22A Harley Street London W1G 9PB
22A Harley Street London W1G 9PB
Private Cataract Surgery London | Harley Street
Private cataract surgery at Precision Vision London gives self-pay patients faster access, transparent pricing and a full choice of lens options, with consultant-led care from your first assessment through surgery to your final aftercare review.
- Full choice of monofocal, toric & multifocal lenses
- Surgery typically within a few weeks
- 12 months of aftercare, YAG if needed, all included
Based at 22A Harley Street, our CQC-regulated eye clinic combines detailed diagnostics with surgeon-led treatment planning built around your eyes and your lifestyle. Most patients have surgery within a few weeks of consultation. A consultation is required to determine whether the procedure is appropriate for you.
Do you need cataract surgery?
A cataract develops when the natural lens inside your eye becomes cloudy. It usually happens gradually, which is why many people adjust to worsening vision without realising how much they have lost. Signs that it may be time to consider surgery include:
- Blurred, misty or washed-out vision that glasses no longer fix
- Glare or halos around lights, especially when driving at night
- Colours looking faded or yellowed
- Difficulty reading, recognising faces or watching television
- Frequent changes to your glasses prescription
- Vision that no longer meets the DVLA driving standard
Surgery is the only effective treatment for cataracts, and it is one of the most commonly performed operations in the UK and worldwide. If any of these signs sound familiar, a consultation with one of our consultant surgeons will confirm whether a cataract is the cause and whether surgery is appropriate for you.
Why choose private cataract treatment?
For most private patients the decision comes down to three things: time, choice and continuity.
You are seen quickly, typically with surgery within a few weeks of your consultation rather than months on a waiting list. You choose from the full range of lens options rather than a standard lens. And your care stays within the same small consultant team throughout: Dr CT Pillai carries out your consultation and aftercare reviews, and you meet your surgeon, Dr Radwan Almousa, before your operation, so you always know exactly who is looking after your eyes.
This matters most if you want to reduce your dependence on glasses for distance, reading or intermediate tasks such as computer work. Your assessment covers your prescription, eye health, retinal status and how you actually use your vision day to day, before any lens is recommended.
Private versus NHS cataract surgery
The NHS provides effective cataract surgery, and for many patients it is the right route. The differences are practical.
| Factor | NHS cataract surgery | Private care at Precision Vision London |
|---|---|---|
| Waiting times | 18-week target, not met nationally since 2015* | Surgery typically within a few weeks, once your custom-made lens is ready |
| Lens choice | Usually a standard monofocal lens | Monofocal, toric and multifocal options |
| Your surgeon | May not be confirmed until the day | Named consultants throughout, and you meet your surgeon before surgery day |
| Follow-up | Standard pathway | 12 months of structured aftercare included |
| Pricing | NHS-funded | Clear self-pay pricing confirmed before treatment |
*As of April 2026, 65 per cent of NHS patients in England had been waiting up to 18 weeks against the 92 per cent constitutional standard, with a median wait of 11.9 weeks. Within ophthalmology, the specialty covering cataract surgery, 73.1 per cent of patients were within 18 weeks. Source: NHS England Referral to Treatment waiting times statistics, April 2026 data, published 11 June 2026. Re-check the latest monthly release at publication.
Waiting with a cataract is rarely just an inconvenience. Deteriorating vision affects confidence, independence and, for many patients, the legal ability to drive. Private care is not right for everyone, but its advantage is choice: choice of timing, lens technology and a treatment plan built around your vision goals.
How cataract surgery works
During cataract surgery, the cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens, called an intraocular lens or IOL. The operation is performed using phacoemulsification, where ultrasound energy gently breaks up the cloudy lens through a small incision before the new lens is placed inside the eye.
The procedure normally takes 15 to 20 minutes per eye and is carried out under local anaesthetic, usually numbing eye drops, so you are awake but feel no pain. Most patients describe a sensation of pressure and some bright lights rather than discomfort.
You go home the same day. On the day itself you will be with us for a few hours in total: arrival and final checks, drops to dilate and numb your eye, the procedure, and a short rest before you leave with your eye shield and drops. If both eyes need treatment, both are generally treated on the same day, which avoids the visual imbalance of having one treated and one untreated eye. Surgery on separate days is arranged only where your surgeon recommends it or you prefer it.
Lens options for distance, reading and intermediate vision
Your lens choice is the biggest decision in private cataract surgery, and the biggest advantage over a standard pathway. Your consultant will recommend the option most likely to suit your eyes and your lifestyle after your diagnostic assessment.
Monofocal lenses
Monofocal lenses provide sharp focus at a single distance, usually set for clear distance vision. They suit patients who prioritise driving, television and outdoor activities and are comfortable using reading glasses for close work.
Monofocal toric lenses
Monofocal toric lenses do the same job while correcting astigmatism at the time of surgery, giving sharper distance vision for patients whose cornea is irregularly shaped.
Multifocal lenses
Multifocal lenses are designed to provide a range of focus across distance, intermediate and near vision, with the aim of reducing dependence on glasses for most daily activities. They suit patients who move constantly between reading, screens and driving and want the greatest independence from spectacles.
Multifocal toric lenses
Multifocal toric lenses combine multi-distance vision with astigmatism correction, with pricing from £3,995 per eye confirmed at consultation.
Multifocal options may reduce the need for glasses, but they are not suitable for every eye. Suitability depends on your prescription, corneal shape and retinal health, and is confirmed after diagnostic testing with your consultant. Results vary from patient to patient, and no lens can be guaranteed to eliminate glasses entirely.
