Surgery · Ophthalmology
Private cataract surgery: what it costs, and the NHS wait
Guide prices for self-pay cataract surgery from named hospitals, what changes the final bill, and the current NHS eye-care waiting list in each area.
Prices checked 9 Nov 2026
Lowest price we found
£3,128
up to £4,347, across 3 published prices
NHS eye care wait, England
10 weeks
half had waited longer (August 2026)
Time waited so far, not a forecast.
In short
The lowest published self-pay price we found for cataract surgery was £3,128 (cataract surgery, guide price) at West Midlands Hospital, and the highest was £4,347. All 3 prices were checked on the providers’ own websites on 9 November 2026.
On the NHS, half of the 625,063 people waiting for eye care (ophthalmology) in England in August 2026 had waited 10.4 weeks or less. Cataract waits are not published separately.
Cataract surgery by city
Published prices
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West Midlands HospitalHalesowen, Birmingham area · CQC Requires improvementCataract surgery, guide priceRamsay describes this as a guide 'from' price, single payment. The final package depends on assessment and lens choice.Source checked 9 Nov 2026from£3,128
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Duchy HospitalTruro · CQC GoodCataract surgery, guide priceRamsay describes this as a guide 'from' price, single payment. The final package depends on assessment and lens choice.Source checked 9 Nov 2026from£3,260
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Oaklands HospitalSalford, Manchester area · CQC GoodCataract surgery, guide priceRamsay describes this as a guide 'from' price, single payment. The final package depends on assessment and lens choice.Source checked 9 Nov 2026from£4,347
Named hospitals and clinics first, then national prices, each lowest first. Each price is what the provider published on the date shown, not a quote. Consultant fees, tests and follow-up care may be extra. Nobody pays to be listed.
What changes the price
Cataract surgery is usually quoted per eye. The biggest variable is the replacement lens: a standard monofocal lens is the usual baseline, while toric lenses (for astigmatism) and multifocal lenses are typically sold as upgrades at extra cost.
Ask whether the quote includes the assessment appointment, the surgeon’s and any anaesthetist’s fees, eye drops and the follow-up checks. The Ramsay hospitals quoted here describe their figures as guide “from” prices, with the final package confirmed after assessment.
The NHS route
Cataract surgery is widely available on the NHS when it is clinically appropriate, following a referral from an optometrist or GP. A large share of NHS cataract operations in England is carried out by independent providers under NHS contracts, so an NHS-funded operation may take place in a private clinic.
Reading the wait figure
NHS England does not publish cataract waits on their own. The figure on these pages is for ophthalmology as a whole, which also covers other eye conditions. Treat it as context for the local eye-care service, not a cataract waiting time.
The NHS wait for eye care
| 10.4 wks | median wait so far for NHS eye care across England (August 2026) |
|---|---|
| 72.2% | had waited under 18 weeks, against a standard of 92% |
| City and NHS trust | Median wait | Under 18 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Truro: Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust | 8.0 wks | 80.2% |
| Bristol: Bristol NHS Foundation Trust | 8.8 wks | 75.9% |
| Manchester: Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | 11.6 wks | 68.4% |
| Birmingham: University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | 12.0 wks | 65.4% |
| Leeds: Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | 8.1 wks | 83.0% |
| London: Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust | 9.6 wks | 75.7% |
| London: Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust | 12.2 wks | 66.0% |
Source: NHS England, Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times, August 2026 data, published 8 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. See the full local picture on Waiting Times UK.
Common questions
Is private cataract surgery priced per eye?
Usually. Check whether a quote is for one eye or both, and whether the lens you are offered is included.
Why do prices differ so much between hospitals?
Package contents, lens choice, the consultant’s fees and local costs all vary. Compare written, itemised quotes rather than headline figures.
Can I have NHS surgery at a private clinic?
Often, yes. Under patient choice in England you can ask your referrer about NHS-funded providers, including independent ones.
What to expect
Looking for the practical detail — referral, the day itself, and what a published price usually covers? Read our what to expect guide.
Where these figures come from
Prices: read from each provider’s own website on the date shown next to each price.
Source: NHS England, Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times, August 2026 data, published 8 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. See the full local picture on Waiting Times UK.
Independent. We’re not part of the NHS or any hospital, we’re not clinicians, and nothing here is medical advice. Hospitals can’t pay to appear or to change their position.