Eyecare prices UK: the NHS route and what providers publish
NHS sight tests are free for the groups nhs.uk lists. Beyond that, this page sets out the fees optical chains and eye clinics publish, each read from the provider's own page and dated.
6 of 6 optical chains tracked have an eye-test fee confirmed in the last 60 days.
How much does eye care cost in the UK in 2026?
Eye tests
NHS sight tests and vouchers, and the fees optical chains publish, tier by tier.
Contact lenses
Named lenses in named box sizes at named online retailers.
Laser eye surgery
LASIK, LASEK/PRK, SMILE and Presbyond prices clinics publish, each dated.
Lens surgery
Refractive lens exchange (RLE) and implantable contact lens (ICL) prices clinics publish.
Cataract surgery
NHS ophthalmology waits and the prices hospitals and eye clinics publish.
The NHS route: free sight tests and optical vouchers
England: who gets a free NHS sight test
nhs.uk says you can get a free NHS eye test if you:
- are under 16
- are 16, 17 or 18 and in full-time education
- are 60 or over
- are registered as partially sighted or blind
- have been diagnosed with diabetes or glaucoma
- are 40 or over and your mother, father, sibling or child has been diagnosed with glaucoma
- have been advised by an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) that you're at risk of glaucoma
- are a prisoner on leave from prison
- are eligible for an NHS complex lens voucher
- are entitled to or named on a valid NHS certificate for full help with health costs (HC2)
You are also entitled if you or your partner receive, or you are under 20 and the dependant of someone receiving:
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Universal Credit and meet the criteria
People named on an NHS certificate for partial help with health costs (HC3) may also get help with the cost of a private sight test.
Source: nhs.uk: Free NHS eye tests and optical vouchers, read 26 October 2026 (page last reviewed 19 July 2023).
What the NHS sight test is listed at
NHSBSA lists the NHS sight test at £23.53, or £64.33 for a sight test conducted at home. (NHS Business Services Authority: KA-03997: What are the current costs of NHS treatment in England?, read 11 November 2026) If you qualify, you pay nothing for it. If you do not, you pay the optician's own private fee, which is set by each chain.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- NHS eye examinations are free in Scotland for everyone who usually lives in the UK, and for refugees and asylum seekers. (NHS inform (Scottish Government): NHS community eyecare, read 11 November 2026)
- Wales and Northern Ireland: sight-test eligibility and voucher values not tracked.
How each route pays for an eye test
| Route | What it covers | Wait | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS sight test (England)If you qualify | A free NHS sight test for the groups nhs.uk lists | Not trackedNo sight-test waiting time is published | No charge to you |
|
| NHS eye examination (Scotland) | NHS eye examinations are free in Scotland for everyone who usually lives in the UK, and for refugees and asylum seekers. | Not trackedNo eye-examination waiting time is published | No charge |
|
| NHS sight test (Wales, Northern Ireland) | Not trackedEligibility rules for Wales and Northern Ireland have not been read | Not tracked | Not tracked | None for this row |
| Private: Bayfields Opticians2 in-store tiers published | Advanced Eye TestIncludes an OCT retinal scan | Not trackedNo appointment waiting time has been read | £64lowest in-store tier |
|
| Private: Boots Opticians3 in-store tiers published | Essential Eye TestNo OCT retinal scan | Not trackedNo appointment waiting time has been read | £29.95lowest in-store tier |
|
| Private: Leightons3 in-store tiers published | Leightons private eye testNo OCT retinal scan | Not trackedNo appointment waiting time has been read | £39lowest in-store tier |
|
| Private: Optical Express2 in-store tiers published | Essential Eye TestNo OCT retinal scan | Not trackedNo appointment waiting time has been read | £25lowest in-store tier |
|
| Private: Specsavers2 in-store tiers published | Standard eye testNo OCT retinal scan | Not trackedNo appointment waiting time has been read | £25lowest in-store tier; checked by hand 2026-11-07 |
|
| Private: Vision Express | Advanced Eye TestIncludes an OCT retinal scan | Not trackedNo appointment waiting time has been read | £30lowest in-store tier |
|
Eye test fees by optician
UK optician directory: GOC-registered practices by chain and city
Chain against chain: Boots vs Vision Express Eye Test Fees · Specsavers vs Boots Opticians Eye Test Fees
Searching for laser surgery instead? Specsavers laser eye surgery cost says what our read of Specsavers' pages found, and Vision Express laser eye surgery quotes what Vision Express' own page says, and where the laser clinics' own prices are compared.
Cataract surgery: NHS waits and private prices
England's NHS ophthalmology list had a median wait so far of 10.4 weeks in August 2026. Specialist eye clinics publish standard-lens prices of £2,750–£2,900 per eye across 2 clinics, alongside Nuffield and Spire's per-hospital prices.
Frequently asked questions
Who gets a free NHS eye test in England?
How much does a private eye test cost?
How much does laser eye surgery cost in the UK?
How much do contact lenses cost?
Related pages
Sources
- nhs.uk: Free NHS eye tests and optical vouchers. Read 26 October 2026.
- NHS inform (Scottish Government): NHS community eyecare. Read 11 November 2026.
- Bayfields Opticians published eye-test fees. Read 8 November 2026.
- Boots Opticians published eye-test fees. Read 26 October 2026.
- Leightons published eye-test fees. Read 8 November 2026.
- Optical Express published eye-test fees. Read 8 November 2026.
- Specsavers published eye-test fees (checked by hand). Read 7 November 2026.
- Vision Express published eye-test fees. Read 8 November 2026.
- NHS England RTT waiting times, incomplete pathways, August 2026. Read 9 November 2026. Ophthalmology waiting list (treatment function 130).
How this page is built
Fees are read from each provider's own published page and dated (eye-test fee pages last read 8 November 2026). Figures not confirmed within 60 days are withheld. NHS figures come from NHSBSA, nhs.uk, NHS inform and NHS England. Suitability for surgery must be assessed by a qualified clinician. No provider pays for inclusion. Read our methodology →
Guides & articles
In-depth guides and cost breakdowns from the TreatCompare editorial team.
Specsavers or Vision Express? UK 2026 Cost and Service Comparison
Specsavers vs Vision Express compared on what each publishes: eye test and OCT scan fees, entry glasses prices, second-pair offers and NHS tests, each read from the retailer's own page and dated.
Optical Express vs Ultralase 2026: Laser Eye Surgery Prices & Reviews
Compare Optical Express and Ultralase for LASIK and SMILE laser eye surgery in the UK. Prices, procedures, aftercare, and which clinic is right for you.
How Much Does Laser Eye Surgery Cost in the UK? (2026)
What UK laser eye surgery prices cover for LASIK, SMILE, LASEK and lens procedures, what changes the price, and where named clinics' own published prices are listed with their sources.
Lower-cost Contact Lenses in the UK: Where to Buy Online (2026)
The same box of the same contact lens priced at UK online retailers: Acuvue, Dailies and Biofinity, with daily, monthly, toric and multifocal lenses and the date each price was read.