Guide
Cataract lens types and what each one adds to the price
Updated
The single largest published difference in a private cataract price is not the hospital, it is the lens. Two UK providers publish a figure for each type, so the gap can be read rather than guessed.
Ask for prices Answer a few questions and private eye clinics and hospitals will price your case directly. Free, no obligation.
What each provider publishes, by lens
| Lens type | Practice Plus Group, fixed | Benenden Hospital, guide from |
|---|---|---|
| Standard monofocal | £2,099 | From £2,866 |
| Enhanced monofocal | £2,249 | Not listed under this name |
| Monofocal toric | £2,649 (enhanced monofocal toric) | From £4,316 |
| Full visual multifocal | £2,949 | From £4,674 |
| Multifocal toric | £3,099 | From £4,739 |
| Extended depth of focus (EDOF) | £3,099 | From £5,293 |
| EDOF toric | £3,249 | From £5,455 |
Read from the Practice Plus Group price list and Benenden Hospital's self-pay prices on 15 August 2026. The two lists do not use identical lens names, so the rows are aligned as closely as the published wording allows rather than forced to match.
What the difference is actually buying
A lens is an implant, and the price difference between them reflects the implant and the extra measurement and planning around it, not a different operation. The NHS describes the operation itself the same way in every case: a tiny opening in the cornea, the clouded lens broken up and removed by suction, and a clear artificial lens placed inside the lens capsule.
The one thing this page will not tell you
Which lens to choose. That depends on your eyes, your prescription, any other eye conditions and how you use your vision, and it is a conversation for a consultant ophthalmologist. The NHS notes that even after surgery you may still need glasses for reading or distance and that your prescription may be different from before. Treat any provider that pushes you towards a premium lens before examining your eyes with caution.
If a quote arrives without naming the lens, it is not comparable with anything on this page. Ask which lens the figure assumes before you set it beside another provider's number.