Private cataract surgery cost in the UK

Private cataract surgery is from £2,650 per eye for a monofocal lens at Precision Vision London and from £2,900 per eye at Sapphire Eye Care, rising to from £4,300 for a multifocal lens at Sapphire Eye Care. Both groups publish their prices as “from” figures, so that is how we quote them. The operation itself is much the same everywhere — ten to twenty minutes of phacoemulsification under local anaesthetic — so what you are really choosing between is the lens, the clinic and what the price covers afterwards.

Private cataract surgery cost at our partner clinics

These are the clinics’ own published prices, per eye, as of 20 September 2026. We check them against each clinic’s price list rather than quoting an industry average.

Each clinic’s wording is kept: both groups publish “from” prices, and each price applies across that group’s clinics — neither publishes clinic-specific figures. Sources: Sapphire Eye Care price list (“Prices from”); Precision Vision London pricing and its cataract surgery page (“from” prices per eye). All read 16 October 2026. Precision Vision London says every price is all-inclusive.

What the lens tiers mean

What two eyes cost

Most people need both eyes done, usually a week or two apart. Sapphire Eye Care publishes no both-eyes price, so the figures below are simply its published per-eye price doubled — our arithmetic, not its quote — and they show why the lens decision matters twice over. Precision Vision London says to double its per-eye price for both eyes, and that both eyes are generally treated on the same day where that is clinically suitable.

Per-eye published prices doubled; Sapphire Eye Care’s consultation fee is on top.

How to compare two quotes properly

Take a standard monofocal lens in one eye. At Sapphire Eye Care that is from £2,900, with the initial consultation from £240 on top and a YAG laser from £550 if the capsule clouds later. At Precision Vision London a monofocal lens is from £2,650, the £300 consultation fee is deducted from the surgery cost if you go ahead, and a YAG laser is included if the capsule clouds within its 12-month aftercare. The headline price is only half the sum — the consultation, the lens platform and what a later YAG would cost all belong in the comparison — so get both quotes in writing before you choose.

Two newer options sit outside these tiers: femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery, an add-on to the surgical technique rather than the lens, and the light adjustable lens, which is fine-tuned with UV light after the operation; neither partner group lists a price for it. Our guides on monofocal vs multifocal lenses and on whether a premium lens is worth the extra go through the trade-offs in detail.

What’s included in the price

This is where two quotes that look close on the headline can still end up far apart, so read the small print rather than the headline.

• Sapphire Eye Care — all-inclusive: the pre-surgical assessment, the operation and the surgeon’s fees, hospital facility fees, anaesthetic costs and follow-up care. The consultation (from £240, or £340 with an OCT scan) is paid separately.
• Precision Vision London — all-inclusive, it says: the consultation and diagnostics, the procedure, post-operative medications and protective eyewear, 12 months of follow-ups, any enhancement within the first year, and YAG laser treatment if the capsule clouds within the 12-month aftercare. The £300 consultation fee is deducted from the surgery cost if you proceed.

Whatever the clinic, ask three questions before you pay a deposit: is the follow-up included and for how long; what happens, and what it costs, if an enhancement or a second procedure is needed; and is a YAG laser capsulotomy covered if the capsule clouds later. The YAG answer varies most: from £550, or £700 for both eyes, at Sapphire Eye Care; £750, or £1,300 for both eyes, at Precision Vision London, which includes it when the capsule clouds within its 12-month aftercare.

What changes the price

In rough order of how much difference each makes:

• The lens. Moving from a standard monofocal to a multifocal, trifocal or toric lens is the biggest single step on any quote, at either group. Nothing else comes close.
• The clinic’s pathway. Precision Vision London and Sapphire Eye Care both say their surgical prices are all-inclusive, but they bundle different things: Precision Vision London deducts its consultation fee from the surgery cost and includes a YAG laser within its 12-month aftercare, while Sapphire Eye Care charges the consultation separately. Neither is “wrong”.
• Astigmatism. Where a toric lens is priced separately, Precision Vision London lists it from £3,100 rather than from £2,650.
• Laser-assisted surgery. Femtosecond laser cataract surgery is an optional add-on at some clinics; the evidence that it improves outcomes for routine cataracts is thin, so treat it as a preference, not a necessity.
• Complexity. Very dense cataracts, previous eye surgery, small pupils or a history of laser eye surgery can add surgical time and, at some clinics, cost.
• Anaesthetist. Most cataract surgery is done under local anaesthetic drops or a small injection with no anaesthetist present. If you want sedation, expect a separate fee.

NHS or private cataract surgery?

NHS cataract surgery is free, uses a standard monofocal lens, and is excellent when you get it. The two reasons people pay are the wait and the lens. Waiting times vary enormously by area — our guides to NHS cataract waiting times in England, Scotland and Wales track the latest figures — and in most trusts you cannot pay to upgrade the lens. If your cataract is affecting your driving, our DVLA eyesight guide explains the standard you must meet. NHS Right to Choose can shorten the wait without paying, if a provider near you has capacity.

Paying monthly and finance

Sapphire Eye Care lets you pay in instalments in the run-up to the procedure on certain treatments; otherwise full payment is usually due on the day, and their care coordinators can set out the terms before you book. Any credit-based finance is subject to status, so ask for a written illustration before you commit. Our pay-monthly guide compares the options, and the finance page covers the general rules.

Does private medical insurance cover cataract surgery?

For the standard operation, usually yes. Sapphire Eye Care says it is recognised by insurers including Aviva, AXA Health, Bupa, Vitality and WPA; check with your insurer what your policy covers and whether you need pre-authorisation. The premium part of a toric, EDOF or trifocal lens is treated as a refractive upgrade rather than medical treatment, so you pay that difference yourself. Precision Vision London says UK insurers typically cover cataract surgery with monofocal lenses and most will not cover premium multifocal lenses as standard, so confirm your cover with your insurer before booking. Our insurance guide walks through the claim step by step, and insured patients explains what to bring to the first appointment.

Private cataract surgery cost across the UK

Precision Vision London is on Harley Street in London, and Sapphire Eye Care covers Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire and Dorset. For a local view, including the clinics and typical prices in each city, use the guides below or enter your postcode to see the clinics nearest you with the treatments and prices each publishes.

• London
• Manchester
• Birmingham
• Leeds
• Sheffield
• Bristol
• Glasgow
• Edinburgh
• Cardiff
• Reading
• Southampton
• Brighton

Thinking about going abroad? Our abroad vs UK comparison sets the headline saving against the cost of follow-up, travel and what happens if something goes wrong. If you are weighing cataract surgery against both eyes at once, or against refractive lens exchange before a cataract has formed, the price logic is the same: the lens sets the price, the clinic sets what is included.

Frequently asked questions