Accord Eye Care, Tayside.
The UK’s Most Affordable Cataract Surgery — Without Compromise
Accord Eye Care is currently the lowest priced provider listed on TreatCompare in the UK. But affordability is only part of the story. Our experienced surgeons deliver safe, high-quality cataract surgery using a transparent pricing model designed around your needs, not upselling.
For too many people, cataract treatment means choosing between long waiting lists or expensive private clinics.
Accord Eye Care is changing that. Our team of experienced NHS surgeons provide safe, effective cataract surgery at a reasonable cost, without the wait.Time and sight are extraordinarily precious gifts and we want to be part of putting that back in your hands.
ACCORD EYE CARE
Serving Scotland best by being focused on what matters most
Cataracts are not an illness, simply a clouding of the lens of the eye from a life well lived! In years gone by they were an inevitable slow thief of sight. Thankfully modern surgery is 98% successful in restoring sight when the rest of the eye is healthy. So, if you are thinking of cataract surgery for yourself or a loved one; welcome! We built this company for you. Cataract surgery is complex, but we strongly believe your choices in the journey back to sight shouldn’t be.
How it works
We recommend you read about our company values, reviews from our patients and then do your own research. There are a fair number of private providers throughout Scotland. But first let us explain why we believe you should choose us as your partners on this exciting journey…
FAQs
The prospect of any surgery inevitably prompts lots of questions, and it’s important to feel informed every step of the way. Here we’ve answered some of the most common queries about what happens during the cataract surgery journey; from the first visit, through the procedure itself, to the aftercare and first days after, and the whole recovery. We address the speed of return of sight, and what to do if you experience any concerns at any point in your time with us (which only ends when you are satisfied with your sight and have enjoyed full recovery).
One eye or both?
The reason we develop cataracts is simply because we have one too many candles on the birthday cake! Given that your right and left eyes are exactly the same age, some degree of cataract being present in both is far more often the rule than the exception. For this reason most patients elect to have the two done together. This way they heal together and there is no period of uncomfortable imbalance when one is done and the other not. Our team have the most experience with this in the NHS in the UK.
Can everyone have both eyes done?
Unfortunately no, it is not suitable for everyone. Some conditions that make one eye technically more challenging for surgery prohibit doing both the same day. Your optometrist and ophthalmologist will tell you if any of these limitations are present in your eyes, and if so would advise you to have one at a time.
If I have both eyes done, will I be able to get home okay?
We do not use any patch over the eyes which you can ‘use’ immediately, vision improving rapidly over the first 24-48 hours and then gradually fine tuning as your eyes heal over the 4-6 weeks that follow until you can get your first post-surgery check by an optometrist.
This is good enough vision to cook a meal, use a phone and see medications for most people even if you live alone, though you may want a relative to stay with you the first night at home.
Is it more risky to have two eyes done the same day?
We use different instruments, and different manufacturing batches of all consumables wherever possible, for each eye, and our surgical team all re-scrub between sides. This way the eyes are as different in terms of risk as if done on two separate days but joined into one by a Time Machine. Indeed the risk to the eyes is the same if they are done 5 minutes apart or 5 months apart.
What should I expect leading up to the procedure on the day?
When you arrive and are greeted at reception, we will confirm your booking and time slot. We will do everything we can to make you feel welcome and at ease. We will never forget that this is a big day and nervousness is normal. Everyone you meet will be there solely to give you the best experience, and the highest possible degree of confidence in our service. Pupil enlarging drops and anaesthetic drops are placed in your eye as you sit in the waiting area. This means the surface of the eye is numb and we will have access to the cataract through the large pupil. Antiseptic drops are then instilled and you will sit in the space outside theatre with the nurse that will accompany you through the procedure. The nurse will explain what to expect and will answer all your questions.
How long does the operation usually last?
The procedure time itself is usually fairly short, though it will vary depending how dense the cataract is. Obviously the total journey time depends if you are having one or both eyes treated – but as a guide it usually takes around 15 to 20 minutes in total if you are having both eyes treated (you will have a short rest between).
Pricing
At Accord Eye Care, we believe clear vision should be accessible and pricing should be transparent. We do not offer a budget lens: our commitment is to choose the best lens at every point, suited to your needs. Our cataract surgery pricing is straightforward, giving you complete confidence and peace of mind from start to finish. There are no ‘surprise extras’.
| One eye | Two eyes same day | |
|---|---|---|
| Monofocal lens | £1,750 | £3,500 |
| Monofocal Toric lens | £2,000 | £4,000 |
| Enhanced Depth of Focus lens | £2,250 | £4,500 |
| Mulifocal lens | £2,250 | £4,500 |
| Clinic visit (deducted if proceeding to surgery) | £150 | - |
| YAG laser capsule polish | £150 | £300 |
| Prescription charge | £10.00 | - |
Find us
Accord Eye Care,
42 Dock Street,
DD1 3DR
Our Premises
Our Team
Our highly skilled team bring with them many years of NHS experience, having cared for patients across a wide range of eye conditions. Each of our doctors is dedicated to delivering the same standard of expertise and compassion you would expect in the NHS, combined with the personalised attention of private care.
