From Ireland · Cataract surgery · United Arab Emirates
Cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates from Ireland: what the trip costs against the wait at home
Prices checked 27 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
For Irish patients, cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates costs €4,980 at the clinic we checked, or about €5,890 with a rough travel estimate added. That is about €2,700 more than the lowest self-pay price we found in Ireland (€3,200).
- Clinic price
- €4,9801 provider, one eye, standard
- With travel
- €5,890clinic €4,980 + about €910 travel (rough estimate)
- Pay privately in Ireland
- €3,200
- Wait in Ireland
- About 42% waiting over 6 months (all eye surgery) (24 September 2026)
- Cover in Ireland
- Public hospitals do cataract surgery, and the NTPF can arrange treatment elsewhere for public patients who have waited a long time.
- Soonest booking there
- Not published: ask in writing
- Rank from Ireland
- 8 of 8 countries by total trip cost
Figure 1Where the money goes, in EUR
Trip total €5,890€2,700 over home
Figure 2Cataract surgery: cheapest trip from Ireland, by country
How soon hospitals in United Arab Emirates can see you
At home the official figure is about 42% waiting over 6 months (all eye surgery). These hospitals run a service for international patients; the booking time is each one's own words.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
- Heart
- Cancer care
- Neurology
- Transplant
No booking time published: ask in writing
Estimated prices for 2 treatmentsDetails
Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)
- Cancer care
- Orthopaedics
- Heart
- Fertility
No booking time published: ask in writing
17 published pricesDetails
Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (and Abu Dhabi)
- Eyes
No booking time published: ask in writing
Estimated prices for 2 treatmentsDetails
Published cataract surgery prices in United Arab Emirates
Each row is a price the provider publishes itself, in its own currency, with what it includes. The converted amounts use a fixed European Central Bank rate.
| Provider | Published price | What the price is for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)Dubai | AED 20,489.31about £4,170 · €4,980 · C$7,810 · $5,580 | Cataract removal with insertion of IOL (regular), outpatient package'Gross price 35,179.46 AED'. The page does not say per eye or both eyes; monofocal not stated ('regular'). | Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)read 27 October 2026 |
| Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)Dubai | AED 23,676.62about £4,820 · €5,760 · C$9,020 · $6,450 | Cataract removal with IOL (multifocal)'Gross price 36,479.46 AED'; per eye not statedNot comparable | Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)read 27 October 2026 |
| Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)Dubai | AED 22,613.94about £4,610 · €5,500 · C$8,620 · $6,160 | Cataract removal with IOL (toric)'Gross price 36,479.46 AED'; per eye not statedNot comparable | Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)read 27 October 2026 |
| Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)Dubai | AED 25,489.31about £5,190 · €6,200 · C$9,710 · $6,940 | Cataract removal (femto) with IOL (regular)'Gross price 28,879.46 AED'; femtosecond; per eye not statedNot comparable | Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)read 27 October 2026 |
Prices are copied as published, in the provider's currency. Conversions use the European Central Bank reference rates of 23 October 2026 and are rounded. A provider can change a price at any time: ask for a written quote.
Against waiting or paying in Ireland
Ireland (public hospitals), 24 September 2026: About 42% waiting over 6 months (all eye surgery). Ophthalmology as a whole, not cataract alone: 14,382 adults on the inpatient/day-case list, about 42% waiting over 6 months; another 41,898 waiting for a first outpatient appointment. Waits and prices for cataract surgery in Ireland.
Paying privately in Ireland: €3,200, from Optical Express Ireland.
Can the HSE pay?
NHS and HSE schemes do not reach United Arab Emirates. The NHS S2 route covers state treatment in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, and the HSE schemes cover the EU, EEA, the UK and Switzerland. Treatment in United Arab Emirates is paid by you or by a private insurer who agrees in advance. NHS S2 route, HSE Treatment Abroad Scheme.
Planning the trip from Ireland
- Get a written quoteSend the clinic your referral or reason for cataract surgery and ask for an itemised price in writing, with the date and what happens if the result needs follow-up.
- Before you goAsk your optician or eye doctor for your latest prescription and any eye reports.
- Before you goPlan for the clinic's rules on flying after surgery, and bring someone with you if you can.
- Entry rulesCheck the official advice before booking: Irish citizens (DFA travel advice, choose the country).
- LanguageArabic; English is the everyday language of private hospitals.
- After you returnYou will use eye drops for several weeks. Tell your optician you had surgery abroad and bring the operation note with the lens details.
- After you returnSudden pain, worsening vision or flashing lights after surgery need urgent care at home.
Compare with your wait and price at home
Compare United Arab Emirates with every other country for cataract surgery from Ireland: price, how soon, and the hospitals.
Related pages
- Cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates: every price line and how to book
- Cataract surgery abroad: price report for all countries
- Treatment in United Arab Emirates: every procedure
- Cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates from the UK
- Cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates from Canada
- Cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates from the US
Cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates from Ireland: questions
How much is cataract surgery in United Arab Emirates for Irish patients?
The published prices we found work out at €4,980 at the clinic, from Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai). Adding a rough travel estimate of €910 for a return flight and a hotel, the trip comes to about €5,890. Your own fares and dates will change that part.
Is it cheaper than paying privately in Ireland?
No, not on these example figures: the lowest self-pay price we found at home is €3,200, about €2,700 less than the cheapest trip. It can make sense if you are already travelling to United Arab Emirates.
How long is the wait for cataract surgery in Ireland?
Ireland (public hospitals): About 42% waiting over 6 months (all eye surgery) (24 September 2026). Ophthalmology as a whole, not cataract alone: 14,382 adults on the inpatient/day-case list, about 42% waiting over 6 months; another 41,898 waiting for a first outpatient appointment.
How many days do I need in United Arab Emirates?
3 to 5 days: assessment, the operation, and a check-up the next day before you fly. That is our planning estimate, not medical advice; ask the clinic for its schedule in writing.
Will the HSE pay for it?
No. HSE schemes cover the EU, EEA, the UK and Switzerland; United Arab Emirates is outside them.
Sources
- Prices. Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai). Read 27 October 2026.
- Cataract surgery. Optical Express (Ireland). Read 26 October 2026.
- Open data: inpatient/day case waiting list by specialty, 2026. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Planned treatment: S2 funding route. NHS (nhs.uk). Read 26 October 2026.
- Treatment Abroad Scheme. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 26 October 2026.
- Options while on a waiting list. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 27 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.