From Ireland · Cataract surgery · Thailand
Cataract surgery in Thailand from Ireland: what the trip costs against the wait at home
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
For Irish patients, cataract surgery in Thailand costs €1,090–€2,210 at the clinics we checked, or about €2,300 once an example return flight and 4 hotel nights are added. That is about €900 less than the lowest self-pay price we found in Ireland (€3,200).
- Clinic price
- €1,090–€2,2102 providers, one eye, standard
- Example trip
- €2,300clinic €1,090 + flight €850 + 4 hotel nights €360
- Pay privately in Ireland
- €3,200
- Wait in Ireland
- About 42% waiting over 6 months (all eye surgery) (24 September 2026)
- Time there
- 3 to 5 days: assessment, the operation, and a check-up the next day before you fly
- Rank from Ireland
- 3 of 5 countries by total trip cost
Figure 1Where the money goes, in EUR
Trip total €2,300€900 under home
Figure 2Cataract surgery: cheapest trip from Ireland, by country
Published cataract surgery prices in Thailand
Each row is a price the provider publishes itself, in its own currency, with what it includes. The converted amounts use a fixed European Central Bank rate.
| Provider | Published price | What the price is for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bumrungrad International HospitalBangkok | ฿83,640about £1,850 · €2,210 · C$3,470 · $2,480 | Phacoemulsification of cataract, day caseFrom a 2025 package sheet hosted by an insurer (FWD Thailand). Lens type and whether the price is per eye are not stated. 2025 package sheet. | Bumrungrad International Hospitalread 26 October 2026 |
| Ratchaphruek HospitalKhon Kaen | ฿41,000 to ฿43,000about £909–£953 · €1,090–€1,140 · C$1,700–C$1,780 · $1,210–$1,270 | Cataract extraction package, one eyeStandard (hard lens) 41,000, ultrasound (soft lens) 43,000. Prior diagnostics excluded. Khon Kaen is in north-east Thailand. Valid 1 March to 31 December 2026. | Ratchaphruek Hospitalread 26 October 2026 |
Prices are copied as published, in the provider's currency. Conversions use the European Central Bank reference rates of 23 October 2026 and are rounded. A provider can change a price at any time: ask for a written quote.
Some Bangkok hospitals publish lower package prices that are only for Thai nationals and foreigners living in Thailand. MedPark Hospital's colonoscopy package, for example, says “The price is exclusively for Thai nationals and expatriates residing in Thailand” (MedPark). We leave such prices out. The Bumrungrad surgical prices here come from a 2025 sheet hosted by an insurer, so ask the hospital for its current price.
Against waiting or paying in Ireland
Ireland (public hospitals), 24 September 2026: About 42% waiting over 6 months (all eye surgery). Ophthalmology as a whole, not cataract alone: 14,382 adults on the inpatient/day-case list, about 42% waiting over 6 months; another 41,898 waiting for a first outpatient appointment. Waits and prices for cataract surgery in Ireland.
Paying privately in Ireland: €3,200, from Optical Express Ireland.
Can the HSE pay?
NHS and HSE schemes do not reach Thailand. The NHS S2 route covers state treatment in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, and the HSE schemes cover the EU, EEA, the UK and Switzerland. Treatment in Thailand is paid by you or by a private insurer who agrees in advance. NHS S2 route, HSE Treatment Abroad Scheme.
Planning the trip from Ireland
- Get a written quoteSend the clinic your referral or reason for cataract surgery and ask for an itemised price in writing, with the date and what happens if the result needs follow-up.
- Before you goAsk your optician or eye doctor for your latest prescription and any eye reports.
- Before you goPlan for the clinic's rules on flying after surgery, and bring someone with you if you can.
- Entry rulesCheck the official advice before booking: Irish citizens (DFA travel advice, choose the country).
- LanguageThai; the large Bangkok private hospitals work in English and many other languages.
- After you returnYou will use eye drops for several weeks. Tell your optician you had surgery abroad and bring the operation note with the lens details.
- After you returnSudden pain, worsening vision or flashing lights after surgery need urgent care at home.
Add your flight and hotel
Put in your real fare from Ireland and your hotel to see the total for Thailand next to every other country.
Related pages
Cataract surgery in Thailand from Ireland: questions
How much is cataract surgery in Thailand for Irish patients?
The published prices we found work out at €1,090–€2,210 at the clinic, from Bumrungrad International Hospital and Ratchaphruek Hospital. With an example return flight of €850 and 4 hotel nights at €90, the trip comes to about €2,300. Your own fares and dates will change the total.
Is it cheaper than paying privately in Ireland?
Yes, by about €900 on these example figures: the lowest self-pay price we found at home is €3,200. The gap shrinks if your flight costs more or you need extra nights.
How long is the wait for cataract surgery in Ireland?
Ireland (public hospitals): About 42% waiting over 6 months (all eye surgery) (24 September 2026). Ophthalmology as a whole, not cataract alone: 14,382 adults on the inpatient/day-case list, about 42% waiting over 6 months; another 41,898 waiting for a first outpatient appointment.
How many days do I need in Thailand?
3 to 5 days: assessment, the operation, and a check-up the next day before you fly. That is our planning estimate, not medical advice; ask the clinic for its schedule in writing.
Will the HSE pay for it?
No. HSE schemes cover the EU, EEA, the UK and Switzerland; Thailand is outside them.
Sources
- Bumrungrad International Hospital: top surgical packages 2025 (sheet hosted by FWD Insurance Thailand). Bumrungrad International Hospital, via FWD Insurance, 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Cataract extraction package. Ratchaphruek Hospital, Khon Kaen. Read 26 October 2026.
- Cataract surgery. Optical Express (Ireland). Read 26 October 2026.
- Open data: inpatient/day case waiting list by specialty, 2026. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Planned treatment: S2 funding route. NHS (nhs.uk). Read 26 October 2026.
- Treatment Abroad Scheme. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 26 October 2026.
- Colonoscopy package. MedPark Hospital, Bangkok. Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.