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NHS waiting times
Data through March 2026. NHS source.
Laser eye / refractive surgery is usually treated within the NHS Ophthalmology Service pathway. The median wait across 345 NHS trusts is 7 weeks for the outpatient appointment, with 7 in 10 patients seen within the 18-week target. Routing note: Refractive / laser eye surgery (LASIK, LASEK, SMILE) is almost never NHS-funded — it's considered cosmetic in most cases. Lens-based surgery (e.g. cataract surgery, which also corrects vision) IS NHS-funded where indicated.
Top 10 NHS trusts publishing Ophthalmology Service data, ranked by shortest median wait. Want the full ranking? See all trusts on the Ophthalmology Service national page →
The ranking above is national. To rank hospitals by distance from your postcode, search with your postcode below.
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