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Can I get laser eye surgery on the NHS?

It depends on what eye condition you have.

Laser surgery is available on the NHS for eye conditions that can lead to loss of vision, and can’t be treated with glasses or contact lenses.

However, laser surgery is not available for eye conditions that can be treated successfully in other ways, such as short- or long-sightedness, which can be treated with glasses or contact lenses.

Which conditions can be treated on the NHS?

Laser surgery is available on the NHS for eye conditions that, without treatment, can lead to loss of vision, including blindness.

These conditions include:

Which conditions cannot usually be treated on the NHS?

Laser eye surgery is widely used to help treat refractive errors such as:

But these conditions are not available for treatment by laser surgery on the NHS if other successful treatments are available, such as wearing glasses or contact lenses.

Finding a clinic for laser eye surgery

If you decide to have laser eye surgery to correct a refractive error, get advice from an opticians first. They can advise you on the procedure and recommend clinics in your area.

The Royal College of Opthalmologists website has guidance on deciding to have laser eye surgery for refractive errors.

Guidance is also available from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): Laser surgery for the correction of refractive errors

Find out more about having laser eye surgery for refractive errors.

Further information:

Page last reviewed: 16 May 2023
Next review due: 16 May 2026