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Treatments

Eye tests first, then surgery

Laser eye surgery (SMILE or femto-LASIK) and cataract surgery both start with detailed eye tests. They show whether surgery suits you.

Plan 3 to 6 nights for laser surgery. For cataract surgery on one eye, plan 7 to 10.

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Time in Guangzhou
3–10 nights
Est. total
£3,300 for laser surgeryIncludes return flights from the UK and a hotel
Compare with homeLaser eye surgery

Why China

What China has going for it

Figures come from official or published sources. Prices are estimates, from October 2026.

  • A very common operation

    By 2020, China was doing more than 3,000 cataract operations per million people a year.

  • Waits at home

    In England, 622,784 cases were waiting for NHS eye care at the end of August 2026. More than a quarter had waited over 18 weeks. In Australia, the median wait for public cataract surgery was 106 days in 2024–25.

Where you'd be treated

We book appointments at top hospitals in Guangzhou, rated Grade 3A, the top grade in China. Each has an international department that looks after patients from abroad. You get the hospital's name when you decide to go ahead.

About the hospitals

Procedures

Procedures and estimated totals

Each total is an estimate for the whole trip from the UK: the treatment, return flights, a hotel for the typical stay, food and local transport. Prices are from October 2026.

What to expect

How it works

Your own plan may differ.

  1. Tell us what you need

    Your glasses prescription and any eye conditions. For cataracts, say what your eye doctor has told you.

  2. Specialists estimate the price

    We pass it to the hospital. Eye specialists review it and give an estimated price.

  3. We book your appointment

    We book your tests and surgery and let the hospital know you're coming.

  4. At the hospital

    Give your appointment details at the international department. Eye tests come first and show which surgery, if any, suits you.

Your estimate

What to tell us

We pass it to the hospital's specialists. The more you tell us, the closer the estimate.

Not sure what matters? Tell us what you know. We'll ask if the specialists need more.

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  • Your glasses or contact lens prescription
  • What your optician or eye doctor has told you
  • Other eye conditions or past eye surgery
  • The medicines you take

Good to know

Before you decide

Some of these may change your mind.

  • Not everyone is suitable for laser eye surgery. The final decision comes after the tests in Guangzhou.

  • With travel, home is cheaper in some countries. For laser surgery, that's Canada and the UAE. For cataracts, it's the US and New Zealand.

  • Some eye operations leave a gas bubble in the eye. Flying may then have to wait 2 to 6 weeks.

  • You'll need a visa. Visa-free entry doesn't cover medical care. Check the rules with your local Chinese visa centre.

  • Normal travel insurance usually won't cover planned treatment abroad. Check with your insurer before you book. You may need specialist cover.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Ask us anything else in the chat.

This isn't medical advice

Read our terms

This page gives general information about a treatment. It isn't a recommendation for you.

We book appointments at independent hospitals. We're not a hospital, so we don't diagnose or treat anyone.

Only a doctor who has examined you can say if a treatment suits you. You and the doctor treating you decide together.

Every treatment carries risks. Results vary from person to person.

Prices, lengths of stay and recovery times on this page are estimates. Long flights soon after surgery raise the risk of blood clots. Your doctor in Guangzhou decides when it's safe to fly home.

Talk to your own doctor before you decide to travel for treatment. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

Other treatments

See all treatments

  • Dental care

    Implants and full-jaw bridges, over two trips

    Time in Guangzhou
    Two trips: 5–10 nights, then 4–7
    Est. total
    £9,200 for a full jawIncludes return flights from the UK and a hotel

  • Health check-ups & scans

    Check-ups and scans in one morning

    Time in Guangzhou
    2–4 nights
    Est. total
    £1,800 for a check-upIncludes return flights from the UK and a hotel

  • Joints & spine

    Knee, hip and spine surgery in Guangzhou

    Time in Guangzhou
    3–6 weeks
    Est. total
    £14,800 for a kneeIncludes return flights from the UK and a hotel

Get an estimate for your treatment

Tell us what you need. Specialists at the hospital review it and give an estimated price.

Get a quote

You don't have to go ahead.