Sapphire Eye Care lists refractive lens exchange (lens replacement) from £4,300 per eye. That is its published “from” price, read on its website on 22 October 2026. Sapphire Eye Care lists the consultation separately, from £240, or £340 with an OCT scan, and says its pricing includes the surgery, facility fees, surgeon’s fees, anaesthetic costs and all necessary post-operative care. Patients from Guildford and the rest of Surrey are seen at its Guildford clinic on Stirling Road, where Mr Andrew Luff is its consultant for cataract and lens replacement surgery. RLE is the same operation as cataract surgery, done before a cataract forms, so a cataract cannot form in the treated eye later; the capsule behind the new lens can cloud, which a YAG laser treatment clears, and Sapphire Eye Care lists that from £550 for one eye.
Private lens replacement surgery cost in Guildford
Refractive lens exchange (RLE), also called lens replacement surgery, replaces your eye's natural lens with a premium intraocular lens to reduce or end your reliance on glasses — a popular choice from your late 40s onwards, when reading glasses and progressive lenses start to take over. For patients near Guildford, going private means a published price from Sapphire Eye Care and a named consultant surgeon, with the lens chosen for your eyes at the consultation.
Because RLE is the same procedure as cataract surgery — done before a cataract forms — a cataract cannot form in the treated eye later. Sapphire Eye Care publishes one “from” price for RLE and does not say which type of intraocular lens (IOL) it covers, so ask for the lens to be named on your written quotation.
| Price at Sapphire Eye Care | Per eye | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refractive lens exchange (RLE) | from £4,300 | One published price; the lens is confirmed at consultation |
| Initial consultation | from £240 | Listed separately from the surgery |
| Initial consultation and OCT scan | from £340 | Listed separately from the surgery |
| Follow-up consultation | from £140 | Listed separately from the surgery |
| YAG laser treatment, one eye | from £550 | If the capsule behind the new lens clouds later; from £700 for both eyes |
Tired of reading glasses? A consultation is where the surgeon assesses your eyes, discusses the lens options with you and confirms the price for your eyes.
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Lens (IOL) options
Choosing the right intraocular lens is the most important decision in lens replacement — it is permanent and determines how well you see, and at what distances, for the rest of your life. Sapphire Eye Care says a multifocal or accommodating lens can help to provide near and distance focusing; your surgeon recommends the lens for your eyes.
Explore the detail on our refractive lens exchange and RLE cost guide pages, and see how it compares with laser on our lens replacement vs laser over 50 page. Sapphire Eye Care does not publish a separate price per lens type, so ask for the lens, including any toric lens for astigmatism, to be named on your written quotation.
What happens during the procedure
Surgery is performed under local anaesthetic eye drops — you stay awake but feel no pain, only mild pressure and light. Each eye takes 15 to 25 minutes, and you will be at the clinic for around 2 to 3 hours including pre-op checks and a short rest afterwards.
- Numbing drops are placed in your eye and the surrounding skin is cleaned with sterile solution.
- The surgeon makes a tiny 2.2–2.8mm incision at the edge of the cornea — small enough to self-seal without stitches.
- Phacoemulsification uses a fine ultrasound probe to gently break up and remove the natural lens.
- Your chosen intraocular lens (IOL) is folded, inserted through the same incision, and locked into place.
- The eye is shielded and you rest for 30–60 minutes before heading home.
Recovery week-by-week
Most patients notice clearer vision within hours of surgery, with full healing over about a month.
Day of surgery
Vision is hazy for a few hours. Eye shield worn the first night. No driving or heavy lifting. Drops begin.
Days 1–3
Vision clears noticeably. Mild grittiness or watering is normal. Gentle activities and reading resume.
Week 1
First post-op review. Most patients are back to driving, working and walking — no swimming or eye-rubbing yet.
Weeks 2–4
Vision refines further. Drops continue. New glasses prescription (if needed) at week 4–6.
Beyond a month
Vision is settled. Second eye scheduled if both are being treated.
What Sapphire Eye Care’s price includes
Sapphire Eye Care says its pricing includes the surgery, facility fees, surgeon’s fees, anaesthetic costs and all necessary post-operative care; the consultation (from £240, or £340 with an OCT scan) is listed separately.
- Self-pay: refractive lens exchange from £4,300 per eye at Sapphire Eye Care; it does not publish a separate price per lens type.
- Insurance: Sapphire Eye Care says it is recognised by insurers including Aviva, AXA Health, Bupa, Cigna, Vitality and WPA. Refractive lens exchange to reduce your need for glasses is elective, so check with your insurer what your policy covers before you book.
- Paying: Sapphire Eye Care says full payment is typically required on the day of treatment unless otherwise arranged, and that for certain treatments it offers the option to pay in instalments leading up to the procedure, so ask whether lens replacement is one of them. Eye Surgery Clinic does not lend money or arrange finance; see our finance page.
For the national picture see our refractive lens exchange cost guide and presbyopia lens replacement cost, plus the treatment overview at refractive lens exchange.