What is cataracts?
A cataract develops when the normally clear lens inside your eye becomes cloudy, scattering light before it reaches the retina. Vision slowly turns misty or washed out, colours look duller, and glare from headlights or low sun becomes more troublesome. Cataracts are overwhelmingly a condition of later life, affecting most people to some degree by their seventies, although smoking, diabetes, steroid use and eye injury can bring them on earlier.
Diagnosis is straightforward: a high-street optometrist can usually spot a cataract during a routine sight test and will refer you when it starts to interfere with daily life. An ophthalmologist then confirms the diagnosis with a slit-lamp examination and takes eye measurements to plan surgery, a 15–20 minute procedure done under local anaesthetic.
Common symptoms
- Misty, cloudy or blurred vision
- Colours appearing faded or yellowed
- Glare and haloes around lights, especially at night
- Frequent changes to your glasses prescription
- Difficulty reading or watching television
- Double vision in one eye
How long will you wait?
NHS cataract waits vary widely between areas: from referral to surgery commonly takes three to nine months for routine cases, and each eye is usually treated separately with a further wait in between.
Privately, you can typically see a consultant within 3–7 days, with cataract surgery usually scheduled within 2–4 weeks of your first appointment.
NHS England median referral-to-treatment wait: 12.4 weeks, with 2.5 million people waiting over 18 weeks (May 2026). Individual waits vary by trust and urgency.
Treatment options
- Cataract surgery (phacoemulsification). The cloudy lens is broken up with ultrasound and replaced with a clear artificial lens, usually under local anaesthetic as a day case.
- Premium lens implants. Multifocal or toric lens options, mainly available privately, can correct astigmatism or reduce dependence on glasses at the same time.
- Updated glasses prescription. In the early stages, stronger glasses and better lighting can manage symptoms until surgery is worthwhile.
- YAG laser capsulotomy. A quick outpatient laser treatment that clears the cloudiness that sometimes develops behind the lens implant months or years after surgery.
What does private treatment cost?
As a guide, self-pay cataract surgery in the UK typically costs £2,500–£4,000 per eye, rising towards £4,500 with premium multifocal or toric lens implants.
Does health insurance cover cataracts?
Most private medical insurance policies cover cataract surgery in full as acute treatment, including the standard lens implant. If your cataract was diagnosed or causing symptoms before you took the policy out, it will usually be excluded as a pre-existing condition, at least initially. Upgrades to premium multifocal lenses often involve a top-up payment, as insurers typically fund only the standard monofocal lens.
Frequently asked questions
When is the right time to have cataract surgery?
There is no need to wait until a cataract is 'ripe' — that idea is decades out of date. Surgery is worthwhile once blurred vision, glare or fading colours start interfering with things you care about, such as driving, reading or recognising faces. Earlier surgery is technically straightforward, and delaying simply means living with poorer vision for longer.
Can I have both eyes done privately at the same time?
Most surgeons still prefer to operate on one eye at a time, typically one to four weeks apart, so the first eye can settle and the lens choice for the second can be fine-tuned. Some private clinics do offer same-day bilateral surgery for suitable patients. Either way, private treatment removes the months-long gap between eyes that is common on the NHS.
Will my health insurance pay for cataract surgery?
Usually yes, provided the cataract developed after your policy started. Cataracts diagnosed before you joined are normally excluded as pre-existing, though moratorium-style policies may cover them after a set symptom-free period. Insurers generally pay for the standard monofocal lens; if you want a multifocal or toric lens you will usually be asked to pay the difference yourself.