Private Cataract Surgery Cost UK 2026: NHS Wait vs Private Prices
Compare private cataract surgery costs in the UK, including lens choice, consultation, diagnostics, anaesthetic, aftercare and NHS vs private considerations.
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Cataract surgery: NHS wait and private cost
Cataract surgery: the wait on each route, and what it costs
The NHS routes have a published wait and no charge. Paying yourself has a published price and no published wait. NHS figures are for the ophthalmology list in England, August 2026.
| Route | Median wait | 92nd percentile | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHS trust106 trusts, 527,611 people waiting | 11.1 weeks | 33.7 weeks | No charge |
| NHS-funded at an independent-sector provider241 providers, 95,173 people waiting | 7.3 weeks | 22.8 weeks | No charge |
| Self-pay: Spire HealthcareOne eye, worded by Spire as "with eyesight correction" — excludes bilateral. Guide price, includes consultant fee and initial consultation. | Not tracked | Not tracked | £3,275median of 31 hospitals, £2,757–£5,631 |
| Self-pay: Nuffield HealthOne eye, standard (monofocal) lens — excludes eyesight-correcting lenses. Guide price, excludes consultant fees, prosthesis and drugs. | Not tracked | Not tracked | £3,565median of 25 hospitals, £2,870–£4,210 |
- What the wait measures. How long people still on the list have waited so far, counted from referral. It is not the time from referral to operation, and it covers the whole ophthalmology list: NHS England publishes no wait for cataract surgery alone.
- 92nd percentile. 92 in every 100 people on the list have waited less than this; 8 in 100 have waited longer.
- Independent-sector provider. A private hospital or other non-NHS provider treating NHS patients under contract. NHS patients in England can usually choose where they are referred, including these providers (NHS: your choices). These are waits for NHS-funded patients, not for people paying themselves.
- Self-pay wait. We hold no published self-pay waiting time for any hospital, so none is shown. Ask for a date in writing with the quote.
- Source: NHS England RTT waiting times, incomplete pathways, August 2026, published 8th October 2026. Sector medians are calculated from the weekly counts in that release, using the method NHS England applies to each provider.
Cataract surgery waiting times at every NHS trust and independent-sector provider →
Specialist eye clinics also publish cataract prices, and the lowest published figure we track comes from one of them, not from a hospital group. The cataract surgery page shows both sets of prices.
What a private cataract surgery quote includes
| Cost item | Usually included? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial consultation | Sometimes | May be separate from package price |
| Diagnostics | Usually | OCT/biometry may be included or separate |
| Standard lens surgery | Yes | Often headline price per eye |
| Premium lens | Often no | Toric/multifocal lenses add cost |
| Anaesthetic/hospital fee | Usually | Confirm package details |
| Follow-up | Usually | Number of visits varies |
Compare NHS vs private cataract surgery
NHS vs private
The NHS route has no charge, so it suits people for whom cost is the main factor and you are comfortable waiting. Private cataract surgery may make sense if vision is affecting work, driving or independence and you want faster timing or a specific lens discussion.
Do not compare a standard NHS monofocal lens with a private premium-lens package as if they are the same product. Ask what the lens is intended to improve and what trade-offs it creates.
Compare NHS waiting times with private cataract surgery starting prices by location.
Compare cataract surgery pricesRelated NHS vs private guides
Important context
TreatCompare uses public data, provider-published information, official datasets, structured research and analysis. Figures can change and may not be complete in real time. Use this page for research and comparison only, then verify directly with the relevant provider.
- Source type
- Named public and provider sources
- Primary source
- NHS cataract surgery
- Reporting period
- 2026-10-13
- Last updated
- 2026-10-13
- Figure type
- Mixed sources
- Use
- Research and comparison only
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Frequently asked questions
How much does private cataract surgery cost in the UK?
Nuffield Health and Spire Healthcare publish a cataract surgery price for each of their hospitals. The table on this page gives each operator's current median and range, and names exactly which procedure is priced. The two operators define their headline figure differently, so they are shown side by side and not averaged. Ask for the total in writing, including consultant, anaesthetist, diagnostics and follow-up.
How long is the NHS waiting list for cataract surgery?
NHS England does not publish a wait for cataract surgery on its own. It sits on the ophthalmology list, and the table on this page shows the current median wait for that list at NHS trusts and at independent-sector providers treating NHS patients, from NHS England's monthly referral-to-treatment release.
Is cataract surgery free on the NHS?
Yes, cataract surgery is available on the NHS where clinical criteria are met. The trade-off is usually waiting time and less choice over timing, hospital and lens options.
What affects private cataract surgery price?
Price depends on eye, lens type, surgeon, diagnostics, hospital fees, anaesthetic, follow-up, complexity and whether one or both eyes are treated.
Are premium lenses included?
Often no. Multifocal, toric or extended-depth-of-focus lenses usually cost more than standard monofocal lenses.
Sources & further reading
- NHS cataract surgery — Public information on cataract surgery.
- NHS waiting times — NHS referral-to-treatment waiting time data.
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