Costs, insurance & practicalities: Questions and Answers
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What actually moves the price of vision correction, what a quote should contain, how insurance treats elective and medical eye surgery differently, and why two quotes are not comparable until you know what each one covers.
Quick answer
What actually moves the price of vision correction, what a quote should contain, how insurance treats elective and medical eye surgery differently, and why two quotes are not comparable until you know what each one covers.
General educational information. It does not replace an examination, and it cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes.
LASIK (both eyes)
Not enough verified prices yet (n = 0)
What moves the price
Refractive surgery is priced per patient, not per procedure. These are the ten variables we see affecting quotes in Dubai and the wider UAE: expand any one to see what it changes and what to ask.
The clinic and its overheads
A hospital-based refractive service and a standalone day-case clinic have very different cost structures for the same procedure.
Why it changes the number Facility location, theatre time, staffing levels and whether the clinic is part of a larger hospital group all feed into what you are charged.
Ask this
- Is the facility fee separate from the surgeon’s fee?
- Is my treatment performed at this address, or at another facility?
On your quote: A separated facility fee and surgeon fee, if the clinic itemises them.
The surgeon
Individual surgeons set or are paid at different rates, and some clinics price by the named surgeon.
Why it changes the number Experience, sub-specialisation and demand all affect the fee. A higher fee is not evidence of a better outcome, and a lower fee is not evidence of a worse one.
Ask this
- Will the surgeon named in my quote be the one operating?
- Does the price change if my surgery is moved to a different surgeon?
On your quote: The name of the operating surgeon, in writing.
The laser platform
Newer platform generations carry higher capital and servicing costs, and some clinics price accordingly.
Why it changes the number Platform generation is one input into the price. It is not the only determinant of your result, and a premium for a device name should be met with a question about outcomes.
Ask this
- Which platform will be used on my eye, and is it on site?
- How do your outcomes on this platform compare with the previous generation?
On your quote: The specific platform to be used, by model.
Preoperative testing
Topography, pachymetry, refraction, tear film assessment and a dilated fundus examination are the core of the assessment.
Why it changes the number Some clinics include a full assessment in the surgical price; others charge for the consultation and tests separately, or offer a reduced assessment that omits components.
Ask this
- Which specific tests are included, and which cost extra?
- If I need to repeat a measurement, is that charged again?
On your quote: An itemised list of the preoperative tests covered.
The procedure itself, and per-eye pricing
Prices are frequently quoted per eye. A figure that looks competitive may be half the treatment.
Why it changes the number Per-eye quoting is the most common source of genuine misunderstanding about cost between patients and clinics.
Ask this
- Is this price per eye or for both eyes?
- What happens to the price if only one eye is treated?
On your quote: Explicit wording that states per eye or both eyes.
Postoperative medication
Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops, and lubricants, are needed afterwards for a period.
Why it changes the number These are often excluded, and patients discover the cost at the pharmacy. The amounts are not trivial over a full course.
Ask this
- Which drops will I need, for how long, and are they included?
- Can I see the prescription list in advance?
On your quote: Whether drops and medication are included or estimated.
Follow-up appointments
Postoperative checks are scheduled over the first months, with the exact number varying by clinic and by eye.
Why it changes the number Some packages include a defined schedule; others include the first appointment only. The follow-up period is where aftercare quality is decided.
Ask this
- How many follow-up appointments are included, and over what period?
- What is charged for any appointment beyond that, and how much?
On your quote: The number and timing of included follow-up visits, and the price of extra ones.
Enhancement policy
If a residual prescription needs treating, the clinic may include, discount or fully charge for a second procedure.
Why it changes the number This is the single most commonly overlooked item in a refractive surgery quote, and the one that can double the eventual cost.
Ask this
- If I need an enhancement, is it included, discounted or charged in full?
- Is there a time limit on the enhancement policy?
- What happens if an enhancement is not possible for my cornea?
On your quote: The enhancement policy, in writing, with any time limits.
Additional treatment your eyes may need
Significant dry eye, blepharitis or another ocular surface problem may need treating before refractive surgery.
Why it changes the number That treatment is a separate clinical episode with its own cost, and it may delay surgery. It exists to improve your outcome, not to inflate the bill.
Ask this
- Does anything need treating before surgery, and what does that cost?
- Does the delay change the surgical price?
On your quote: A note of any prerequisite treatment and its cost, or confirmation that none is needed.
Travel, accommodation and time off
If you are visiting the UAE for treatment, or travelling within it, flights, hotels and unpaid time away are part of the real cost.
Why it changes the number These costs are usually excluded from a clinic quote entirely, and they can exceed the procedure price for an international patient.
