Ophthalmology covers eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and retinal disease. At the end of June 2026, 487,233 people in England were waiting for ophthalmology treatment. Just 70% were seen within the 18-week target, and 4,480 had already waited more than a year — the sort of queue private treatment can skip for anything you are not already being treated for.
Where ophthalmology waits are worst
| NHS trust | People waiting | Seen within 18 weeks | Waiting over a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford University Hospitals | 5,254 | 52% | 220 |
| University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire | 6,813 | 54% | 201 |
| University Hospitals Sussex | 12,804 | 54% | 309 |
| Milton Keynes University Hospital | 4,131 | 55% | 181 |
| Northern Care Alliance | 6,277 | 55% | 206 |
| University Hospitals of North Midlands | 5,905 | 57% | 208 |
| Portsmouth Hospitals University | 6,750 | 59% | 139 |
| Isle of Wight | 2,309 | 59% | 0 |
| Mid and South Essex | 13,673 | 60% | 458 |
| Great Western Hospitals | 2,813 | 60% | 42 |
| The Royal Wolverhampton | 9,471 | 61% | 139 |
| Sherwood Forest Hospitals | 3,120 | 61% | 5 |
The 18-week target is the point at which the NHS says treatment should have started. In the trusts above, most ophthalmology patients had already waited longer.
Skip the queue with private treatment
Nobody wants to spend months on an ophthalmology waiting list. A self-pay cataract surgery costs around £3,066, and cover pays for treatment like it in full, usually within weeks. It will not pay for a condition you are already waiting on, so arrange it before a problem starts — compare cover, see if it is worth it, or get a free quote.
Frequently asked questions
What does private ophthalmology cost? A common ophthalmology procedure such as cataract surgery costs around £3,066 self-pay, and private medical insurance covers it when arranged before symptoms begin.
Can I switch to private care once I am on the NHS list? You can pay privately at any time, but insurance will not cover a condition you are already waiting to have treated — that is why cover is worth arranging while you are well.
Source: NHS England Referral to Treatment (RTT) and Diagnostics (DM01) waiting-times statistics, June 2026; self-pay figures from UK private hospitals’ own published price lists. Waiting-list figures change monthly.