Private cataract surgery cost in London
Private cataract surgery at Precision Vision London starts from £2,500 per eye with a monofocal lens, or £2,950 per eye with a monofocal toric lens if you have astigmatism. A multifocal lens is from £3,550 per eye, or from £3,995 per eye for a multifocal toric lens. The lens you are suitable for depends on whether astigmatism is present and the results of your consultation.
| Lens option | Price per eye |
|---|---|
| Monofocal lens | £2,500 |
| Monofocal toric lens | £2,950 |
| Multifocal lens | From £3,550 |
| Multifocal toric lens | From £3,995 |
Every price is all-inclusive: your consultation and diagnostics, the procedure, post-operative medications and protective eyewear, all follow-up appointments through your first 12 months, and any enhancement procedure within the first year, as well as YAG laser treatment if posterior capsule opacification (PCO) develops within your 12-month aftercare period. There are no hidden extras.
A deposit of £1,250 per eye is required when reserving treatment and is deducted from your total cost. Finance is available, with 0% APR over 12 months on selected treatments and longer plans at 9.9% APR over 24 to 60 months, subject to status. UK insurers typically cover cataract surgery with monofocal lenses, and our team can guide you through the insurance process.
Your exact quote is confirmed in writing after your assessment. Specialist or complex prescriptions may incur higher costs.
Recovery after cataract surgery
Most patients notice clearer vision within 24 to 48 hours, although recovery varies from patient to patient. You will use antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops for a few weeks and wear an eye shield at night for the first week.
Most people return to reading, screens and light activity within a couple of days, and to work within a week depending on what they do. You should avoid rubbing your eye, swimming and strenuous exercise in the early weeks, and your surgeon will confirm when you can drive again, which depends on your vision meeting the DVLA standard. Full visual stabilisation can take several weeks, and your prescription for any glasses you still need is usually finalised around then.
Your 12 months of aftercare is included, with your follow-up reviews carried out by Dr Pillai rather than handed to a separate team.
Can lens replacement prevent future cataracts?
Yes, in the treated eye. Cataracts form in the eye’s natural lens, and once that lens has been removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens, a cataract cannot form again in the same place. This is why lens replacement surgery, which uses the same procedure to correct vision before a cataract develops, also acts as a preventative against future cataracts.
Some patients later develop a clouding of the capsule behind the new lens, known as posterior capsule opacification. This is not the same as a cataract and can usually be treated with a quick laser procedure called YAG capsulotomy, available at Precision Vision London.
If you are considering vision correction and want to understand whether lens replacement is a better route for you than waiting for a cataract to develop, read our lens replacement page or raise it at your consultation.
Your consultation
Everything starts with a comprehensive surgeon-led assessment at our Harley Street clinic, lasting 60 to 90 minutes. Your assessment uses the Zeiss IOL Master for the precise biometry that guides lens selection, alongside Orbscan and Pentacam corneal mapping and a check of your retinal health before surgery is planned. These scans are included in your consultation fee.
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Dr Pillai then discusses your distance, intermediate and near vision goals and recommends the lens option best suited to your eyes. You leave with a clear written quotation and no obligation to proceed. If you decide to go ahead, you will meet your surgeon, Dr Radwan Almousa, before your operation to review your treatment plan.
Cataract consultations carry a £300 fee, which is deducted from your surgery cost if you proceed with treatment. A separate deposit of £1,250 per eye reserves your treatment date and is deducted from your total. If surgery is not suitable for you, we will tell you honestly and explain your alternatives.
Your consultant surgeons
Dr Radwan Almousa
Cataract surgery at Precision Vision London is led by Dr Radwan Almousa, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and current NHS Consultant. Dr Almousa leads our lens replacement, cataract and ICL surgery, with particular experience in premium cataract surgery and multifocal intraocular lenses. He completed fellowships in refractive surgery and corneal and anterior segment disease at the National University Hospital Singapore and the Queen Victoria Hospital, previously held posts at Moorfields Eye Hospital and The Wellington Hospital, and has 18 peer-reviewed publications.
Dr CT Pillai
Your care takes place under the clinical leadership of Dr CT Pillai, Founder and Medical Director, who brings more than 30 years of ophthalmic experience and over 50,000 procedures across laser, refractive and corneal surgery. Dr Pillai’s published research appears in peer-reviewed ophthalmology journals.
Both surgeons are GMC-registered consultants. Dr Pillai carries out your consultation and your aftercare reviews, and Dr Almousa performs your surgery, meeting you before your operation to review your plan, so your care stays within the same consultant team from first assessment to final review.
Profiles: Dr Almousa · Dr Pillai
What our patients say
“Dr Pillai and the team explained every step and put me completely at ease. My cataract surgery was quick and my colour vision is vivid again.”
Reviews are individual patient experiences; outcomes vary from patient to patient.
Frequently asked questions
How much does private cataract surgery cost in London?
How quickly can I have private cataract surgery?
Is cataract surgery safe?
Is the consultation free?
Is cataract surgery painful?
Can I choose a multifocal lens?
How long is recovery after cataract surgery?
Will my insurance cover it?
Is cataract surgery available on the NHS?
Book your private cataract consultation
If you are considering cataract surgery in London and want clear advice on timing, pricing and lens options, speak to Precision Vision London.
Book your private cataract consultation
If you are considering cataract surgery in London and want clear advice on timing, pricing and lens options, speak to Precision Vision London.
Book Your Cataract Consultation020 3884 6805