There are several options for having private cataract surgery in the Sheffield area. Find out all you need to know here.
Many people choose to have private care for cataract surgery – it’s one of the most common private surgeries in the UK. There were over 200 private cataract procedures last year in the Sheffield area alone. Here we take a look at what hospitals offer private cataract surgery in Sheffield and the consultants who perform the procedure.
Cataract surgery options in and around Sheffield
According to our data, there are nine hospitals offering private cataract surgery within 25 miles of Sheffield. Of the eight, we have admissions and patient satisfaction details for three hospitals: Thornbury Hospital within a few miles of the city centre, the Practice Plus Group Hospital in nearby Barlborough and Claremont Private Hospital - of which carried out the most private cataract procedures in the area, with 360 admissions last year. This hospital is rated as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission. At Thornbury Hospital, 99% of respondents reported that their experience was very good or good.
There are 14 consultant surgeons that perform private cataract surgery at hospitals in the Sheffield area. There are usually several surgeons practising at each hospital, and our data shows Thornbury Hospital has the broadest choice of consultants available in this area. You can find details of each consultant, including the services they offer, special interests, patient feedback scores and fees on our website.
Cost of your initial consultation
You’ll need to book an initial consultation with a surgeon before you can go ahead with cataract surgery. They’ll assess whether cataract surgery is right for you. According to our data, the average initial consultation fee for cataract surgery in the Sheffield area is £162. This varies from £80 to £250 though, depending on who your consultant is. If you have private health insurance, this initial fee may be covered, so be sure to check. You can check fees for individual surgeons on the consultants’ profiles.
Self-funding cataract surgery
The most common way of paying for private cataract surgery is to self-fund your treatment. Hospitals may charge for this in two different ways.
- A ‘fee-per-service’ arrangement. This is the traditional way of paying for treatment. It means you’ll receive separate invoices from the surgeon, the anaesthetist and the hospital. You often won’t know the full costs until you receive the invoices – it can be difficult to get an exact price beforehand.
- An all-inclusive ‘package price’. With this option, you’ll be given a full guide price including all the fees, before undergoing treatment. Not all consultants and hospitals offer this.
The hospitals in Sheffield offering private cataract surgery all advertise guide package prices on their websites. These range from £1,995 to £2,775, with an average cost of £2,385. It’s important to understand that guide prices are approximations only. The hospital should confirm a final price with you after you’ve had a consultation. Bear in mind that package prices can vary in what they cover too, so do check this. Things to look out for include the initial consultation fee, any tests you may need and any aftercare.
Hospitals often offer finance options to spread the cost of your treatment over a period of time. Ask the hospital where you’re seeking treatment and whether this is available.
For more information about self-funding treatment, see our guide to self-pay.
Paying through insurance
The other way of paying for private treatment is through private medical insurance, or PMI. If you have PMI, check whether it covers cataract surgery. Most insurance policies do, unless it’s a pre-existing condition. But it’s important to check and to find out whether you’ll need to pay any excess. Read our guide on paying for treatment through insurance for more information.
Important notes
The information in this article is based on hospitals within 25 miles of the centre of Sheffield, and the consultants that treat private patients at each hospital. This is available to search through PHIN’s website. If a hospital or consultant is not searchable on our website, this may be because they are in breach of legal duties set out by the Competition and Markets Authority.
The data is based on PHIN’s data on patient admissions that took place between 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023. The costs of initial consultant fees were provided directly by consultants to PHIN. Information on guide package prices was collected through an internet search of local hospitals.
This article was last updated on 19 March 2024, and some details may have changed since.