John Ellis
Consultant
Bio
Dr John Ellis MBChB, FRCOphth, MPH, PhD, Dip HEcc applied to Glasgow University to do engineering, and then transferred his application to medicine. Made for an interesting interview! He took 5 years to become a Doctor, then 5 more to become a Mister (surgical exams). He did a PhD to become a Doctor again (another 5 years). He thinks he’ll stop there! He did retinal surgery in Dundee for 20 years, then took up the cataract service redesign lead in Dundee in 2022.
Dundee has innovated in four domains to try to achieve the High Volume needed by the post austerity/Covid 19 patient backlog. Numbers on lists, surgical numbers by trainee and number of immediate sequential surgery are the highest in the NHS UK. Waiting time from optometry referral to secondary care was still too high (180 days) and with the institution of digital referral (Lutra Health) and digital consent, this wait was reduced to 11 days, which may be the lowest in Scotland. If you have attended a participating optometrist in Tayside they will have used this same high fidelity system to inform Accord of your eye measurements. He is currently president of the Scottish Ophthalmic Club. His key publications and PhD are in the field of diabetic eye disease. We are interested in the carbon savings of bilateral same-day surgery and are conducting ongoing research on the subject.
Our NHS innovation and the STV visit link are here for your interest.
Dr Obaid Kousha
Consultant
Bio
Dr Obaid Kousha MA(Oxon), FRCOphth is a newly appointed consultant at Ninewells Hospital. He completed the highest number of cataract operations by any trainee in the UK, at the time of consultant appointment. He is finishing a SCREDS academic training, completing his PhD, working as Lecturer at St Andrews University, and applying for an MRC grant for developing our work in Indonesia (LMIC) which will be funded by 10% of the profits of Accord Eye Care. We have had this link for over 15 years and it has funded around 36 visits of Indonesian ophthalmologists to the UK for short fellowships/clinical exposure, and numerous teaching trips to South Sulawesi and other parts of the Nation.
He and Dr Ellis, and our cataract service manager (CSM), RCN Murray have an editorial on the ‘same day, both eyes’ and the high volume venture they co-designed in Ninewells
Cataract surgery: a public health crisis with your name on it. (Eye (2025) 39:613–615; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-03502-6)
Dr Caroline Cobb
Consultant
Bio
Caroline Cobb trained in Ophthalmology at Ninewells hospital, she undertook additional glaucoma training with Professor Azuara-Blanco in Aberdeen and spent time at the Wills Eye Institute in Philadelphia USA. She has been involved in a number of national RCT surgical trials such as EAGLE and TAGS, she is secretary of the Scottish Glaucoma Club, on council for the Scottish Ophthalmology Club but most importantly has delivered medical and surgical glaucoma care as a consultant in NHSTayside since 2005
Whitney Murray
Cataract Service Manager
Bio
CSM Whitney Murray RCN is the Cataract Service Manager for Accord Eye Care. She was joint lead of the eye theatres in Ninewells for seven years, and was involved as advisor on the National Cataract Service Redesign working group from Scottish Government in 2022-23. She co-designed the NHS High Volume service that has showed at academic meetings UK wide. She has hosted nursing teams visiting Dundee to see her redesign of the logistics and nursing service, from 9 Health Boards in the UK and Australia. She handles all the logistics for Accord and leads the high performance nursing team. She is passionate about quality and making caring connection with our patients and their relatives.
Hannah Wilson
Lead Optometrist
Bio
BscHons McOptom Dip TP (IP) studied at Ulster University in Northern Ireland, moving to Edinburgh to complete her pre-registration year. She currently works in a busy city centre Optometry practice experienced in dealing with common and more complex referrals to secondary care.
Hannah recently completed a post graduate diploma in Independent Prescribing which included a placement at the Princess Alexandria Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh.
Like her colleagues, she is committed to bringing a patient centred approach to cataract management, enabling a timely and positive outcome for the wider population.
Partnership
Tayside Complete Health and Accord Eye Care work in collaboration to provide eye care in Tayside. We share expertise, Human Resources, and the heritage of wanting to give you the quality of care you expect, when you need it, at an affordable price. We are both independently owned and local employers, invested in our community and bringing world class healthcare close to your home.
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Book a Consultation
Based right in the city centre of Dundee, our friendly specialst team are ready to meet you to discuss your cataravct procedure