Private eye examination and cataract assessment cost in the UK

A private eye examination with a consultant ophthalmologist costs £150–£300 in the UK in 2026, and a full cataract assessment costs £200–£350 because it adds optical biometry — the precise measurement of your eye used to calculate intraocular lens power. Individual scans booked on their own are charged separately: OCT retinal imaging £75–£200, corneal topography from £150, and visual field testing from around £100. At our partner clinics the assessment fee is commonly deducted from the cost of surgery if you go ahead, and insured patients usually have the appointment covered once a claim is authorised.

What a private eye examination costs in 2026

There is an important difference between a high-street sight test and a consultant appointment, and it explains most of the price gap. An optometrist sight test measures your prescription and screens for disease. A consultant ophthalmologist is a hospital-trained eye surgeon who diagnoses, plans treatment and, where needed, operates — and the fee reflects that level of expertise plus the diagnostic equipment used in the same visit.

• Consultant eye examination: £150–£300, depending on clinic, location and the seniority of the consultant.
• Cataract assessment (with biometry): £200–£350, because the eye must be measured precisely for lens selection.
• Follow-up appointment: typically charged at a reduced rate, or included where it forms part of a treatment package.

For a fuller breakdown of consultation fees across subspecialties, see our guide to private ophthalmologist consultation costs.

What is included in a cataract assessment

A cataract assessment is not simply a longer eye test. It is a surgical planning appointment, and it has to answer three questions: is the cataract the cause of your symptoms, is the rest of the eye healthy enough to benefit from surgery, and which lens will give you the vision you want?

You will normally be at the clinic for 60 to 90 minutes. Because your pupils are dilated for the retinal examination, your vision will be blurred and light-sensitive for several hours afterwards, so arrange not to drive home. See our patient journey for how the assessment fits into the rest of your care.

Individual scan and test prices

Where a scan is clinically needed it is usually performed during your appointment. If you are referred for a specific test on its own, or need additional imaging beyond the standard assessment, these are the typical standalone prices:

• OCT retinal scan: £75–£200 — cross-sectional imaging of the retina and macula.
• Corneal topography (Pentacam): from £150 — 3D mapping of corneal shape and thickness.
• Ultra-widefield retinal photography: see our Optomap scan cost guide.
• Visual field test: see our Humphrey visual field test cost guide — used mainly for glaucoma monitoring.

If you are being assessed for laser vision correction rather than cataract surgery, the equivalent appointment is a suitability check — see laser eye surgery suitability assessment.

Insurance, and when the fee comes off your surgery

Two things frequently reduce what you actually pay for the assessment:

1. Deduction from surgery. If you proceed to cataract surgery, the assessment fee is commonly credited against the cost of the procedure, so the appointment effectively becomes free. Confirm this at the time of booking.
2. Private medical insurance. Once a claim is open and authorised, the consultation and diagnostics normally form part of the covered episode of care and you pay only your policy excess. See our guide for insured patients, and our cover guides for Bupa & AXA and Vitality & Aviva.

If you go ahead, all-inclusive cataract surgery starts from £2,900 per eye with a monofocal lens, £3,796 with an EDOF lens and £4,300 with a multifocal or trifocal lens. See the full cataract surgery cost guide, learn how the operation works on our cataract surgery page, or spread the cost with 0% finance.

Frequently asked questions