How Much Should You Pay for LASIK?
Dave Allamby | Jan 25, 2008 | Comments 153
Here you have a comparison of what LASIK costs at London LASIK clinics. You can see 4 typical prescriptions and what each clinic charges – and you will see the huge variation in LASIK laser eye surgery prices!
For example, for a simple -1 dioptre correction there is an enormous variation in LASIK cost. The lowest is £295 per eye for wavefront LASIK and £595 for femtosecond laser blade free LASIK at FOCUS Laser Vision (www.focusclinics.com). The highest are £2145 at Moorfields eye hopspital (www.moorfields.nhs.uk) and £2250 at Centre for Sight in East Grinstead (www.centreforsight.com).
All three centres offer fellowship-trained specialist NHS London teaching hospital consultant surgeons and advanced wavefront LASIK treatments. Yet the difference in price (money you will save) is up to £3,000-£4,000 for both eyes treated for a -1D correction. For an common prescription, e.g. -2.75/-1.50 x 90, you will still save up to £2,600 from the cheapest to most expensive. And this includes teaching hospital NHS consultant surgeons at both centres, plus the best blade free all laser LASIK option. It’s a remarkable price difference.
The chart below shows prices for wavefront keratome (mechanical) LASIK laser eye surgery. Optimax and Optical Express will charge approximately £300 more per eye for all laser blade free LASIK, as do FOCUS Laser Vision. London Vision Clinic and Centre for Sight include blade free in the prices shown. Ultralase only now offer blade free LASIK but curiously still offer non-wavefront treatments, and so are not in the chart below. They charge £1895 per eye for wavefront blade free LASIK.
Check out this chart for London centres. More on this coming soon. 
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I forgot to add my vision. It's -6.50 on both eyes. 
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Hi There
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I have booked myself in for laser eye surgery ina few weeks but I was wondering becuase I wear make-up every day I have been told I cannot wear make-up for a week, therefore I was thinking of having false eyelashes fitted which last up to 4 weeks. I was just wondering whether this would be ok? I know this is a silly question but the thought of not wearing any make up is quite scary not just for me but for other people to see
Hi Tracy
I would avoid the false eye lashes as I worry about adding places for bacteria to live, and likely to get in the way in cleaning the lashes to remove bugs before the op. You can wear face make-up afterwards, but avoid the eye area, including mascara and eye-liner for a week. Sorry!
Dave
Thanks for the response Dave,
The prices appear good however the question is should I contact your clinic for consultation appointment?
Given that Optical Express said yes and Ultralase said no to my right eye, and both gave me different procedures for my left eye your answer certainly has the first hint of not a factory line answer.
I fully understand my situation is not standard and thus if you are willing to proceed further please do let me know who to contact and if to quote our discussion.
Many thanks
Kent
Hi Kent
Sorry for the delay, thought I had replied already. Best to come along for a consultation and see me personally for a specialist exam. If you call on 0845 5000 500 and say we have discussed this as a Focus specialist case, they can book you in. The fee for that is £170 – it wouldn’t be suitable for a routine consult with an optometrist.
Best regards
Dave
Hi Dave,
Have read most of posts, the Denise Van Outen story as well as the link to the procedure done Paul Ross. First let me say that your openness and candidness is very much appreciated in an industry that perhaps has many grey areas.
I am in need of some advice from some one that has your expertise.
I had RK done on my right eye back in 1990 and got okay results but not what is being achieved with current technology. It was done by a Dr. Marvin Kwitko in Montreal Canada who was one of the pioneers in Canada in those days.
My prescription for glasses is
Left Eye -5.5/-1.0 axis 75
right eye -0.5/-1.5 axis 125
I am 42 years old and eyes seem in good health but I am using my left eye as the dominant one when I have glasses or contacts on and the right eye when not wearing anything.
I went to Optical Express 2-3 months ago and they did their consultation, not with the consultant, but an optometrist and they said they would be happy to go ahead with wavefront lasek on both eyes at a charge of £1295 per eye.
