Sapphire Eye Care lists an initial consultation from £240, or £340 with an OCT scan; Blue Fin Vision lists £325 for cataract, lens replacement and ICL, and lists its initial laser consultation as free. Those are the published fees of the two clinic groups we work with, checked on 20 September 2026. Other clinics set their own fees, so ask each one what its consultation costs and what that includes before you book.
What a private eye consultation costs
Both clinic groups publish their consultation fees separately from the cost of any surgery.
| Sapphire Eye Care | Price from |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation | £240 |
| Initial consultation with an OCT scan | £340 |
| Follow-up consultation | £140 |
| Follow-up consultation with an OCT scan | £240 |
| Diagnostic testing (OCT and biometry) | £140 |
| Blue Fin Vision | Price |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation (cataract, lens replacement, ICL) | £325 |
| Follow-up consultation (cataract, lens replacement, ICL) | £325 |
| Second opinion after surgery (excluding scans) | £400 |
| Initial consultation for laser eye surgery | Free |
| Follow-up consultation for laser eye surgery | Free |
| Advanced diagnostics (laser) | £250 |
Sapphire Eye Care’s prices are “from” prices and, its price list says, per eye unless stated otherwise. Blue Fin Vision’s laser consultation fees apply to laser eye surgery; its £325 consultation covers cataract, lens replacement and ICL enquiries.
What the fee covers
Neither clinic group publishes a line-by-line list of what its consultation fee includes, so ask before you book. What they do publish is what the treatment price covers:
- Sapphire Eye Care says its surgical prices are all-inclusive, covering pre-surgical assessments, the surgical episode, hospital fees and follow-up care, and it lists consultations separately from surgery.
- Blue Fin Vision says its cataract price includes a pre-operative assessment, ZEISS IOL Master biometry and corneal topography, OCT retinal scanning, the procedure, all follow-up appointments and post-operative drops.
- Blue Fin Vision says its laser price includes the initial consultation, imaging and topography, wavefront analysis and treatment planning, the procedure, all follow-up appointments and post-operative drops.
Which scans are listed separately
At Sapphire Eye Care an OCT scan sits inside a dearer consultation: from £340 rather than from £240 for an initial visit, and from £240 rather than from £140 for a follow-up. It also lists diagnostic testing (OCT and biometry) from £140 on its own. Blue Fin Vision lists advanced diagnostics at £250 for laser patients, and includes biometry, topography and OCT scanning in its cataract treatment price. Ask which scans your appointment needs and whether they are in the fee.
Follow-up appointments
Sapphire Eye Care lists a follow-up consultation from £140, or from £240 with an OCT scan. Blue Fin Vision lists a follow-up at £325 for cataract, lens replacement and ICL, free for laser eye surgery, and a post-surgery second opinion at £400, excluding scans for cataract patients.
Is the consultation fee taken off the cost of surgery?
Neither clinic group publishes a policy on that, so don’t assume it. Ask each clinic, in writing, whether the consultation fee comes off the treatment price if you go ahead, and what happens if you decide not to.
The NHS route
An NHS sight test at an optician is free if you are in one of the eligible groups and the test is clinically necessary, the NHS says, and “if necessary, they’ll refer you to a GP or a hospital eye clinic for further investigations”. NHS hospital eye care is free at the point of use; the wait depends on where you live and how urgent your problem is. Going private is about paying for a faster or particular route, and you can ask the NHS route for the same problem at any time.
Our guides to cataract surgery prices, laser eye surgery cost and blepharoplasty cost set out what treatment itself costs at the clinic groups we work with.
Insurance
Blue Fin Vision says private health insurance may cover consultations and diagnostic imaging, and that premium lens upgrades are typically private costs. Sapphire Eye Care says it is recognised by insurers including Aviva, AXA Health, Bupa, Vitality and WPA. Whether your policy pays for a consultation is set by your insurer, so check what yours covers and whether you need pre-authorisation before you book.
Urgent symptoms come first
A paid consultation is for planned care. If you suddenly get floaters or flashes of light, a dark curtain or shadow across your vision, sudden blurred vision or eye pain, the NHS says to get an urgent opticians appointment or contact NHS 111 — don’t wait for a private appointment. See our urgent advice page.
Why consultation fees differ
Three things move the fee: what is in it (a scan can sit inside the fee at one clinic and be a separate line at another), who you see and where, and whether the clinic treats the consultation as part of a treatment pathway. Compare like with like by asking each clinic for its fee, what scans are included, and what a follow-up costs.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Sapphire Eye Care: Our prices (read 20 September 2026)
- Blue Fin Vision: Cataract surgery costs (read 20 September 2026)
- Blue Fin Vision: Laser eye surgery costs (read 19 September 2026)
- NHS: Visiting an optician (page last reviewed 4 May 2023)
We only publish the prices of the clinic groups we work with, taken from their own price lists on the date shown. General information, not personal medical advice.