Ask this
- How many days should I stay before and after treatment?
- Can my follow-up be coordinated with a clinic near my home?
On your quote: Nothing: this is your own budgeting, and clinics rarely itemise it at all.
- Answers
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- Topics
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- Subject
- Costs
There is no published tariff for elective refractive surgery in the UAE, so the only binding price is the written quote you are given. This section is about reading that quote properly rather than hunting for an average that does not exist.
Prices are held in one editable data file rather than written into answers, so they can be corrected without rewriting the knowledge base.
Costs, insurance & practicalities questions and answers
Costs
What actually moves the price of vision correction, what a quote should contain, how insurance treats elective and medical eye surgery differently, and why two quotes are not comparable until you know what each one covers.
Procedure costs 9
What each procedure tends to include, and what makes two prices differ.
How much does LASIK cost in Dubai? Answer
There is no fixed price for LASIK in Dubai. Each clinic sets its own, and the total depends on the clinic, the surgeon, the technology used and what the quote includes.
Anyone quoting a single national average is describing a figure they invented or a promotional number that has expired. What you can compare is what each clinic includes for its price, which is a more useful exercise than comparing headline totals.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
How much does laser eye surgery cost in Dubai? Answer
Laser eye surgery in Dubai is priced by the clinic rather than by a schedule, and prices differ between procedures, between clinics and between surgeons within the same clinic.
The figures shown on clinic websites are usually starting prices for a standard case. A higher prescription, a different technology or an additional treatment requirement can change the total, which is why the written quote matters more than the advertised number.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
How much does SMILE cost in Dubai? Answer
SMILE is priced per clinic in Dubai, and the quote depends on the clinic, the platform used, the surgeon and which follow-up visits and medications are included.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
How much does SMILE Pro cost in Dubai? Answer
SMILE Pro is priced by each clinic, so the honest answer is that the range is wide and the only figure that binds anyone is the written quote you are given.
The most common reason two SMILE Pro quotes differ by a meaningful amount is not the laser. It is whether the assessment, the medication, the follow-up visits and any retreatment policy are inside the figure or added later.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
How much does Femto LASIK cost in Dubai? Answer
Femto LASIK is priced per clinic, and it is usually quoted above a standard flap procedure because the femtosecond laser is a separate device from the excimer laser.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
How much does PRK cost in Dubai? Answer
PRK is priced per clinic in Dubai and is often quoted below flap procedures, largely because the treatment itself uses fewer devices, though the follow-up schedule can add visits.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Are laser eye surgery prices quoted per eye or for both? Answer
Both habits exist, and the difference changes the number by a factor of two. Ask explicitly whether the figure is per eye or for both, and get it written on the quote rather than confirmed over the phone.
A price per eye is not dishonest, and it makes the figure look smaller than the total someone will pay. Since two people can be corrected on one day, the only reliable comparison is what the whole course of treatment costs for both eyes, including the parts that are not the surgery.
What this depends on
- Whether the quote says per eye or per patient
- Whether both eyes are treated on the same day
- What is included in the figure
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Is the second eye charged separately? Answer
It depends on how the clinic quotes, and the two conventions produce the same treatment for very different headline numbers. Ask for the total for both eyes and for the cost of the second eye if the first has been treated.
What this depends on
- Whether the clinic treats both eyes on one day
- Whether the fee covers the surgeon and the facility separately
- What is included for each eye
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Does the price change if my prescription is higher? Answer
It can. A higher prescription takes more treatment time and, in some cases, more tissue, and some clinics price by range rather than by a single figure. If the advertised price is a starting price, ask what would move it for your measurements.
What this depends on
- The size of the prescription and the amount of astigmatism
- Whether the treatment plan changes
- Whether the clinic quotes before or after the assessment
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Consultation & test costs 4
What the assessment costs, and why some clinics fold it into a package.
Does the consultation cost extra? Answer
It depends on the clinic. Some include the assessment in the surgical fee, some charge for it separately, and some charge separately but deduct it if you proceed.
Ask which of those applies before you book, and ask what the assessment includes. A free assessment that consists of a refraction without corneal imaging is not equivalent to one that includes it.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
How much does an eye test cost in Dubai? Answer
The cost of an eye test in Dubai depends on what the test covers. A refraction for glasses is priced differently from a comprehensive examination with dilation and imaging.
If the reason for the appointment is a symptom or a surgical assessment, the comprehensive examination is the relevant one. Ask what is included rather than comparing prices across different examinations.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Do I pay for the assessment if I decide not to go ahead? Answer
Sometimes. Practices differ: some charge for the assessment and then deduct it from the procedure price if you book, some include it in a package, some charge it separately with no deduction. Ask before the appointment rather than after.
