As the years go by, many people who have enjoyed 20/20 vision when they were younger, find themselves relying more and more on glasses and contact lenses to read, drive and even distinguish food labels in the supermarket. Others find that they have cataracts forming and these are making their vision blurred and colours distorted or yellowed. In both cases, vision corrective surgery successfully restores eyesight to how it used to be, and this has been the experience of 30 million people worldwide. Eyesight is very precious, so which country is best for eye surgery?
‘Our sight is the most perfect and most delightful of all our senses.’ Joseph Addison
The UK and Ireland are both considered centres of excellence for vision corrective surgery. Lens replacement and cataract surgery are the most popular and safest elective surgical procedures in both, with more than 120,000 people being successfully treated each year in the UK alone. A study by Bayer in 2014 found that 56% of people living in Ireland wear glasses, so there is a high demand for vision corrective surgery.
Treatment for cataracts is available on the NHS…
Cataracts form when the clear lens in the eye starts to become cloudy. Cataracts develop slowly over several years and the first symptoms for many are blurred vision, the fading and yellowing of colours and the need for bright lights to aid reading. Cataracts are surgically removed in an outpatient procedure which is available on the National Health Service (NHS) in both the UK and Ireland. The waiting time to have this procedure done used to be about 18 weeks, but this was prior to the Coronavirus pandemic. Waiting lists are currently taking much longer to clear.
It is important to note that when cataract surgery is performed under the NHS, the replacement lens is a standard mono-vision lens and patients are not offered a choice of lenses. The reason behind this is that the surgical procedure is undertaken to improve the health of the eyes by removing the cataracts, but will not necessarily correct eyesight.
…but vision corrective surgery is not
Unfortunately, those living in the UK and Ireland who find that they are long or short-sighted or have blurred vision caused by astigmatism, are not so fortunate. Although they would like to improve and restore their eyesight to its previous level, treatment for these problems is not available on the NHS and is not covered by most private health plans. The only option is to be treated privately. Private treatment for vision corrective surgery in the UK and Ireland is fast and efficient – but comes at a sizeable cost.
Lens replacement surgery is when your original lens is removed and replaced with a synthetic lens to improve your vision. When the lens is replaced with a monofocal (single vision) lens, prices range between £1,995 – £3,250 per eye and trifocal/multifocal lens cost between £3,195 – £5,000 per eye. The charges for specialist lenses are even higher. There can also be hidden costs such as non-refundable consultation fee. There are also differences in the level and length of aftercare services included in the price.
The Czech Republic for ophthalmic excellence
The Czech Republic is viewed as the world leader in eye surgery. It has had a long history of eye surgery that combines clinical expertise with cutting edge technology – especially in Prague, its capital city. Vision corrective surgery is regularly undertaken in its private clinics to the highest standards and because these procedures are regularly carried out, its surgeons are highly experienced.
Historically, the Czech Republic has long been the cutting edge of research and developments in ophthalmology. In 1905, the world’s first organ transplant was undertaken by Edward Zim, who successfully transplanted a cornea (keratoplasty) in his clinic in Olomouc. In 1961, Otto Wichterie, a chemist living in Prague, developed the first contact lenses. Current research in the city includes new types of artificial lenses that will age with the eye, which is an exciting breakthrough as people are now loving longer and more active lives.
Prague – a win-win solution for your Lens Replacement surgery abroad
An increasing number of people living in the UK and Ireland have found that that prices for Lens Replacement surgery in Prague are attractively low- starting at £800 (€850) per eye and without any long waiting lists. Prague is easy and quick to reach using various low-cost airlines from UK regional airports and Dublin and Cork too. From start to finish, the surgical procedure takes just 4-5 days, so can be successfully combined with a relaxing break in our beautiful city.
Lens Replacement surgery reviews – from our UK clients
Hear what some of our many happy patients have to say about their Lens Replacement Surgery in Prague.
Clare from the UK – Lens Replacement surgery review
Richard from the UK – Trifocal Lens Replacement surgery review
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