Hi, If I paid $5500. 00 for the lens for my cataract surgery, can I add this? Even it's elective because it was subscription lenses?

[KatherineC · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can.  Per the IRS,

"You can include in medical expenses the amount you pay for eye surgery to treat defective vision, such as laser eye surgery or radial keratotomy."

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/ar02.html#en_US_2016_publink1000178919 

The IRS allows you to deduct contacts, eyeglasses, eye surgeries, eye exams, even saline solution and other items required to maintain contact lenses.  So it makes sense that you would be able to deduct the cost of the lenses, even if they are specialized. 

The drawback is that in order to deduct medical expenses, you have to:

Itemize your deductions
and
Your medical expenses have to exceed 10% of your Adjusted Gross Income (Line 37 of your Form 1040).

But, if you itemize, and your medical expense exceeds 10% of your Adjusted Gross Income, then you can deduct you lenses from your cataract surgery.

[NJGut]

Where do I enter the cost of Cataract Surgery in TurboTax. Do I enter under Medical Professioanl Expense or under Eye Care Expenses ?

[Opus 17]

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@NJGut wrote:

Where do I enter the cost of Cataract Surgery in TurboTax. Do I enter under Medical Professioanl Expense or under Eye Care Expenses ?

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It doesn't matter.  All your medical expenses go on one line of the tax form.  turbotax asks about a lot of different categories just to help you remember the different kinds of allowable expenses.