Following the latest estimate, the average amount you can pay without any insurance cover for a cataract surgery per eye is £2,550. This price is the expected rate for a standard procedure to take out a cataract, which would have been easily paid for if it were to be covered by private insurance or a special medical cover.
This treatment usually incurs an extra cost of around £182 – the fee for the anesthesiologist. A lot of patients who experience cataracts are typically older adults of 65 years and above. In some countries, the cost of this treatment for people within this age group is covered by a special medical program. For those who may not qualify for this medical program and still need the surgery but it is possible to have it done under some private insurance cover which may vary based on the plan type.
A special health insurance program may cover up to 80% of the cost of cataract surgery. But how much cataract surgery cost in London? The answer to this question will be provided in our pricing guide, which you’ll come across as you continue to read. It will also help you understand how prices differ for this eye operation also it might interest you to know that the kind of technology and technique applied is a determining factor when it comes to the cost of cataract removal. A very fast-rising alternative treatment technique in the application is the laser-powered treatment, and the price can be an additional £1,092 for each eye.
The choice of an IOL
Another factor that plays a role in determining the price you get to pay for cataract removal is the type of intraocular lens (IOL) you choose.
You will find high-quality IOLs in two primary categories:
- Toric IOLs for the correction of astigmatism.
- Refractive IOLs (including Tecnis, ReZoom, Symfony, ReSTOR, and Crystalens) for the treatment of presbyopia.
Patients will have to pay an extra cost of about £1,092 to have the cataract removed with toric IOLs. As for refractive IOLs, these are costlier – available at an average price of £1,821. Should you opt for premium IOLs to take out cataracts from your eye, the treatment’s overall cost would be in the range of £4,080 and above.
The difference between these high-powered lenses and the standard monofocal lens employed in basic cataract extraction is that they treat astigmatism and correct both short- and long-sightedness, while the latter does not correct astigmatism but treats vision for just a distance.
Price determinants of cataract surgery
Several factors may affect the precise amount to pay for cataract surgery. These include:
- Location – where the surgery is done
- If the surgery is performed in an out-patient hospital or surgery center
- Your choice of IOL to be used
- Medical expertise (skill, experience, and reputation) of the specialist doctor
- If the surgery is done with a Laser-Assisted technique or other methods
- Before and after surgery appointments
- After surgery medications
- Before and after surgery tests
The above can affect the cost of your cataract surgery on-paper; however, the most real factor that will determine the true cost when it comes to how much does cataract surgery cost in London is the kind of insurance coverage you’ve got.
Private insurance and special health insurance cover
The extraction of cataracts is regarded as a necessary medical procedure, especially when vision has been impaired. Based on this, a significant part of the cost is covered by private insurance or special Federal government health insurance.
By way of condition, cataract is not an eye issue that requires staying overnight in a hospital; it is an out-patient procedure done in the doctor’s office or hospital, after which you go home the same day. In general, private insurance takes care of standard cataract extraction using monofocal implants. Still, it doesn’t provide any cover for the extra cost of refractive cataract surgery, where you get a high-quality IOL or a laser. The special health insurance covers around 80% of the overall cost of getting cataract surgery. This leaves 20% to be paid by the patient after taking care of the deductible.
Check out the cost breakdown in the table below. Kindly keep in mind that the prices provided here are only estimates. What you will pay may be different following the factors we have earlier discussed.
| Standard cataract extraction | Special health insurance cover | Personal payment | Deductible | Overall patient cost |
| £2,550 | £2,040 | £510 | £133 | £643 |
In the case of a standard surgery to remove a cataract, a special health insurance program will cover:
- The cataract extraction
- Basic monofocal lens implant
- A set of contact lenses or prescription eyeglasses post-surgery
The patient will have to bear the cost difference should a high-quality IOL be needed to lower the use of contact lenses or eyeglasses. For example, using the cost breakdown as a reference, should a patient need surgery using a high-quality toric IOL to fix astigmatism, they will have to pay the £1,736 (£643 + £1,092) – the average price of a toric intraocular lens.
Should the patient need an IOL to correct presbyopia, still using the table above, they will have to pay £2,465 (£643 + £1,821). Should the patient require cataract surgery with laser tech, an additional £1,092 will have to be paid.
Consult your specialist
It is recommended that you speak with your surgeon to know accurately how much you’ll be paying for cataract surgery following the available treatment options. They’ll provide you with a precise estimate based on your considerations. Your insurance provider is another point of contact when thinking about how much does cataract surgery cost in London. They will be able to tell you what is covered by your insurance.
For more information on the cost of getting a cataract removed from your eye, kindly schedule an appointment with us at Optimal Vision. Our eye specialist will attend to you.