I felt I needed another opinion so I went along for a second opinion to Ultralase last week and they also did a consultation and mentioned that they would not do the right eye. The optometrist felt that as the sight was not so bad in the right eye it would be useful to have this as I got older and furthermore they felt their eye surgeons did not have the necessary expertise to look at this situation. They however said they would do the ultra lasik and intralase on the left eye at a cost of £1995. I must say I was disappointed with the level of discussion in their consultation given the fee they were looking to charge.
I accept it would be very hard for you to make a decision without examination and as I am yet to see a consultant at the two aformentioned places, can you work on eyes that have previously had RK?
I plan to give your clinic a call but thought to send you this post to hear your thoughts.
Best regards
Kent
Hi Kent
Interesting mail, thank you. You are fortunate actually that your RK operated right eye remains shortsighted and has not become long-sighted as many of them do long term after RK. It may be possible to leave this right eye for some reading as Ultralase said, but the astigmatism may well get in the way of that. You seem to be naturally left eye dominant, which helps with the combination of left eye for distance and right for reading. We would also need to look at the degree of aberrations in the right eye though, as to whether that eye could be left for reading.
Treating the left eye for distance is probably straight forward with wavefront blade free LASIK, what we call Z-LASIK, and the cost would be £1345 based on your numbers.
Treating the right eye can be more complex, as RK eyes are not structurally stable as a virgin eye. It may need a custom treatment, either based on wavefront or topography measurements, and is best done through PRK (surface) laser correction, avoiding yet another cut in this cornea from a LASIK approach, which can weaken the cornea further. If I was to tackle the right eye, I would charge £2,300 as a complex case, and it may require two procedures to get the best result.
Best regards
Dave
Hi Dave
Thanks for your advice. I’ll go out and buy some flaxseed capsules today. And the infection they believe was an irritation/sensitivity to a new brand of contacts which I trialled. So hopefully we are fine on that front.
Regards
Kirsty
Hi David,
I am scheduled to see you on 8 April to have Z-Lasik on both eyes. One of my children has just got conjunctivitis, so far it looks like I’m fine, but I was thinking of using over the counter antibiotic drops for a few days (to make 100% sure I don’t have it). On the other hand, I’m not sure this approach is the right one being, as I am just a couple of weeks away from the procedure. What is your advice please?
Thanks very much for your help,
Sam
hi Sam
You could use Optrex Infected Eyes, three times a day for 5 days to be on the safe side. The conjunctivitis may well be viral and the drops won’t be any help but no harm done. Use separate towels and face cloths for your child and regular had washing. If you do contract it we will postpone your surgery for 1 month.
Best regards
Dave
Hi Dave,
Thanks for that. I’ve just been to OE for a consultation and they examined my eyes.
It turns out my prescription may well have changed since last year but I still wear GP lenses once a week so not too sure how accurate it is. Anyway they quoted just under £3000 (both eyes) for this prescription:
(L) Sph -3.5 Cyl -0.50 Axis 90
(R) Sph -4 Cyl -0.25 Axis 95
Would it still be £1145 per eye for this prescription?
I couldn’t help feeling that I was just getting processed at OE and that they weren’t all that fussed whether I got my treatment done there or not. Also they rather rushed though their success rate stats. I couldn’t help thinking it might be because they know they don’t have the best laser but I’m in no position to judge.
They did make sure to mention that Moorfields use the same laser and that it’s endorsed by NASA. Why wouldn’t Moorfields use the very best laser?
What would happen if my post-treatment vision ended up being not as sharp as I’d hoped (compared with the decent clarity I get now with GP lenses), despite being told that I now had 20/20 vision?
Do you generally only perform further surgery if you don’t get to 20/20 first time round or due to other complications rather than because the customer isn’t entirely convinced about the clarity of their “new” eyesight?
As I wear my GP lenses once a week for about three hours a week for football, how long before consultation/surgery with Focus should I definitely stop wearing them? Could I use daily/monthly disposable soft lenses in the run up to the consultation/surgery without affecting the result?
Looking forward to arranging my consultation with you soon.
Many thanks and regards,
Phil
Hi Phil
The price would be the same for the left eye and £1245 for the right.