What this depends on
- Whether the fee is deducted if you book
- What the assessment includes for the fee
- Whether a second measurement visit is charged
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
What do the tests before surgery cost? Answer
They are usually inside the assessment fee rather than charged per test, and a clinic that prices them individually should be able to list what each one is. If a test is added after the first visit, ask what finding prompted it.
What this depends on
- Which tests the fee includes
- Whether additional imaging is charged separately
- Whether the assessment is repeated before surgery
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
What a quote should include 6
The line items that turn a headline price into a real total.
What is included in the cost of laser eye surgery? Answer
A complete quote should state whether it covers the assessment, the procedure itself, medication, the follow-up visits, and any retreatment. Anything not stated is not included.
The two lines most often left out are the postoperative medication and the later follow-up visits. Neither is large on its own, and together they can move the real total noticeably.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Are follow-up visits included in the price? Answer
Often they are included for a defined period, and how long that period lasts is one of the most important lines in any quote, because it determines who pays for anything found later.
Ask specifically what happens after that period ends, and what the clinic charges for an unplanned visit. That question tends to produce a more informative answer than asking whether follow-up is included.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Does the price include medication? Answer
Sometimes. Postoperative drops are a real cost and are often listed separately, so it is worth asking whether they are supplied by the clinic or bought by you.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
What is an itemised quote, and why does it matter? Answer
A package name tells you a total; an itemised quote tells you what you are buying. The second is what you can compare between clinics, because two packages with the same total can contain different tests, different follow-up schedules and different policies on retreatment.
What this depends on
- Whether the assessment fee is separate
- Whether the medication is included
- Whether the retreatment policy is written down
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Is the consultation included in the price of surgery? Answer
Often it is deducted from the procedure fee if you proceed, and often it is charged whether or not you do. What matters is knowing which, because an assessment that is free until you commit is a different arrangement from a consultation fee.
What this depends on
- Whether the fee is refunded or deducted
- Whether the assessment is done by the surgeon or a technician
- Whether a second opinion visit is charged separately
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Why do some clinics charge for follow-up visits? Answer
Because the visits cost the clinic money, and a clinic that does not include them in the price is charging for what is used rather than spreading the cost. Neither arrangement is wrong, and a clinic that includes visits should be able to say how many.
What this depends on
- How many visits are included, and over what period
- Whether visits are charged if you go elsewhere for them
- Whether there is a charge for an out-of-hours contact
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Insurance & financing 5
When cover applies, and the payment options clinics offer.
Does insurance cover LASIK? Answer
Elective laser vision correction is usually not covered, because it is treatment for a refractive error rather than for a disease, and most policies exclude it explicitly.
Some employer plans do include it, so it is worth checking your own policy schedule rather than assuming. Ask the clinic for the procedure code and the diagnosis code before you call the insurer, since the answer often depends on both.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Does insurance cover SMILE? Answer
As with other elective refractive procedures, SMILE is usually excluded from standard health insurance in the UAE, though some employer plans include a refractive benefit and cover differs between policies.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Is financing available for eye surgery? Answer
Many clinics in the UAE offer instalment plans or accept payment through providers that split the cost, and the arrangements differ between clinics.
It is worth reading the terms rather than only the monthly figure, particularly whether any retreatment would be covered by the same plan.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Can I use my home-country insurance in Dubai? Answer
Occasionally, where the policy covers treatment abroad and pre-authorises it. For elective refractive surgery, most policies exclude it in any case, so the sequence is to check the exclusion first and the international cover second.
What this depends on
- Whether the policy covers treatment outside your country
- Whether refractive surgery is excluded as elective
- Whether pre-authorisation is required in advance
Compare clinics on what they include
Sources Ministry of Health and Prevention, United Arab Emirates , The Official Portal of the UAE Government
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
How can treatment in Dubai be paid for? Answer
Card and bank transfer are the ordinary methods, some clinics offer instalment arrangements through a finance provider, and direct insurance billing only applies where the procedure is covered and pre-authorised.
What this depends on
- Whether the clinic bills insurers directly
- Whether a finance plan is available and on what terms
- Whether the currency of the quote introduces a conversion cost
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Choosing between quotes 6
Comparing clinics on substance rather than on headline figures.
Why does laser eye surgery cost different amounts at different clinics? Answer
The main reasons are the technology in use, the surgeon’s experience, how much of the total is bundled into one figure, the location and running costs of the facility, and how many follow-up visits are included.
