Published prices, read 15 August 2026
What does cataract surgery cost in the UK?
Cataract surgery is available on the NHS and costs the patient nothing there. Paying privately, the guide prices UK providers publish for a standard monofocal lens sit between £2,099 and £3,220 per eye at the three providers we read on 15 August 2026: Practice Plus Group, Benenden Hospital and Spire Bushey Hospital. Premium lenses are published separately and cost more. Tell us what you have been advised and private hospitals and clinics will price your own case.
Published UK cataract surgery prices, August 2026
Last updated
Three UK providers that publish cataract prices on their own websites, read on 15 August 2026, with the lens type each figure is attached to. Nothing here is averaged.
Each figure is reproduced from the named provider's own published price page, read on 15 August 2026, together with the lens the price is attached to. We publish no UK average, because published prices differ by provider, hospital, lens and consultant, and two of these three describe their figure as a minimum 'from' price rather than a fixed quote. Providers appear here because they publish a price, not as a recommendation. Your own figure comes from your own consultation.
| Provider and basis | What the published figure covers | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| Practice Plus Group, standard monofocal lens, per eye | A fixed price covering consultant fees, anaesthetic, the operation, prescriptions and post-operative appointments; the initial consultation is £145 on top, and diagnostic tests arising from it are charged separately | £2,099 |
| Practice Plus Group, both eyes in one bilateral price | The same fixed-price basis, covering surgery to both eyes | £3,149 |
| Benenden Hospital, standard monofocal lens, per eye | A guide price, which Benenden defines as an indication of the minimum cost you may incur rather than a guaranteed price; consultation £113 on a limited offer | From £2,866 |
| Benenden Hospital, extended depth of focus (EDOF) non-toric lens, per eye | Same guide-price basis; premium lenses are listed separately from the standard lens | From £5,293 |
| Spire Bushey Hospital, cataract removal surgery, per eye | A 'from' price for treatment, which Spire describes as the minimum cost of the procedure; the total package including initial consultation and aftercare is published at from £3,470 | From £3,220 |
| NHS cataract surgery | No charge to the patient. Referral is a clinical decision and waiting times differ by hospital and by nation | £0 |
- Practice Plus Group publishes a fixed price of £2,099 per eye for cataract surgery with a standard monofocal lens, and £3,149 for both eyes, with a separate £145 initial consultation (price list read 15 August 2026).
- Benenden Hospital publishes a guide price from £2,866 per eye for a standard monofocal lens and from £5,293 per eye for an extended depth of focus lens, so the lens choice moves the published figure by more than £2,400 (read 15 August 2026).
- NICE guideline NG77 on cataracts in adults states: 'Do not restrict access to cataract surgery on the basis of visual acuity.'
- The NHS says cataract surgery usually takes between 20 and 45 minutes, is normally done under local anaesthetic, and that if both eyes have cataracts they are treated on separate days.
Cite this page
“Published UK cataract surgery prices, August 2026”, Cataract Surgery Cost, https://cataractsurgerycost.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-15). Each figure is reproduced from the named provider's own published price page, read on 15 August 2026, together with the lens the price is attached to. We publish no UK average, because published prices differ by provider, hospital, lens and consultant, and two of these three describe their figure as a minimum 'from' price rather than a fixed quote. Providers appear here because they publish a price, not as a recommendation. Your own figure comes from your own consultation.
How it works
- Tell us which eye, how far you have got and which lens the price should be based on. No account, no card.
- We pass those answers to private eye clinics and hospitals that treat cataracts near your postcode, and to nobody else.
- They come back with a price for your own case. You can compare it with the published figures below, or with the NHS route, and walk away at any point.
Cataract Surgery Cost is an independent site operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd. We are not a hospital, a clinic or a healthcare provider, and nothing here is medical advice: whether to have surgery, and which lens suits your eyes, are questions for your optometrist, your GP or a consultant ophthalmologist. We are not affiliated with the NHS, NICE, the Care Quality Commission, the General Medical Council, PHIN or any provider named on this site. Every price is the figure that named provider publishes, with the date we read it. If you use the form we pass your details to private eye clinics and hospitals who contact you directly, and we may receive a fee from them; you pay us nothing.
Frequently asked
How much does cataract surgery cost in the UK?
On the NHS, nothing to the patient. Privately, prices published by UK providers and read on 15 August 2026 run from £2,099 per eye at Practice Plus Group for a standard monofocal lens, from £2,866 per eye at Benenden Hospital, and from £3,220 per eye at Spire Bushey Hospital. Premium lenses are published higher. These are the providers' own figures, not an average.
Is cataract surgery available on the NHS?
Yes. It is a routine NHS operation and free to the patient. NICE guideline NG77 says access should not be restricted on the basis of visual acuity, and that second-eye surgery should be offered on the same criteria as the first. Local referral criteria and waiting times still vary by area.
What is included in a private cataract surgery price?
It varies by provider and the wording matters. Practice Plus Group publishes a fixed price covering consultant fees, anaesthetic, the operation, prescriptions and post-operative appointments, with the consultation and any resulting tests charged separately. Benenden publishes a guide price it defines as a minimum indication. Spire publishes a treatment price and a larger total package price including consultation and aftercare.
How long does cataract surgery take and when can I go home?
The NHS says the operation usually takes between 20 and 45 minutes, is normally done under local anaesthetic so you are awake but should feel no pain, and that you should be able to go home the same day, though you should not drive yourself home.
Can both eyes be done at once?
The NHS says that if you have cataracts in both eyes they are treated on separate days. Some private providers publish a single bilateral price covering both operations: Practice Plus Group publishes £3,149 for both eyes against £2,099 for one, read 15 August 2026.
Is this service free to use?
Yes, and there is no obligation. We pass your answers only to private eye clinics and hospitals that treat cataracts near you, and they contact you directly. We may receive a fee from a provider, which is how the site is funded. We do not add anything to what you are quoted.
Sources
- NHS, Cataract surgery (page last reviewed 6 March 2025)
- NICE guideline NG77, Cataracts in adults: management, recommendations
- Practice Plus Group, private surgery price list (read 15 August 2026)
- Benenden Hospital, self-pay treatment prices (read 15 August 2026)
- Spire Bushey Hospital, cataract removal surgery (read 15 August 2026)
- NHS, guide to NHS waiting times in England
- NHS My Planned Care, hospital waiting information
- Care Quality Commission, find care services
- Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN)