UK · Cataract surgery
NHS cataract surgery waiting time vs paying privately or going abroad
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
Ophthalmology as a whole, not cataract alone: share of people waiting who were within 18 weeks of referral (622,784 waiting): 72.2% within 18 weeks (all eye care) (England, August 2026). Paying privately in the UK costs about £2,000 to £3,610 at the providers we checked. Published prices abroad start at £667 in Poland, before flights and a hotel.
- Official wait
- 72.2% within 18 weeks (all eye care) (August 2026)
- Pay at home
- about £2,000 to £3,610
- Abroad, before travel
- about £667 to £1,870 in 5 countries
- Time abroad
- 3 to 5 days: assessment, the operation, and a check-up the next day before you fly
The official waiting figure
- 72.2% within 18 weeks (all eye care) — Ophthalmology as a whole, not cataract alone: share of people waiting who were within 18 weeks of referral (622,784 waiting). England, August 2026. NHS England.
This figure covers all eye care on the waiting list, not cataract surgery alone; no cataract-only figure is published in the same release.
NHS waiting figures here are for England, from NHS England's monthly statistics (diagnostic waits, referral to treatment). Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland publish their own.
Paying privately in the UK
| Provider | Published price | What the price is for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optical ExpressUK-wide | From £2,000about €2,390 · C$3,740 · $2,670 | Cataract surgery, per eyeDepends on prescription and treatment type. | Optical Express (UK)read 26 October 2026 |
| St John & St Elizabeth HospitalLondon | £2,175about €2,600 · C$4,070 · $2,910 | Cataract surgery, standard lens, one eyeEstimated hospital charges from admission to discharge. Premium lens £2,850. | St John & St Elizabeth Hospitalread 26 October 2026 |
| Nuffield HealthUK-wide | £3,613about €4,320 · C$6,760 · $4,830 | Cataract surgery, one eye, average guide pricePre-assessment, surgery and aftercare; first consultation £200 extra. Lens type not stated. | Nuffield Healthread 26 October 2026 |
Prices are copied as published, in the provider's currency. Conversions use the European Central Bank reference rates of 23 October 2026 and are rounded. A provider can change a price at any time: ask for a written quote.
Published prices abroad, in GBP
Converted at the European Central Bank rate and rounded; before flights, hotel and time off work.
| Country | Price range | Difference vs lowest home price |
|---|---|---|
| Cataract surgery in Poland | about £667 to £762 | £1,330 less |
| Cataract surgery in Hungary | about £674 | £1,330 less |
| Cataract surgery in Thailand | about £909 to £1,850 | £1,090 less |
| Cataract surgery in Turkey | about £1,630 | £367 less |
| Cataract surgery in Mexico | about £1,760 to £1,870 | £242 less |
Add your flight and hotel
Add a return flight and 4 nights to see whether the trip still costs less than paying in the UK.
When not to travel
- Other eye disease that needs regular follow-up (glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, macular degeneration) unless your home specialist agrees.
- Anyone who cannot stay a few days after surgery or cannot use eye drops reliably on their own.
Next steps
Cataract surgery from the UK: questions
How long is the NHS wait for cataract operations?
72.2% within 18 weeks (all eye care) (England, August 2026). Ophthalmology as a whole, not cataract alone: share of people waiting who were within 18 weeks of referral (622,784 waiting).
How much does a private cataract surgery cost in the UK?
about £2,000 to £3,610 at the providers we checked: Optical Express, St John & St Elizabeth Hospital and Nuffield Health.
Where abroad is a cataract surgery cheapest from the UK?
Before travel: Poland about £667 to £762, Hungary about £674 and Thailand about £909 to £1,850. Add a return flight and 4 nights' hotel to compare the whole trip.
Do I need a referral for a cataract surgery abroad?
Clinics differ, but a referral or a letter from your own doctor makes the result far more useful: it says what question the cataract surgery should answer, and it means someone at home will act on it.
Sources
- Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times statistical press notice, August 2026. NHS England, 8 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Cataract surgery. Optical Express (UK). Read 26 October 2026.
- Cataract surgery. St John & St Elizabeth Hospital, London. Read 26 October 2026.
- Cataract surgery. Nuffield Health. Read 26 October 2026.
- Monthly Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity, August 2026. NHS England, 8 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.