How much does SMILE laser eye surgery cost privately in the UK? (2026)

Private SMILE reshapes the cornea by removing a thin disc of tissue through a tiny keyhole incision, with no flap, and is used to correct short-sightedness and some astigmatism.

A verified, published price for SMILE laser eye surgery was not available to us, so we have left numbers out instead of estimating. The factors and questions below will help you read any quote you are given.

A femtosecond laser creates a small lens-shaped disc of tissue within the cornea, which the surgeon removes through a tiny incision, leaving no flap. The procedure is often quicker than LASIK in laser time.

Ask how the clinic manages enhancement and whether SMILE is suitable for your prescription, since these factors affect both the outcome and any added cost.

Several things move the cost of SMILE laser eye surgery up or down. These are the ones worth asking about first.

• Specialist equipment: SMILE requires a specific femtosecond laser platform, which not every clinic has.

• Per eye pricing and package structure.

• Prescription range: SMILE suits a range of short-sight prescriptions, but not all, so the clinic assesses suitability.

• Aftercare period and enhancement policy.

• Clinic policy: some clinics price SMILE in line with advanced LASIK, others above it, so a written quote for your eyes is the only reliable figure.

Quotes rarely list everything, so it helps to know what to look for. The table sets out typical inclusions and extras for this procedure.

Insurers do not cover SMILE because it is elective.

If you are using insurance, get pre-authorisation in writing before treatment and ask which fees your policy limits could leave uncovered. If you are paying yourself, some hospital groups offer medical finance subject to status; check the rate, term and total repayable before agreeing.

The NHS does not offer SMILE for refractive error.

In England the NHS aims to start non-urgent consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of referral, and patients can ask to be offered alternative providers if that is likely to be exceeded. Actual waits vary by trust and specialty.

Vision is often good within a day or two, with drops and check-ups, and avoidance of swimming and eye make-up for a period.

Few people need more than the planned care, but the cost position if they do is worth settling before treatment.

• Enhancement after SMILE can be more complex than after LASIK, so ask what the plan is if you need a touch-up.

• Dry eye, glare and under-correction can occur, and not all prescriptions are suitable.

When you have two or three estimates, these questions help you see which is genuinely the better value.

• What is the price per eye and for both eyes?

• What is the enhancement policy?

• Is my prescription within the range for SMILE?

• What aftercare is included?

• Are professional fees and hospital charges shown as separate lines, and is the total a firm figure or an estimate?