What does cataract surgery cost in the UK?

Private cataract surgery cost varies extremely within the UK.

We compared the prices of 156 clinics in the UK. All prices are per eye.

We found the lowest price (£1,200) at the King Edward VII`s Hospital Sister Agnes in London. We found the highest price (£3,537) at Spire Thames Valley Hospital in Wexham, Buckinghamshire.

Clinics in the North East of England offer the cheapest average cataract surgeries with an average price is about £2,340. Clinics in Central London offer the highest average prices (£2,973).

Our neighbour countries are lying in the middle of the national average. Clinics in Wales ask an average of £2,234 and Scotland £2,680.

We also compared 41 clinics within a 30-mile radius around London with each other. The King Edward VII`s Hospital Sister Agnes in London charges £1,200 making it the cheapest supplier. The Spire Thames Valley Hospital (£3,537) is the most expensive clinic in this area.

The prices of both clinics vary widely from the national average (£2,423) and the regional average (£2,484) average.

These figures show that cataract surgery cost is dependent on the location of the clinic. But, more factors influence the price of private cataract surgery.

On what does private cataract surgery cost depend?

Next to the obvious dependency on the location of the hospital, the price does also depends on other factors.

Beyond the cost of real estate, location influences ancillary costs which may influence both facility and staff fees. For example, nursing and anaesthetic specialists may be more expensive in central London than they may be elsewhere in the country.

The type of the surgery plays major roles in pricing. For example, laser-assisted cataract surgery is more expensive than a conventional cataract surgery.

When discussing laser-assisted cataract surgery, one should also consider the type of the laser. The most commonly used laser is the femtosecond laser. This laser tends to be more expensive but provides extremely accurate results.

Another big factor is the preferred intraocular lens. There are many different types of lenses for different requirements. Some pricing builds premium lenses into the package, others do not.

The surgeon’s exclusive pricing approach and their experience also play a role. Surgeons, who have more experience and a high success rate may feel more confident asking for higher fees.

Private cataract surgery can be expensive. We recommend you check your insurance company to see whether they cover your cataract surgery cost. Many insurance companies pay for at least a part of private cataract surgery. For example, I am fee assured by all major insurance companies. Contact me if you’d like to discuss private cataract surgery cost.