UK · Laser eye surgery
Laser eye surgery cost in the UK vs going abroad
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
Paying privately in the UK costs about £2,590 to £7,500 at the providers we checked. Published prices abroad start at £754 in Japan, before flights and a hotel.
- Pay at home
- about £2,590 to £7,500
- Abroad, before travel
- about £754 to £2,470 in 5 countries
- Time abroad
- 3 to 4 days: suitability tests, the operation, and a check the next day before you fly
NHS waiting figures here are for England, from NHS England's monthly statistics (diagnostic waits, referral to treatment). Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland publish their own.
Paying privately in the UK
| Provider | Published price | What the price is for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Vision ClinicLondon (Harley St) | £5,900 to £7,500about €7,050–€8,960 · C$11,040–C$14,030 · $7,890–$10,030 | SMILE, LASIK, PRK/LASEK, from £2,950 up to £3,750 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes)Free 30-minute consultation. “all post-operative care is included for a full year … including your eye drops and scheduled reviews.” The clinic’s own cost article says its price “includes all appointments, Wavefront technology, aftercare, and an enhancement procedure (should one be needed)”. Some patients “may require High Profile treatment” (higher price). | London Vision Clinicread 26 October 2026 |
| OptimaxUK (clinic network) | £2,590about €3,090 · C$4,850 · $3,460 | LASIK & LASEK, £1,295 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes)“Fixed, transparent pricing for all procedures, regardless of your prescription. Includes a free consultation and all aftercare until discharge.” Deposit £250 per eye. | Optimaxread 26 October 2026 |
| Optical ExpressUK (clinic network) | From £2,590about €3,090 · C$4,850 · $3,460 | LASIK, from £1,295 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes)Aftercare appointments and prescribed drops for the first 3 months are included; later visits are £100 (optometrist) or £200 (surgeon). “*Prices dependent on prescription.” LASEK Advanced and LASIK Advanced: from £1,495 per eye. | Optical Express (UK)read 26 October 2026 |
| Optical ExpressUK (clinic network) | From £1,098about €1,310 · C$2,050 · $1,470 | LASEK, from £549 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes)Footnote: “Price dependent on patient’s prescription and treatment type, determined at consultation. From 01/09/2024 to 28/12/2024, 22.8% of individual eyes assessed at consultation had a prescription which qualified for surgery at this price point.” Aftercare as in the LASIK row.Not comparable | Optical Express (UK)read 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.
Published prices abroad, in GBP
Converted at the European Central Bank rate and rounded; before flights, hotel and time off work.
| Country | Price range | Difference vs lowest home price |
|---|---|---|
| Laser eye surgery in Japan | about £754 to £1,530 | £1,840 less |
| Laser eye surgery in Hungary | about £868 to £1,920 | £1,720 less |
| Laser eye surgery in Poland | about £1,240 to £2,080 | £1,350 less |
| Laser eye surgery in Mexico | about £1,570 to £2,240 | £1,020 less |
| Laser eye surgery in Turkey | about £2,140 to £2,470 | £455 less |
Add your flight and hotel
Add a return flight and 3 nights to see whether the trip still costs less than paying in the UK.
When not to travel
- 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.
Next steps
Laser eye surgery from the UK: questions
How much does a private laser eye surgery cost in the UK?
about £2,590 to £7,500 at the providers we checked: London Vision Clinic, Optimax and Optical Express.
Where abroad is a laser eye surgery cheapest from the UK?
Before travel: Japan about £754 to £1,530, Hungary about £868 to £1,920 and Poland about £1,240 to £2,080. Add a return flight and 3 nights' hotel to compare the whole trip.
Do I need a referral for a laser eye surgery abroad?
Clinics differ, but a referral or a letter from your own doctor makes the result far more useful: it says what question the laser eye surgery should answer, and it means someone at home will act on it.
Sources
- Prices. London Vision Clinic. Read 26 October 2026.
- Our eye surgery costs. Optimax. Read 26 October 2026.
- Laser eye surgery pricing. Optical Express (UK). Read 26 October 2026.
- Monthly Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity, August 2026. NHS England, 8 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times statistical press notice, August 2026. NHS England, 8 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.