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From UK · Laser eye surgery · Spain

Laser eye surgery in Spain from the UK: what the trip costs against paying at home

Prices checked 27 October 2026 (Taipei time)

Short answer

For UK patients, laser eye surgery in Spain costs £879 at the clinic we checked, or about £1,240 with a rough travel estimate added. That is about £1,350 less than the lowest self-pay price we found in the UK (£2,590).

Clinic price
£8791 provider, both eyes, LASIK, SMILE or PRK/LASEK. Where a clinic prices per eye we double the figure and say so
With travel
£1,240clinic £879 + about £360 travel (rough estimate)
Pay privately in UK
£2,590–£7,500
Wait in UK
No official figure found
Cover in UK
The NHS says laser eye surgery for short sight is not available on the NHS and can be expensive.
Soonest booking there
Not published: ask in writing
Rank from UK
2 of 7 countries by total trip cost

Figure 1Where the money goes, in GBP

Trip total £1,240£1,350 under home

Lowest published clinic price and a rough travel estimate from the UK (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 the UK, by country

Total trip in GBP: 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 UK patients.

Hospitals in Spain 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 Spain

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 Spain
ProviderPublished priceWhat the price is forSource
Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera)Madrid€1,050about £879 · C$1,640 · $1,180Cirugía refractiva láser (miopía, hipermetropía, astigmatismo), price per eyePer eye. Included: pre-operative tests (visual acuity, refraction, anterior and posterior segment, eye pressure), surgeon consultation, laser treatment adapted to each patient, post-operative reviews until discharge, 24-hour emergency service, patient area access. Technique (LASIK/PRK/other) is not stated in the price box. Both-eye total is not shown; do not multiply on the site without saying so. Price shown with the 'Precio y financiación' text; no end date for the surgery price. The free first consultation (valued 120 EUR) promotion is stated valid until 31/12/2026..Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera)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 the UK

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

Paying privately in the UK: £2,590–£7,500, from London Vision Clinic, Optimax and Optical Express.

Can the NHS pay?

From England (NHS): the S2 route can fund planned treatment in an EU country, but only state healthcare with a public provider, never private treatment, and only with approval before you go. NHS England must also confirm it cannot treat you in a medically acceptable time. The private clinics on this page do not qualify. NHS: the S2 funding route.

Planning the trip from the UK

  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: UK citizens (FCDO entry requirements).
  6. LanguageSpanish (and Catalan in Barcelona); international departments of private hospitals work in English.
  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 Spain with every other country for laser eye surgery from the UK: price, how soon, and the hospitals.

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Laser eye surgery in Spain from the UK: questions

How much is laser eye surgery in Spain for UK patients?

The published prices we found work out at £879 at the clinic, from Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera). Adding a rough travel estimate of £360 for a return flight and a hotel, the trip comes to about £1,240. Your own fares and dates will change that part.

Is it cheaper than paying privately in the UK?

Yes, by about £1,350 on these example figures: the lowest self-pay price we found at home is £2,590. The gap shrinks if your travel costs more than our estimate.

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

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

How many days do I need in Spain?

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 NHS pay for it?

Only through the S2 route, for state treatment at a public provider, approved before you travel. Private clinics like those on this page do not qualify.

Sources

  1. Prices. Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera). Read 27 October 2026.
  2. Prices. London Vision Clinic. Read 26 October 2026.
  3. Our eye surgery costs. Optimax. Read 26 October 2026.
  4. Laser eye surgery pricing. Optical Express (UK). Read 26 October 2026.
  5. Planned treatment: S2 funding route. NHS (nhs.uk). Read 26 October 2026.
  6. Short-sightedness (myopia). NHS (nhs.uk), 11 December 2025. Read 27 October 2026.
  7. Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.