The reasons behind why clinics buy a certain laser are mixed and not always straightforward – pre-existing affiliations and preferences, financial considerations, contracts, discounts as well as clinical performance. For NASA, I could never see the American Space Agency promoting anything else than the American laser – the other brands are German and Japanese, despite the WaveLight laser (which we use) getting the overall best results in the American FDA trials.
We enhance the result depending on both patient happiness and expectations and the likelihood of being able to improve the vision, and it’s a decision we take together with the patient. Of course, it is based on the reason why the vision isnt optimum.
I like GP wearing patients to switch over to daily disposable lenses where possible and use those for 4 weeks as needed with no GP use. You would then leave out the daily lenses for 5 days prior to the consultation and 48 hours before treatment. If leaving them out isnt possible prior to the consult, you could have that exam anyway and then leave them our for 5 days prior to the treatment, but we would need to remeasure all prior to treatment on the day itself – generally though I like to get all the info up front so there are no surprises on the treatment day, when the patient is usually a bit anxious anyway!
Hope that answers all your questions
Dave
Hi Dave,
Thanks for getting back to me so fast.
I’ve just got a couple more questions if I may…
What’s the minimum/maximum amount of time in between the consultation and surgery?
Does your 10 month interest-free credit offer apply to all customers (subject to status)?
I appreciate that I’ll probably need reading glasses when I’m older, but is it likely that the laser treatment will cure my myopia for literally decades to come or could I start getting more short-sighted again? From what I can tell my prescription has been pretty stable in recent years.
Many thanks and regards,
Phil
Hi Phil, no problem!
Minimum time from consult to treatment is one day; no real maximum but we have to repeat all measurements if more than 3 months.
Yes, all customers can apply for interest-free credit
We see a return to myopia in 1-2% of cases overall, which will in fact help your reading as you move to presbyopia so it isnt necessarily a big problem. The London study showed regression in only 1-2% over 16 years. Interestingly, we are seeing myopia progressing in recent years due to the great increase in near work we all do these days, esp working with monitors. So myopia is not as stable as in years previously so we cannot assume now that the eyes will not themselves change, depending on our lifestyle and work habits. We have to tease out then between true LASIK/PRK regression, which can occur, against myopia progression which is getting more common. Of course, both events could occur together. Fortunately, enhancements are relatively straight forward but may not be needed – a patient entering presbyopia with a prescription of -0.50D in each eye will be very happy and remain glasses free for several years more than their normal sighted friends (but may sometimes need glasses in the car for night driving).
Hope that helps
Dave
Hi,
Could you please give me an idea how much I could expect to pay for Z-LASIK treatment? I’m 33.
Here’s my prescription (3/4/08):
(L) Sph -3.25 Cyl -0.50 Axis 90
(R) Sph -3.50 Cyl -0.25 Axis 95
Many thanks in advance.
Phil
hi Phil
It would be £1145 for that prescription for blade free Z-LASIK.
Best regards
Dave
Hello Dave,Please tell me if I am suitable as I have glaucoma.
I take Azopt morning and night and Xalatan morning which keeps the correct pressure in both eyes.
I have asked my consultant who said it would be ok.
My age is 79 in May 2009 and my eye test results 11/11/08 are.
Sph -1.75, Cyl -2.25 Axis 85 Distance Right.
Sph +0.75, Cyl -2.25 Axis 85 Near Right.
Sph -0.75, Cyl -2.00 Axis 90 Distance Left.
Sph +1.75, Cyl -2.00 Axis 90 Near Left.
Could you please inform me of the price to correct my distance vision and astigmatism and approximate date for the operation.
regards
Les Rose (Mr)
Hello Les
We are usually cautious in patients with glaucoma and needs liaison with your consultant. The general issue for someone in late 70s is whether there is any cataract. Removing any cataract and using the right approach would lessen most of that astigmatism anyway and clear the distance vision. Or have you already had cataracts removed?
