Eye surgery · Newcastle upon Tyne
Cataract surgery in Newcastle upon Tyne: what it costs, and the NHS wait
Prices checked 9 Nov 2026
Cheapest nearby
from£2,000
Optical Express - Newcastle (St Nicholas) Clinic, Newcastle upon Tyne · 2.2 miles away
Typical price
£3,110
The middle of 4 published cataract surgery prices within 25 miles.
NHS wait so far
9 weeks
Half the people on the ophthalmology list at The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals had waited longer than this (August 2026).
Time waited so far by everyone on the list. It can’t tell you your own wait.
Prices near Newcastle upon Tyne
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Optical Express - Newcastle (St Nicholas) Clinic
Newcastle upon Tyne · 2.2 miles away
from£2,000Cataract surgery (per eye)
What’s included: A “from” price per eye. Optical Express says the first consultation is free. Check with the clinic what’s included for your lens choice.
Price breakdown, as published
Published price breakdown, Optical Express - Newcastle (St Nicholas) Clinic Stage In the price? As published Initial consultation Included Free -
Optegra Eye Hospital Newcastle
Gateshead · 3.9 miles away
£2,995Standard Cataract Treatment (per eye)
What’s included: A fixed price per eye. Optegra says the package includes a free consultation and eye tests, the surgery, and aftercare with follow-up appointments and any medicines needed; laser treatment for clouding (YAG) within one or two years if needed, depending on the package.
Price breakdown, as published
Published price breakdown, Optegra Eye Hospital Newcastle Stage In the price? As published Surgery and follow-up aftercare Included -
Nuffield Health Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital
Newcastle upon Tyne · 1.7 miles away
£3,225Cataract Surgery - One Eye - Standard Lens
What’s included: Nuffield’s guide price for the treatment. Nuffield says tests before treatment are charged separately, and you get a fixed, all-inclusive price after your first consultation.
Price breakdown, as published
Published price breakdown, Nuffield Health Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital Stage In the price? As published Diagnostic Investigations Not included Charged separately Main treatment Included £3,225 -
Optegra Eye Hospital Newcastle
Gateshead · 3.9 miles away
£3,695Enhanced Cataract Treatment (per eye)
What’s included: A fixed price per eye. Optegra says the package includes a free consultation and eye tests, the surgery, and aftercare with follow-up appointments and any medicines needed; laser treatment for clouding (YAG) within one or two years if needed, depending on the package.
Price breakdown, as published
Published price breakdown, Optegra Eye Hospital Newcastle Stage In the price? As published Surgery and follow-up aftercare Included
Prices the hospitals publish on their own websites, not quotes. Nobody pays to be listed. Distances are straight-line miles from the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Hospital by hospital
Nuffield Health Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1.7 miles away (Nuffield Health; CQC Good, report August 2026). Cataract surgery £3,225 (tests before treatment not included), £1,225 above the local lowest.
Optical Express - Newcastle (St Nicholas) Clinic, Newcastle upon Tyne, 2.2 miles away (Optical Express; not yet rated by CQC). Cataract surgery from £2,000, the lowest locally.
Optegra Eye Hospital Newcastle, Gateshead, 3.9 miles away (Optegra; CQC Good, report May 2023). Cataract surgery £2,995 (Standard Cataract Treatment (per eye)) or £3,695 (Enhanced Cataract Treatment (per eye)), £995 above the local lowest.
How the prices compare
Cataract surgery: 4 local prices span £1,695, from £2,000 to £3,695; the UK median across 187 published prices is £2,995. The nearest, Nuffield Health Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital, is £1,225 dearer than the cheapest.
Within 5 miles of central Newcastle upon Tyne: Nuffield Health Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital (1.7 miles), Optical Express - Newcastle (St Nicholas) Clinic (2.2 miles) and Optegra Eye Hospital Newcastle (3.9 miles).
Typical for cataract surgery: usually a day case.
Tip: count the journeys for the consultation, the procedure and follow-up when weighing a cheaper hospital further away.
Private or NHS?
- Cost. cataract surgery £2,000 to £3,695 at 3 hospitals. Free on the NHS.
