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Easy procedure for an individual with insurance in the US or EU, is the same true for Eastern Europe? IDK

Cost? The URSS was already declining by then, and Ukraine was “born poor” in many ways. A procedure might well be safe and effective, but if the local health service can’t afford to do it thousands of times, they will just ignore it.

Not sure where he lives, but in Russia this surgery is covered by mandatory medical insurance.

It looks like he treated his cataracts, because he wears glasses on his 2016 selfie at his page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100013326305771 .