Regards
Dave
I have an offer here saying I can get Laser Eye Treatment at half price being £1785. It is Intralse LASIK Wavefront. I would guess you are aware of competitor activity so know the supplier I am referring to. Are their machines as good as yours? What questions do I ask to determine if they are as accurate?
many thanks
Robert
Dave
Thanks for your response.
Do you have any current offers or are any likely in near future. Have noted previous codes YES250 and BV01. Might help me to make an early decision to have treatment.
Regards
Derek
Hi Derek
No offers planned actually – we are fully booked up, especially since the publicity of my treatment for Denise Van Outen!
Regards
Dave
Hi Dave
We exchanged emails back on 29th January. Still thinking about it but getting closer to making a decision.
Some more questions for you:
Website indicates that post operative examinations are required one day, one week, one month, three and six months. Is it possible for these examinations to be done on localised basis as live in Great Yarmouth and time consuming and expensive to make so many visits to London?
Is it possible for consultation and surgery(if suitable) to be done on same day for reasons stated above?
How many days in advance of both consultation and surgery would it be necessary to stop wearing my Dailies Disposable Contact Lenses so can work out how best to fit in appointments?
Regards
Derek
Derek
We only have one specialist centre actually so everything is done in London. We dont treat same day due to needing to dilate your eyes at examination, but we can do consecutive days. you would need to leave your lenses out for 5 days prior to consultation and then only 2 days prior to treatment.
Best regards
Dave
Hi Dave,
OK, I’ve booked my consultation for the end of March. I’m really looking forward to getting my vision sorted out. I must confess that I’m slightly nervous about the blended option, not just because of the cost but also because I’ve read quite a bit about people taking a long time for their vision to settle, and being restricted in the process. I’m very eager to be able to see clearly at a distance with my naked eyes (the leaves on the trees! The stars!) as i do a lot of outdoor activity. But my job involves a lot of close up work, reading books and papers and writing on the computer and I can’t afford to lose that for any serious amount of time…
Do you have any more details on your blog about how the blended vision works (no flap? what’s the after experience like?) so I can read a bit more and be thinking about it?
Thanks again for your answers–they’ve made me feel even more reassured, and I’m sure I’ve chosen the right place to come.
Best wishes
Gabrielle
Hi Gabrielle
We will cover all at your consultation – but the adaptation to blended vision is pretty rapid and you can get back to work the following day if needed. If you do intensive close work we might give you a pair of glasses to use at your desk (you don;t need to carry them anywhere) while your eyes adapt. All depends on how many hours you do – we will discuss that when you come too.
If you would like to talk to one or more of my patients about the BV experience, just let me know – that might help more than my description!
Best regards
Dave
Ok, got it. And yes, I’m writing to you because the advantages of a lower-volume specialist centre seem clear. I’ve heard all sorts of warnings about inexperienced surgeons, and I’m really impressed with all I’ve read about you, your experience and your practice. I wouldn’t want to trust my precious eyes anywhere else!
Now I’m just wondering how I would figure out if I can tolerate full-blended–would I have to take some time between the consultation and surgery to try something out? And if I didn’t go for the full blended now, would there be an option to do it later?
Best regards
Gabrielle
Thank you! For the full blended, I can test your suitability at the consultation very accurately (99.9%). With your myopic prescription, your best result will be to do the blended at the first procedure with a much longer lasting result. Later addition can be done but longevity of the result is less. If you did go for full blended and later didnt get on with it (chance is 0.1%), you could be more easily adjust to mini-blended or distance only.
Dave
Hi Dave,
Thanks for the quick response. The cost for distance correction (option 1) seems high compared to prices you’ve quoted for others–considering my prescription isn’t that drastic. It’s also the same as for the mini-blended version. Is that right, or was that a slip?
Also, how can I tell if I tolerate full blended? And finally if I have the distance correction now is there an option to go for blended at a later date? ( The full blended is tempting but the price tag is a bit hefty!)
Thanks
Gabrielle
Hi
The prices are the same for distance or mini-blended so no typo! Your astigmatism takes you out of the lowest bands but we are still £700 cheaper than the nearest competitor, Optical Express and £1000+ cheaper than the other two big chains, so still a great price and a lower volume specialist centre, compared to the chains.
