Compare Laser Eye Surgery Costs

Prices per eye are accurate as of 10th Dec 2024.

If the treatments are the same, shall I book the cheapest laser eye clinic?

The cheapest laser eye surgery will often not be available for most people as the treatment will not be suitable for their eye condition. For example, only 23.4% of patients assessed qualified for the cheapest LASEK eye surgery offered by Optical Express.

It is also worth remembering that clinics offering treatments below the average price may cost you more in the long run physically and financially if it isn’t 100% effective.

Cheaper eye surgery often excludes several additional elements included in the price of more expensive surgery (i.e. multiple aftercare appointments and a multi-year guarantee).

If you really need to find cheap laser eye surgery, the best way would be to spread the cost out over several months or wait until you have enough to spend at one of the more affordable national clinics.

What are my cancellation rights?

Most clinics will offer a cooling-off period as recommended by the General Medical Council so you should be able to cancel after you’ve booked your treatment. We recommend checking the clinic’s terms and conditions before booking to ensure they have a cooling-off period if deposits can be refunded and under what circumstances.

Should I wait for discounts or special offers?

The advertising guidelines for refractive surgery by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (published in April 2017 and reviewed in May 2018) have stated that clinics should not be offering:

1. Time-limited deals
2. Financial inducements
3. Package deals, such as ‘buy one get one free’ or reduced prices for previous patients’ friends and family.

Therefore, it is unlikely the prices you see published on a clinic’s website will be reduced – in our experience, they creep up with inflation.

Is laser eye surgery covered by insurance?

As a general rule, private health insurance companies like Axa, Aviva, Vitality, Bupa, Cigna and Simply Health will not pay for laser eye surgery as it will be regarded as elective surgery (i.e. not medically required). However, there are exceptions so it is worth checking with your provider. Some examples of where the costs may be covered by insurance include:

1. If the refractive error (prescription) was due to a surgical procedure or injury.
2. Where the refractive error is very high.
3. If a lens intolerance or allergies prevent you from wearing contact lenses or glasses.

If you are covered you may not get 100% of the fees paid for as there is likely to be an excess to pay and some policies will impose limits on the amount to pay out.

Can I save money going abroad for cheaper laser eye surgery?

A quick Google search for laser eye abroad will bring up various clinics in the Czech Republic, Turkey, Poland, Hungary etc that often advertise cheaper laser eye surgery prices than the UK Clinics.  However, from a cost perspective you will need to add on the extras would you spend on flights, accommodation, and insurance to make a more accurate comparison in price. Also, you’ll likely need to take more time off work. Any aftercare requiring a visit back to the overseas clinic should also be calculated as it may be necessary. 

In short, overseas laser eye surgery may not be cheaper when all elements are included. In addition, it is more difficult to know the quality of the treatment and aftercare you will get. You need to do in-depth research on the exact treatment you will get, the quality and qualifications of the surgeon who will be performing the surgery, the reputation of the clinic, the ability of the staff to speak English and the healthcare regulations of the country.

In the end, most people decide it is not worth the risk given the cost savings are often negligible or non-existent.  Furthermore, with potential language barriers and less rigorous quality checks in place, this can make the surgery far riskier. And, once you return to the UK, getting the right aftercare can be problematic.

Can I get laser eye surgery for free on the NHS?

The NHS does not offer laser eye surgery for conditions that will be successfully treated through the use of contact lenses or glasses, e.g. hyperopia (farsightedness), myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism.

Eye conditions that the NHS covers for laser eye surgery include diabetic retinopathy (when blood vessels in the retina are damaged), some types of wet macular degeneration, thickening of the lens capsule which arises after cataract surgery and some specific corneal diseases, e.g. corneal erosions. You can get more information on laser eye surgery covered in the NHS here. 

Whilst the cost for having laser eye surgery on both eyes can be more than £3,200 it can work out to be a better financial decision than persisting with contact lenses or glasses. 

If you spend £180 on glasses every 3 years, £175 per year on contact lenses (including solution) and £20 on an annual eye check then laser eye surgery should start paying for itself after 14 years (assuming a price at £3,400).

The timeframes change if you are partial to more expensive glasses or go with a more expensive Harley Street clinic but it is worth working this out based on your circumstances.

Final things to think about

Cost is an important element in your decision-making process but should not be your main consideration when choosing a laser eye surgeon and/or clinic. When choosing a clinic, look for one that has a high success rate and a reputation for providing patients with the best possible care.

Make sure that your surgeon meets the standards set by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists for laser eye surgeons. Many good clinics will have financing options allowing you to pay for the surgery over several months so you don’t need to go with the cheapest.