Yes, you can have cataract surgery after LASIK. The surgery is identical to standard cataract surgery — the clouded natural lens is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens (IOL). What changes is the maths beforehand: LASIK reshaped your cornea, so the usual formulas for choosing the lens power can be off unless your surgeon uses dedicated post-laser calculations. At our partner clinics the operation starts from £2,900 per eye for a monofocal lens, with the extra scans and post-LASIK IOL calculation included in the price.
Why cataract surgery is different after LASIK
LASIK works by flattening or steepening the front surface of the cornea to correct short or long sight. That reshaping is permanent, and it's exactly what trips up standard cataract planning. Before any cataract operation the surgeon measures your eye — a step called biometry — to work out the power of the replacement lens. Those measurements assume a cornea that has never been operated on. After LASIK, the front and back of the cornea no longer have their normal relationship, so an ordinary calculation can leave you more long- or short-sighted than intended.
This is the single most important thing to get right, and it's why you shouldn't have post-LASIK cataract surgery done by someone who treats it as routine. A surgeon who does this regularly will reach for formulas built for laser-treated eyes — the Barrett True-K, the ASCRS post-refractive calculator and others — and, where possible, will want your old LASIK records showing how much correction was done. Even then, the refractive result is a little less predictable than in an eye that has never had laser, and a good consultant will say so upfront.
Do bring your old laser records if you can
If you still have paperwork from your LASIK — your pre-treatment prescription, or how many dioptres were corrected — dig it out before your consultation. It genuinely helps narrow the lens choice. Don't worry if it's long gone, though; modern scanners measure the cornea directly and the calculations no longer depend on those old numbers the way they once did.
Had LASIK and now noticing glare or cloudiness? A cataract assessment includes the specialist scans needed to plan surgery accurately on a laser-treated eye.
Book a cataract assessmentLens (IOL) options after LASIK
You have the same lens families available as anyone else, but the choice is shaped by your corneal history. LASIK often leaves the cornea with more higher-order aberrations than a natural eye, and that affects how well certain premium lenses perform. Your consultant will talk you through what's realistic for your eyes rather than simply selling you the most expensive option.
For most people who've had LASIK, a monofocal or an EDOF lens gives the most dependable result. Multifocal lenses can still work beautifully, but only if the scans show a cornea that will support them — otherwise glare and haloes can be worse than they'd be in an untreated eye. This is a genuine trade-off, and it's worth an honest conversation. If you're weighing up premium lenses generally, our guide to implant lens options sets out how each type behaves, and refractive lens exchange covers the same lenses used before a cataract has even formed.
What happens during the procedure
On the day, cataract surgery after LASIK is no different from any other cataract operation. It's done under local anaesthetic eye drops — you're awake, but feel only mild pressure and light. The work that made your case special happened beforehand, in the measuring and planning.
- Numbing drops go in, and the skin around the eye is cleaned.
- A tiny 2.2–2.8mm incision is made at the edge of the cornea — away from your old LASIK flap.
- Phacoemulsification gently breaks up the cloudy lens with ultrasound and removes it.
- Your chosen IOL, its power calculated with post-laser formulas, is folded in through the same incision.
- The eye is shielded and you rest for a short while before heading home the same day.
Your old LASIK flap sits in the outer cornea and isn't disturbed by cataract surgery, which works deeper inside the eye. It stays where it is.
Recovery week-by-week
Healing follows the same path as any cataract operation. Most people see more clearly within a day or two, with the fine detail settling over about a month.
Day of surgery
Vision is hazy for a few hours. Eye shield for the first night, drops begin, no driving.
Days 1–3
Vision clears noticeably. A little grittiness or watering is normal and settles.
Week 1
First review. Most people are back to driving and work; no swimming or eye rubbing yet.
Weeks 2–4
Vision keeps refining. Any new glasses prescription is checked at week four to six.
Beyond a month
Final result is settled. If a small refractive surprise remains, options include a spectacle tweak or, occasionally, a laser touch-up.
Cataract surgery cost after LASIK
Prices are all-inclusive and the same as standard cataract surgery — the extra post-LASIK scans and calculations don't cost you more:
- Self-pay: from £2,900 per eye (monofocal); £3,796 EDOF; £4,300 multifocal.
- Insurance: recognised by Bupa, AXA, Aviva, Vitality, Cigna, WPA and others; we handle authorisation.
- Finance: 0% over 12 months — roughly £242/month for monofocal.
Both eyes come to roughly double. For the wider picture see our cataract surgery cost guide, how much private cataract surgery costs and both-eyes pricing. If spreading the cost helps, we also explain pay-monthly finance and our all-inclusive package.