Laser eye surgery · Japan
Laser eye surgery in Japan: what it costs and how it compares with waiting at home
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
We found 1 published price for laser eye surgery in Japan, from ¥158,000 to ¥320,000, or about £754 to £1,530 before flights and a hotel. Paying privately in the UK costs about £2,590 to £7,500 at the providers we checked.
- Published price
- ¥158,000 to ¥320,000about £754 to £1,530 · about €900 to €1,820 · about C$1,410 to C$2,860 · about $1,010 to $2,040
- Price is for
- both eyes, LASIK, SMILE or PRK/LASEK. Where a clinic prices per eye we double the figure and say so
- Where
- Tokyo (also Osaka, Sapporo and others)
- Providers
- 1 (Shinagawa Lasik & Eye Clinic (品川近視クリニック))
- Time there
- 3 to 4 days: suitability tests, the operation, and a check the next day before you fly
- NHS England wait
- No NHS figure for this
Published laser eye surgery prices in Japan
Every row is a price the provider publishes itself, read on the date shown. We copy what the price includes and what it leaves out; where the provider does not say, the row says “not stated”. We do not use prices from brokers or medical-travel agencies.
| Provider | Published price | What the price is for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinagawa Lasik & Eye Clinic (品川近視クリニック)Tokyo (also Osaka, Sapporo and others) | ¥158,000 to ¥320,000about £754–£1,530 · €900–€1,820 · C$1,410–C$2,860 · $1,010–$2,040 | Shinagawa Intra-LASIK Advance (¥158,000) to Amaris Z-LASIK (¥320,000), both eyes, tax includedExam free (検査費無料). Guarantee 5 years (Intra-LASIK Advance), 8 years (Standard Z, ¥190,000), 10 years (Amaris Z). Before tax ¥144,000 to ¥291,000. “表示価格は白内障治療を除き、両眼価格になります。” | Shinagawa Lasik & Eye Clinicread 26 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.
Japanese check-up centres price for people living in Japan. NCGM in Tokyo says that people without Japanese health insurance or who do not speak Japanese pay “twice the displayed amount” for its health checks, must book through a registered medical-interpreter agency, and get results in 3 to 4 weeks (NCGM, in Japanese). For other hospital care it bills uninsured patients ¥30 per insurance point (NCGM FAQ). Tokyo Midtown Clinic's price list is silent on visitors, so ask before booking.
Compared with waiting or paying at home
The official waiting figure and the self-pay price in each home country, next to the Japan price converted to that currency. The Japan figure does not include flights, a hotel or time off work.
| Where you live | Official wait | Pay at home | Here, converted |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | No official figure found | £2,590 to £7,500 | £754 to £1,530before flights and hotel |
| Canada | No official figure found | C$980 to C$6,180 | C$1,410 to C$2,860before flights and hotel |
| Ireland | No official figure found | €2,990 to €4,200 | €900 to €1,820before flights and hotel |
| US | No national figure | $4,990 to $5,7902021 hospital data or a dental school | $1,010 to $2,040before flights and hotel |
Waits are the latest official statistics; each country measures them differently, so read the label. Home prices are published self-pay prices; for the US they are 2021 hospital medians or a dental school's estimate.
Add your flight and hotel
Put in your own flight and hotel to see the total for Japan next to your wait and your price at home.
How it works for a visitor
- Ask for a written quoteSend the clinic your referral or reason for the laser eye surgery and ask for an itemised price, the date, and what happens if the result needs follow-up.
- Before you goAsk how long you must stop wearing contact lenses before the suitability tests; it can be days or weeks.
- Before you goBring your latest glasses prescription and any eye reports.
- Before you goCheck your travel insurance covers planned treatment abroad. Most standard policies do not.
- LanguageJapanese; some hospitals require a registered medical interpreter for foreign patients.
- Entry rulesCheck the official advice for your passport before booking: UK citizens (FCDO entry requirements), Canadian citizens (travel.gc.ca), US citizens (State Department, choose the country), Irish citizens (DFA travel advice, choose the country).
- After you returnUse the eye drops exactly as prescribed, and ask the clinic for a written operation note to give your optician.
- After you returnSudden pain, worsening vision or a red, sticky eye after surgery need urgent care at home.
Can your public system pay for it?
NHS and HSE schemes do not reach Japan. 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 Japan is paid by you or by a private insurer who agrees in advance. NHS S2 route, HSE Treatment Abroad Scheme.
When not to travel for laser eye surgery
- A prescription that is still changing. Clinics usually want it stable before they operate.
- Dry eyes, thin corneas or an eye disease such as keratoconus, until the clinic has measured and assessed you.
- Anyone who cannot stay for the next-day check, or who needs to fly or drive straight after surgery.
How to compare laser eye surgery quotes
Laser eye surgery reshapes the clear front surface of the eye (the cornea) to correct short sight, long sight or astigmatism, so you depend less on glasses or contact lenses. LASIK and SMILE work under a thin flap or through a small cut; PRK and LASEK treat the surface, which takes longer to heal. The NHS does not usually offer it, so at home it is a private purchase. Not everyone is suitable: the clinic measures your eyes first, and some clinics charge for that visit.
- Check whether the price is per eye or for both eyes. Many clinics advertise the per-eye price.
- Compare the same technique: LASIK, SMILE and PRK/LASEK are priced differently, and “from” prices often depend on your prescription.
- Ask whether the suitability tests are free, charged, or deducted from the operation price.
- Ask what aftercare is included, for how long, and whether a second treatment (enhancement) is covered if your sight is not fully corrected.
Providers on this page
We list providers because they publish a price, not because we recommend them. No clinic pays to be listed, and we have not visited any of them.
- Shinagawa Lasik & Eye Clinic (品川近視クリニック), Tokyo (also Osaka, Sapporo and others): ¥158,000 to ¥320,000
Related comparisons
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- Laser eye surgery in Poland
- Laser eye surgery in Hungary
- Laser eye surgery in Thailand
- Health check-up in Japan
- Dental implant in Japan
- IVF in Japan
- Treatment in Japan: every procedure
- Wait or Fly home: the calculator
Laser eye surgery in Japan: questions
How much does laser eye surgery cost in Japan?
The published prices we found range from ¥158,000 to ¥320,000, about £754 to £1,530 or $1,010 to $2,040. They come from Shinagawa Lasik & Eye Clinic (品川近視クリニック). Each covers something slightly different, so read what is included before comparing.
Is laser eye surgery in Japan cheaper than paying privately in the UK?
Before travel, the prices here work out at about £754 to £1,530, against about £2,590 to £7,500 at the UK providers we checked. Add a return flight and 3 nights in a hotel before deciding; the calculator on the home page does the sum.
Will the NHS or HSE pay for laser eye surgery in Japan?
No. The NHS S2 route and the HSE schemes cover planned treatment in Europe only. Japan is outside them, so you pay yourself or through a private insurer that agrees in advance.
How many days should I plan in Japan?
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: the clinic sets the schedule, and you should ask it for one in writing.
What should I check before booking laser eye surgery in Japan?
Check whether the price is per eye or for both eyes. Many clinics advertise the per-eye price. Compare the same technique: LASIK, SMILE and PRK/LASEK are priced differently, and “from” prices often depend on your prescription.
Sources
- 料金表 (price list). Shinagawa Lasik & Eye Clinic. 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.
- 外国籍の方の人間ドック受診について (health checks for foreign nationals). National Center for Global Health and Medicine (JIHS) Hospital, Tokyo. Read 26 October 2026.
- International Health Care Center FAQ. National Center for Global Health and Medicine (JIHS) Hospital, Tokyo. Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.