Best regards
Dave
Hi Dave,
I’ve been thinking for a while of getting laser surgery and have just discovered your blog and Focus website. It’s great to have a means of asking questions directly, and seeing other people’s questions and your replies. It all looks very encouraging.
My prescription as of 21 January this year is:
21 Jan 2009
Right Eye -1.75/-1.25 axis 170
Left Eye -2.75/-1.75 axis 175
This has been pretty stable for years, and I wear a combination of glasses and soft daily torics–though not at the same time! However, lately I’ve needed to remove my glasses to read closely; in other words the dreaded presbyopia has begun. (I’m 42)
This means I now have an “add +0.75? in both eyes
I haven’t yet gone for separate reading glasses or varifocals as it’s not too annoying to have to take my glasses off and there doesn’t seem to be a problem with my lenses in.
So here are my questions:
First, could you give me a quote for all-laser Lasik correction just for the distance vision?
Second, given that I now see better up close WITHOUT my glasses, if I had the distance vision corrected would I then see ok for reading or would I need reading glasses?
And finally…if the latter, would you recommend blended correction, and if so what would be the cost?
Best regards
Gabrielle
Hi Gabrielle
Thanks for your comments! We have three options for you:
1. Full distance correction both eyes (but will need reading glasses now or very soon after): total price = £2,490
2. Mini-blended vision (will keep you out of reading glasses until age 46-49) = £2,490
3. Full blended vision (will keep you out of reading glasses until ?60 or older) = £3,990
If you tolerate a full blended vision (chance 95%) I would go for that – you will be much happier over the longer term.
Dave
Hi
I have been quoted by Optical Express that I am suitable and stable for Wavefront Intralase lasik surgery. I am 19 years old, have large pupils and good thickness on both corneas. My prescription is
right eye -5.75 -0.75 70
left eye -5.00 -1.50 118
according to their measurements using the Wavefront could I be considered as a candidate with yourselves? What costs? What time scale from consultation to Op? Also would I be able to have one eye done at a time?
Many thanks
Hi Charli
Costs are £1345 right and £1445 left. Time scale is 1 week max consult to treatment and one eye at a time is no problem.
Regards
Dave
Hi Dave,
Thanks for that. I’d be very happy for you to get one of your staff to contact me! The 15th would suit me better to ensure i can have the 1 week post op check up, as i will be leaving London on the 23rd to continue my 3-month europe travels! The option of the 19th would mean my 1 week post op check would be cut to only 3 days later…i’m guessing that won’t be suitable?
I look forward to hearing from your clinic soon.
Hi Erin
I will get my clinic manager Amy to liaise with you about treatment on Friday 15th May. I will email and cc you directly, and Amy will follow up early next week.
Thanks Erin
Dave
Thanks very much.
Kind regards
Sue
Hi Dave
Thanks for your reply. The thought of having a holiday without contacts is too exciting for words. Would I be able to provisionally book March 19th before I have my consultation? Optical Express have already said I’m suitable for surgery but I decided to go elsewhere as I wasn’t 100% confident with them.
Thanks
Sue
Hi Sue, yes we can book you in for the 19th March for treatment and confirm that when we see you on the 9th. I will arrange with the clinic.
Best regards
Dave
Hi Dave
I blogged a few days ago asking for possible outcome of -8 prescription. I have a consultation booked for 9 March and I have another couple of questions. Firstly, should the results not be too successful will I still be able to wear contacts if necessary? The second question is that if I’m going on holiday on 24 April is it OK to have the surgery before I go or would it be best to wait until my return?
Thanks again, Sue
Hi Sue
Great, we will see you on the 9th. Yes, you should have no problem to wear contacts again if needed – the eyes can be a but dry for a few months after and some patients like to use artificial tears during that time until it recovers. There is less dryness with the blade free approach so that will help.
I have an extra surgery day on March 19th so you might want me to do your treatment then, which will give you plenty of time to recover before your holiday – then you can enjoy all the sights with new eyes!
