India
Not everyone agreed with the broader comparison. Some commenters pointed out that private healthcare in India can still be expensive for Indians who cannot afford it. One user argued that comparing India's private hospitals with the entire American healthcare system was not an equal comparison.
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Her experience also highlights why India attracts international patients seeking medical treatment.
Cost is one of the major reasons patients consider treatment abroad. For some, paying directly for a procedure in India can be more affordable than doing so at home, particularly when insurance does not cover the treatment.
India offers a range of medical services to international patients, including cardiac care, orthopaedic surgery, eye care, fertility treatment and other specialised procedures.
The figures estimate India's medical tourism industry at $12.32 billion in 2026, with nearly two million international patients arriving annually from 78 countries for medical, wellness and IVF treatments.
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