A low price is sometimes a genuinely lean operation and sometimes a quote that excludes what the higher one includes. The way to tell the difference is to compare the itemised contents rather than the totals.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Should I choose an eye clinic based only on price? Answer
Price is one of the least informative things to compare, because the cheapest quote and the most expensive one are often not selling the same thing.
The factors worth comparing are what is measured before surgery, who actually operates, what the quote includes, how follow-up is handled and what the retreatment policy is. Price is the output of those decisions rather than a substitute for them.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Is eye surgery cheaper overseas than in the UAE? Answer
It can be cheaper in some destinations, and the comparison only becomes meaningful once travel, accommodation, time off work and the cost of follow-up after you return are included.
The follow-up point is the one that catches people out. A procedure performed cheaply elsewhere can still need local aftercare, and not every clinic will take on the aftercare of a procedure performed somewhere else.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
Is there a risk in choosing the cheapest clinic? Answer
The risk is not that cheap treatment is bad. It is that an unusually low price usually means something has been left out, and the thing left out is often the assessment depth or the follow-up.
The specific questions that expose this are whether corneal tomography is part of the assessment, who performs the surgery, and what is included after it. A clinic that answers those clearly is worth more than the difference in price.
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
What should I check if a quote seems unusually cheap? Answer
Check what has been left out rather than what has been discounted. The common omissions are the assessment, the medication, follow-up visits beyond the first, and any provision for a second procedure if the result is not enough.
An unusually low figure is sometimes a genuinely lean clinic and sometimes a figure that applies to a narrower case than yours. Asking a clinic to itemise the quote, and to say what it would add for your measurements, settles the question in a way that comparing totals cannot.
What this depends on
- Which tests are included
- How many follow-up visits are included, and where
- What happens financially if an enhancement is needed
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
How do I compare two quotes for eye surgery? Answer
Line by line, in writing, with the same questions asked of both: per eye or both, which tests, which medication, how many follow-up visits, what happens if the result needs a second procedure, and who is available if something goes wrong at the weekend.
The one thing worth ignoring in a comparison is the total on its own. Two quotes that differ by a meaningful amount almost always differ in content rather than in the quality of the laser, and the content is the part you can check.
What this depends on
- Whether both quotes cover the same number of visits
- Whether both include the assessment and medication
- What each says about enhancement
Compare clinics on what they include
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
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Current procedure prices in Dubai and the UAE
How much each procedure costs depends on the clinic, so this table shows what is verified rather than what is typical. Where no verified figure exists yet, it says so.
| Procedure | Basis | Price |
|---|---|---|
| LASIK | Per eye, flap-based laser correction | Varies by clinic |
| Femto LASIK | Per eye, laser-created flap | Varies by clinic |
| SMILE | Per eye, lenticule extraction | Varies by clinic |
| SMILE Pro | Per eye, SMILE on a newer platform generation | Varies by clinic |
| PRK and TransPRK | Per eye, surface treatment | Varies by clinic |
| Implantable lens (phakic IOL) | Per eye, lens inserted without removing the natural lens | Varies by clinic |
| Cataract surgery | Per eye, including a standard intraocular lens | Varies by clinic |
| Refractive assessment | Per visit, including corneal imaging where stated | Varies by clinic |
| Comprehensive eye examination | Per visit, with dilation and imaging where stated | Varies by clinic |
Figures are shown in UAE dirhams. Where no verified figure exists, the table says so rather than estimating. No figure in this table has been verified from a named clinic's written quote yet, so every row reads “varies”. That is the honest answer rather than a missing one: there is no published tariff for elective refractive surgery in the UAE, and the only binding figure is the quote you are given.
What to ask instead of asking for an average
- Does the figure include the assessment, or is that charged separately?
- Is the postoperative medication supplied by the clinic or bought by me?
- How many follow-up visits are included, and what happens after that period?
- Is enhancement included, and under what conditions would the clinic perform it?
- If my cornea needs a different procedure after the assessment, does the price change?
These answers describe what is generally true. They are not a diagnosis and they cannot say whether a treatment is suitable for you, because suitability depends on measurements taken during an examination. Only a qualified ophthalmologist who has examined you can decide.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention
The federal health authority for the UAE, relevant to facilities licensed outside the Dubai Health Authority system.
Used for Explaining which authority licenses which facility.
Link checked 22 September 2026
- Health regulatory authorities in the United Arab Emirates
The UAE government’s own listing of the federal health authority and of the emirate-level health authorities, naming which part of the country each one covers.
Used for Explaining that more than one authority licenses healthcare in the UAE; Explaining which body to approach about a licensed facility.
Link checked 24 September 2026