- Wait. The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals: half had waited over 9 weeks; 9 in 10 within 32 weeks. England: 10 weeks.
Private hospitals usually ask for a referral letter or a consultation first. Not sure which is right for you? Your GP can refer you on the NHS and talk through your options.
The NHS wait near Newcastle upon Tyne
| NHS trust | Median wait | Under 18 weeks | Over a year | 9 in 10 within | On the list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 9.2 wks | 79.2% | 98 | 32 wks | 10,452 |
| South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust | 10.0 wks | 75.4% | 0 | 27 wks | 9,353 |
| England | 10.4 wks | 72.2% | 5,022 | 33 wks | 625,063 |
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 1.9 miles from Newcastle upon Tyne: 10,452 people on the ophthalmology list, 79.2% within 18 weeks, 98 over a year, nine in ten within 32 weeks.
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, 11 miles from Newcastle upon Tyne: 9,353 people on the ophthalmology list, 75.4% within 18 weeks, 0 over a year, nine in ten within 27 weeks.
These figures cover everyone on the trust’s ophthalmology list, not only people waiting for cataract surgery, and describe time waited so far, not how long a new referral will take.
Source: NHS England, Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times, August 2026 data, published 8 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Month-by-month figures: The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK.
Other clinics nearby
The CQC register lists 7 independent eye clinics and hospitals registered with the CQC to do surgery within 9.3 miles: 3 good, 4 not yet rated. 2 of them publish a price we could check here; ask the others directly.
The 7 nearest
| Location | Distance | Rating (CQC) | Price shown above? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optical Express - Newcastle (St Nicholas) Clinic | 2.2 miles | Not yet rated | Yes |
| MY Eye Clinic | 2.2 miles | Good | No |
| Newmedica Community Ophthalmology Service | 2.5 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| Community Health and Eyecare Limited (CHEC - Gateshead) | 3.2 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| Optegra Eye Hospital Newcastle | 3.9 miles | Good | Yes |
| SpaMedica Newcastle (Gateshead) | 4.6 miles | Good | No |
| SpaMedica North Tyneside | 5.5 miles | Not yet rated | No |
Questions to ask before booking
- Ask Nuffield Health Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital what tests before treatment would cost: its published breakdown lists them as not included.
- Ask whether the price is per eye and which lens it includes.
Nearby
Cataract surgery in nearby places
- Ripon 59 miles
- Lancaster 80 miles
- Bradford 83 miles
- Preston 95 miles
- Kingston upon Hull 100 miles
- Bolton 102 miles
- Liverpool 121 miles
- Chester 135 miles
Other treatments near Newcastle upon Tyne
This page also covers 51 nearby places with the same hospitals and NHS trust: Sunderland, Gateshead, Carlisle, South Shields, Tynemouth, Washington, Durham, Wallsend, Blyth, Whitley Bay, Consett, Jarrow, Cramlington, Ashington, Longbenton, Chester-le-Street, Seaham, Hebburn, Stanley, Shiney Row and Penshaw, Bedlington, Whickham, Morpeth, Blaydon, Birtley, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Houghton-le-Spring, Killingworth, Hexham, Prudhoe, Ponteland, Wideopen, Hetton-le-Hole, Ryton, Alnwick, Stakeford, Seaton Delaval, Annfield Plain, Crawcrook and Greenside, Pelton and Ouston, Murton, Shiremoor, Fence Houses, East Boldon and West Boldon, Ushaw Moor and Bearpark, Throckley, Boldon Colliery, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Rowlands Gill, Sacriston, Whitburn.
Where these figures come from
Prices: from each hospital’s own price page and breakdown on the date shown next to each price. We store the price, what the page says it includes, the link and the date.
Each hospital group describes its prices differently (guide prices, fixed packages or “from” prices), so read what’s included before comparing totals.
Clinic details and ratings: CQC register (HSCA Active Locations, downloaded 9 November 2026), Open Government Licence v3.0. A rating describes the whole location, not one treatment.
Source: NHS England, Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times, August 2026 data, published 8 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Month-by-month figures: The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK.
Typical price is the middle (median) of the published prices within 25 miles, shown only when there are at least four.
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.