Ireland · Cataract surgery
HSE cataract surgery waiting time vs paying privately or going abroad
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
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: about 42% waiting over 6 months (all eye surgery) (Ireland (public hospitals), 24 September 2026). Paying privately in Ireland costs about €3,200 at the providers we checked. Published prices abroad start at €796 in Poland, before flights and a hotel.
- Official wait
- About 42% waiting over 6 months (all eye surgery) (24 September 2026)
- Pay at home
- about €3,200
- Abroad, before travel
- about €796 to €2,230 in 5 countries
- Time abroad
- 3 to 5 days: assessment, the operation, and a check-up the next day before you fly
The official waiting figure
- 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. Ireland (public hospitals), 24 September 2026. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).
This figure covers all eye care on the waiting list, not cataract surgery alone; no cataract-only figure is published in the same release.
Irish waiting lists come from the National Treatment Purchase Fund's open data (NTPF). The HSE runs two schemes that can pay towards treatment in the EU; see Will the HSE pay for treatment abroad?
Paying privately in Ireland
| Provider | Published price | What the price is for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optical Express IrelandIreland | From €3,195about £2,680 · C$5,000 · $3,580 | Cataract surgery, per eyeDepends on prescription and treatment type. The same page also says “from €3,795 per eye” without explaining the difference. | Optical Express (Ireland)read 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.
Published prices abroad, in EUR
Converted at the European Central Bank rate and rounded; before flights, hotel and time off work.
| Country | Price range | Difference vs lowest home price |
|---|---|---|
| Cataract surgery in Poland | about €796 to €910 | €2,400 less |
| Cataract surgery in Hungary | about €804 | €2,390 less |
| Cataract surgery in Thailand | about €1,090 to €2,210 | €2,110 less |
| Cataract surgery in Turkey | about €1,950 | €1,250 less |
| Cataract surgery in Mexico | about €2,100 to €2,230 | €1,100 less |
Add your flight and hotel
Add a return flight and 4 nights to see whether the trip still costs less than paying in Ireland.
When not to travel
- Other eye disease that needs regular follow-up (glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, macular degeneration) unless your home specialist agrees.
- Anyone who cannot stay a few days after surgery or cannot use eye drops reliably on their own.
Next steps
Cataract surgery from Ireland: questions
How long is the HSE wait for cataract operations?
About 42% waiting over 6 months (all eye surgery) (Ireland (public hospitals), 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 much does a private cataract surgery cost in Ireland?
about €3,200 at the providers we checked: Optical Express Ireland.
Where abroad is a cataract surgery cheapest from Ireland?
Before travel: Poland about €796 to €910, Hungary about €804 and Thailand about €1,090 to €2,210. Add a return flight and 4 nights' hotel to compare the whole trip.
Do I need a referral for a cataract surgery abroad?
Clinics differ, but a referral or a letter from your own doctor makes the result far more useful: it says what question the cataract surgery should answer, and it means someone at home will act on it.
Sources
- Open data: inpatient/day case waiting list by specialty, 2026. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Cataract surgery. Optical Express (Ireland). Read 26 October 2026.
- NTPF publishes September 2026 national public hospital waiting list data. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.