New: hip, knee, IVF and LASIK

Compare
Wait or Fly

From Ireland · Laser eye surgery · United Arab Emirates

Laser eye surgery in United Arab Emirates from Ireland: what the trip costs against paying at home

Prices checked 27 October 2026 (Taipei time)

Short answer

For Irish patients, laser eye surgery in United Arab Emirates costs €2,190 at the clinic we checked, or about €3,010 with a rough travel estimate added. That is about €19 more than the lowest self-pay price we found in Ireland (€2,990).

Clinic price
€2,1901 provider, both eyes, LASIK, SMILE or PRK/LASEK. Where a clinic prices per eye we double the figure and say so
With travel
€3,010clinic €2,190 + about €820 travel (rough estimate)
Pay privately in Ireland
€2,990–€4,200
Wait in Ireland
No official figure found
Cover in Ireland
Not reviewed yet
Soonest booking there
Not published: ask in writing
Rank from Ireland
6 of 8 countries by total trip cost

Figure 1Where the money goes, in EUR

Trip total €3,010€19 over home

Lowest published clinic price and a rough travel estimate from Ireland (return flight and hotel); the amber line is the lowest self-pay price at home. The travel part is an estimate, not a quote.

Figure 2Laser eye surgery: cheapest trip from Ireland, by country

Total trip in EUR: lowest to highest published price plus the same rough travel estimate. The dashed line is the lowest self-pay price at home. Click a country for its page for Irish patients.

Hospitals in United Arab Emirates that offer laser eye surgery

These hospitals run a service for international patients and offer laser eye surgery. Open one for how to book and what it publishes.

Published laser eye 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.

Laser eye surgery prices in United Arab Emirates
ProviderPublished priceWhat the price is forSource
Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)DubaiAED 9,000about £1,830 · €2,190 · C$3,430 · $2,450LASIK - both eyes (outpatient package)Package price; 'Gross price 14,167.00 AED'. Inclusions list not shown on the page.Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)read 27 October 2026
Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)DubaiAED 6,000about £1,220 · €1,460 · C$2,290 · $1,630LASIK - each eye (outpatient package)Per eye; 'Gross price 12,167.00 AED'Not comparableMediclinic 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

We have not found an official waiting-time figure for laser eye surgery in Ireland.

Paying privately in Ireland: €2,990–€4,200, from Optical Express Ireland and Optilase.

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

  1. Get a written quoteSend the clinic your referral or reason for laser eye surgery and ask for an itemised price in writing, with the date and what happens if the result needs follow-up.
  2. Before you goAsk how long you must stop wearing contact lenses before the suitability tests; it can be days or weeks.
  3. Before you goBring your latest glasses prescription and any eye reports.
  4. Before you goCheck your travel insurance covers planned treatment abroad. Most standard policies do not.
  5. Entry rulesCheck the official advice before booking: Irish citizens (DFA travel advice, choose the country).
  6. LanguageArabic; English is the everyday language of private hospitals.
  7. After you returnUse the eye drops exactly as prescribed, and ask the clinic for a written operation note to give your optician.
  8. After you returnSudden pain, worsening vision or a red, sticky eye after surgery need urgent care at home.

Compare with your wait and price at home

Compare United Arab Emirates with every other country for laser eye surgery from Ireland: price, how soon, and the hospitals.

Open the calculator

Related pages

Laser eye surgery in United Arab Emirates from Ireland: questions

How much is laser eye surgery in United Arab Emirates for Irish patients?

The published prices we found work out at €2,190 at the clinic, from Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai). Adding a rough travel estimate of €820 for a return flight and a hotel, the trip comes to about €3,010. 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 €2,990, about €19 less than the cheapest trip. It can make sense if you are already travelling to United Arab Emirates.

How long is the wait for laser eye surgery in Ireland?

We have not found an official waiting-time figure for this in Ireland.

How many days do I need in United Arab Emirates?

3 to 4 days: suitability tests, the operation, and a check 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

  1. Prices. Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai). Read 27 October 2026.
  2. Laser eye surgery pricing. Optical Express (Ireland). Read 26 October 2026.
  3. Optilase Price Guide, Ireland, September 2026 (PDF). Optilase, 29 September 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
  4. Planned treatment: S2 funding route. NHS (nhs.uk). Read 26 October 2026.
  5. Treatment Abroad Scheme. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 26 October 2026.
  6. Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.