Disclaimer: This account is based on the individual’s personal experience
When Unaiki Royal packed her bags for Punjab in late 2023, laser eye surgery wasn’t on the agenda. The Wellington-raised woman of Māori descent, now working in healthcare in Brisbane, was visiting her partner's hometown of Phagwara when, according to her account, she underwent LASIK surgery.
And when it came to the bill?
“Incomparable. By far a better deal in India. The cost for 2 of us to receive LASIK eye surgery in India, is the cost for 1 eye, 1 person in NZ. It was a no-brainer,” Royal told The Indian Weekender.
LASIK In Phagwara, Punjab
What began as a personal journey, according to Royal, unexpectedly turned into a profound professional revelation.
“I decided against it originally, after consultation with my optometrist in Wellington,” she says. Her partner had planned to undergo LASIK surgery at Dr Rajan Eye Care Hospital in Phagwara, but Royal had already ruled it out for herself. Yet after accompanying him to his appointments, she said she changed her mind.
“After visiting the hospital with him, meeting the doctor, observing the medical staff and the thorough processes they followed, and seeing how developed the hospital was, I changed my mind and decided to receive corrective eye surgery too. We had surgery together.”
Unaiki Royal with her partner during LASIK in Phagwara/Photo: Supplied
Fast, Affordable & Professional
Royal shared that she was impressed not just by the quality of care, but also by the speed and affordability.
“My last minute request to receive surgery was also surprising to me. I asked, and the following day, I was in surgery.”
During her stay, Royal says she sought medical help for other acute health issues.
“In India, I found that I did not need to advocate so hard with medical staff to be heard, understood and diagnosed or discharged,” she says.
“This applies beyond my LASIK eye surgery. I also visited 3 doctors while in India for other acute health-related issues – food poisoning, gallbladder pain, IBS, flu. They were holistic in approach and prescribed the correct medications at a potency that helped me recover quickly,” Royal shares.
In her words, appointments were practically instant.
“I found the availability of a doctor’s appointment to be very quick, mostly within a few hours. Doctors spoke perfect English. I even had a home visit by the local family doctor. I cannot fault the Indian healthcare system.”
Recovery Backed By Family
Recovery was deeply personal and family-driven, she says.
“Our recovery was a breeze due entirely to my in-laws,” she recalls. “My mother-in-law cared for us both when we arrived home. She had organised post-surgery eye drops, made sure we were fed, and ensured we followed doctors’ orders.”
She says that their doctor checked in with them periodically post surgery and was happy with our recovery.
“We had perfect vision less than 3 days later with no complications.”
Seeing Beyond The Surgery
Despite her positive experience, Royal is clear-eyed about India’s healthcare challenges.
“From my experience, I don’t believe so. What they [healthcare staff that I visited] are currently doing is more than what I expected. I was pleasantly surprised, and my expectations exceeded,” she says.
But she adds, “I do think India relies heavily on great healthcare because there are mass health-related issues in India that can and
should be addressed. Sickness was all around me due in part to poverty, accessibility, pollution.”
Even simple recovery needs were hard to meet.
“While I was in Punjab and fell ill, I sought 3 basic things for recovery and mental wellbeing – fresh air, a nice long walk in a clean area, and an uninterrupted night’s sleep. Infrastructure and pollution made this impossible.”
Lessons From Both Sides
Royal believes both India and New Zealand have lessons to learn.
“I believe both countries can learn from each other,” she says. “India can learn how Kiwis use nature to restore health – a walk, clean water, fresh air, rest and recovery. NZ can learn how to effectively see patients, listen and understand a patient’s concerns, diagnose, and discharge in the same appointment.”
She knows this firsthand.
“It took me 3 months with a NZ doctor to diagnose and treat a single issue.”
What Unaiki Royal found in Phagwara, according to her account, wasn’t just medical precision – it was care that made her feel heard, seen and respected.
The clarity in her vision post-LASIK was matched only by the clarity in her conviction that healthcare systems, no matter how developed, always have something to learn from each other.
Disclaimer: This account is based on the individual’s personal experience
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