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From UK · Laser eye surgery · United Arab Emirates

Laser eye surgery in United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates costs £1,830 at the clinic we checked, or about £2,520 with a rough travel estimate added. That is about £67 less than the lowest self-pay price we found in the UK (£2,590).

Clinic price
£1,8301 provider, both eyes, LASIK, SMILE or PRK/LASEK. Where a clinic prices per eye we double the figure and say so
With travel
£2,520clinic £1,830 + about £690 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
6 of 8 countries by total trip cost

Figure 1Where the money goes, in GBP

Trip total £2,520£67 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 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 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?

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 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. 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 the UK: price, how soon, and the hospitals.

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Laser eye surgery in United Arab Emirates from the UK: questions

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

The published prices we found work out at £1,830 at the clinic, from Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai). Adding a rough travel estimate of £690 for a return flight and a hotel, the trip comes to about £2,520. Your own fares and dates will change that part.

Is it cheaper than paying privately in the UK?

Yes, by about £67 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 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 NHS pay for it?

No. The NHS S2 route covers state treatment in the EU and a few other European countries; United Arab Emirates is outside it.

Sources

  1. Prices. Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai). 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. Treatment Abroad Scheme. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 26 October 2026.
  7. Short-sightedness (myopia). NHS (nhs.uk), 11 December 2025. Read 27 October 2026.
  8. Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.