Regards
Dave
Hi
I am -2 in both eyes. How much would it cost for lasek wavefront please?
hi, that’s £695 per eye. but painful for 3 days after for LASEK. allow 1 week off work altogether
Dave
Hi Dave,
Thanks for your reply. I live in London, and work just around the corner from Harley Street. It would certainly be worth coming for an appointment at FOCUS.
If I’m not suitable for surgery then that is naturally fine, I’m happy enough with contacts and glasses, so would rather continue as before rather than take any risks.
OK, Georgia, no problem. Just call in on 0845 5000 500 and my team will take good care of you!
Regards
Dave
Hi Dave,
A friend you recently operated on was so enthusiastic about the results that I am now tempted to follow suit…
Could you give me an idea of how much I would be looking at (Z Laser) to treat the following prescription?
Sph -6, Cyl -0.25, Axis 180
sph -3.75, Cyl -0.50, Axis 175
I have had a baby on 3rd November and stopped breastfeeding two weeks later. In your opinion how long should I wait before considering surgery?
Thanks in advance for your time.
Sam
Hi Sam
Glad to hear that. No problem now re breastfeeding, by the time we have seen you. The price for the Z-LASIK will be for the worse eye £1,445 and the other £1,145, to be confirmed at consult, so could be £100 up or down from that.
Just call in on 0845 5000 500 to arrange your consult and I will see you soon!
Take care
Dave
Hi,
I have recently been for a consultation at Optical Express, but would like to get second and third opinions before deciding to go ahead with any treatment. I was offered Wavefront LASEK as my corneas were very thin, and on the day of consultation they could not promise I was a suitable candidate as they wanted the surgeon to look and the scans first. This naturally made me a bit uncertain, as I don’t want to take any risks.
Would FOCUS recommend the same procedure for thin corneas, and what would the following prescription cost to correct with LASEK?
Right eye: -6.25 -1.75 x090
Left eye: -6.75 -1.25 x080
Can I expect 20/20 vision after correction, or would one eye always remain slightly weaker?
Many thanks!
Georgia
Hi Linda
With very thin corneas and uncertain scans you may not be suitable for treatment and I would advise caution, especially as your maximum surgery would be -8D including your astigmatism. Do select an independent quality centre and consultant to redo your scans and measurements. If you let me know where you live I can recommend a top consultant, and you are also welcome to visit FOCUS, of course.
Regards
Dave
Hi,
After reading round many forums and websites I am beginning to confuse myself more and more as to the type of surgery would be best for me. Could you give me your recommendations and rough price for the following prescription…
Right Eye: -0.75 Sph -0.25 Cyl and 140 Axis
Left Eye: -0.75 Sph -0.25 Cyl and 100 Axis
Thanks in advance,
Chris.
Hi Chris. You want to go for wavefront blade-free (dual laser) LASIK. The wavefront part will give you better vision while the blade-free refers to using a second laser to create the LASIK flap. (called Z-LASIK or Intralase LASIK)
If this is to correct your distance vision and you are younger than 40, the price is only £595 per eye, which is about £1000 per eye less than other clinics. Basically we subsidize these low corrections from our higher level treatments.
Best regards
Dave
Hi Dave, please could you tell me if I would be suitable for this surgery and approx cost my prescription is…. Right eye = sphere +0.25,cyl -0.50,axis 120,add near +2.25
Left eye = sphere +0.25,cyl-0,25, axis 90, add near +2.25.
Many thanks
Hazel Mulvaney
Hi Hazel
It looks like we can treat this, assuming all is good at the consultation of course. Likely one eye only based on the prescription you sent. The cost would be £1995 for the advanced wavefront Z-LASIK (blade-free) which is what I would recommend for these reading treatments.
Hope that helps Hazel
Dave
Hi Tony,
PS
Thanks for pointing out the map issue. These are maps of all UK clinics, not just my own London centre, as a service for people to find something local and compare centres and offerings.
We have a lot of very specialised technology in Wimpole Street, and although we do have patients from around the world who come because of our name, we mainly serve patients from London and the SE.
Thanks
Dave