Travelling Alone for Eye Surgery: A UK Nurse’s Lens Replacement in Prague
Two questions come up more than any others from people considering eye surgery abroad, and neither of them is about price. Can I do this on my own? And what actually happens on the day?
Sarah answers both. She is a nurse from the UK, she flew to Prague by herself, and she was filmed the morning after her surgery. She was not paid and nothing was scripted.
She did the research first, then made contact
I did a lot of research to find just the right place to have my lenses replaced. I discovered Clear Sight Abroad and started chatting to them on WhatsApp and email from the UK.
The detail worth noticing is how ordinary the first contact was. Not a form, not a sales call, a WhatsApp conversation from her own kitchen in her own time. For a decision this size that matters, because it lets you ask one question, think about the answer for two days, and ask the next.
They clearly set out a treatment plan for me, which I was very happy about.
A written plan before you commit is the thing to insist on wherever you go. It should name the procedure, the lens type, the number of days, what is included and what is not. If you are still deciding between lens types, our guide to the types of IOL lenses explains what each one does, and intraocular lens costs covers what each adds to a quote.
Travelling alone, which is the part people worry about
This is the question we are asked most often by patients who live alone, whose partner cannot take the time off, or who simply do not want to make a production of it.
You can bring a partner with you, you can come with your family, you can make it into a holiday, or you come on your own. I have had no problems coming on my own here. It has been really easy, really pleasant.
What made it workable was that the gaps were covered. The clinic recommended where to stay, transfers were arranged from the airport, and there was a named person she could contact at any point.
There was somebody with me all the time. There was somebody that I could contact all the time.
She also did what we would suggest anyone travelling alone does: she arrived with time in hand rather than landing the night before surgery.
Prague is beautiful, so I arrived and enjoyed some time in Prague.
That is not a sightseeing recommendation so much as a practical one. A day of margin absorbs a delayed flight, lets you find the clinic before you need it, and means you arrive at the appointment rested rather than frazzled.
The morning of the surgery, step by step
Her account of the day is the most useful part of the interview, because it is the part nobody can find out in advance.
- ✓She took a taxi from her hotel to the clinic, which she describes as straightforward
- ✓A Clear Sight Abroad representative was waiting for her when she arrived
- ✓The representative helped with translation and stayed with her until she went in for surgery
- ✓The surgeon explained each step as she went along
- ✓Roughly ten minutes per eye
- ✓Ellie was waiting outside afterwards and helped her into a taxi back to the hotel
- ✓She rested for the remainder of the day
There was a representative from Clear Sight Abroad there waiting for me. She helped me with any translations and was with me right up until I went in for the surgery.
One honest note on timing. Sarah describes about ten minutes per eye. Another patient in our other filmed interview describes four to five. Both are accurate: the operating time varies with the eye and the case, and a patient lying under a drape with no clock is estimating. The point they agree on is that it is over far sooner than the anticipation suggests.
What being awake for it is actually like
She is direct about having been frightened, which is the most useful thing a testimonial can be.
I was worried about being there with my eyes open and not being in control of the situation, but actually it was easier than I thought.
Her practical description of what is asked of you:
You need to lie there still and listen to what they are telling you. They give you a little wheel to hold and you just sit there and be patient and breathe and let them do what they need to do, and relax as much as you can. It is over so quickly.
And on pain, she is unambiguous and consistent with what patients report generally:
The surgery itself was painless. It was completely painless.
The eye is numbed with drops rather than an injection, and a mild sedative is usually available if you want one. You remain awake because the surgeon needs you to look where you are asked to look, which is precisely the part that sounds worse than it is.
The rest of that day, and the next morning
I went back to the hotel and rested for the rest of the day. As the day went on, my eyesight became clearer. And this is me the next morning, 24 hours after surgery.
Worth calibrating, as always. A clear improvement within a day is common, but it is not the finished result. Vision continues to settle for weeks as the eye heals, and with multifocal lenses the brain needs time to adapt to near and intermediate distances. Some patients see a step change immediately, others improve gradually. Both are normal.
On the comparison she draws with home
Sarah says something about UK healthcare that we are going to quote rather than paraphrase, and then put in proportion, because she works in the system she is comparing to.
It has totally restored my faith in healthcare, actually. From being in the UK, this is totally different. People are very caring, they are very professional, everything is so clean.
What she is describing is the experience of being a patient: attention, time, cleanliness, being spoken to. That is a fair thing for her to judge and she is better placed than most to judge it. It is not a statement about clinical standards, and we are not going to present it as one. UK ophthalmology is excellent, and the reason British patients travel is overwhelmingly cost and waiting times rather than quality of surgery. That comparison is worked through with actual numbers in our guide to lens replacement in the UK versus the Czech Republic.
Her advice to anyone still deciding
Get in touch and let them talk you through it. Trust them, because it is easier than you think.
Stripped of the enthusiasm, what transfers from her experience is a short checklist:
- ✓Get the treatment plan in writing before you commit to anything
- ✓Ask who will meet you, where, and who you contact if something worries you
- ✓Arrive at least a day early rather than the night before
- ✓Book a hotel close to the clinic, or take the recommendation and check it yourself
- ✓Plan for the day after surgery to be a rest day, not a travel day
- ✓If you are coming alone, confirm transfers both ways before you fly
Frequently asked questions
Can I travel abroad for lens replacement surgery on my own?+
Yes, and many patients do. What makes it work is arranging the gaps in advance: airport transfers both ways, a hotel within easy reach of the clinic, someone to meet you at your appointments, and a named contact you can reach at any point. Sarah, the nurse in this interview, travelled alone and said she never felt alone. If you have another medical condition that makes being by yourself unwise, say so at consultation and it can be planned around.
Are you awake during lens replacement surgery?+
Yes. The eye is numbed with drops rather than a general anaesthetic, and a mild calming tablet is usually available if you want one. You stay awake because the surgeon needs you to look in the direction you are asked to. Patients are typically given something to hold and asked to lie still and breathe. It is the part that sounds worst in advance and is most often described afterwards as easier than expected.
How long does lens replacement surgery take?+
Only minutes per eye. Sarah estimates about ten, another patient in our interviews estimates four to five, and both are plausible: operating time varies with the case, and a patient under a drape has no clock. The appointment as a whole takes a few hours once preparation and initial recovery are included.
What happens on the day of surgery?+
In Sarah's case: a taxi to the clinic, a representative waiting to meet her, help with translation, staying with her until she went in, the surgeon explaining each step during the procedure, the representative waiting outside afterwards, and a taxi back to the hotel to rest. The specifics vary by clinic, which is exactly why you should ask for the day to be described to you before you book.
How soon after surgery can I fly home?+
Your clinic decides this based on your eyes and your post-operative check, so treat any general answer with caution. Plan for the day after surgery to be a rest day and a check-up day rather than a travel day, and build a night of margin into your return booking rather than the minimum you think you can get away with.
Do I need to speak Czech at the clinic?+
No. Consultations and surgery are conducted in English at our partner clinic in Prague, and a Clear Sight Abroad representative accompanies you to appointments and assists with anything that needs translating, as Sarah describes in this interview. Our team also handles German.
Should I book a hotel myself or take the clinic's recommendation?+
Either works. A recommendation is useful because it is usually close to the clinic and used to patients arriving after surgery, which matters when your eyes are sensitive and you would rather not navigate a city. Check it yourself before booking, exactly as you would any hotel, and confirm what is and is not covered in your package.
More filmed interviews are collected on our patient stories page, and verified Google reviews are on our reviews page.
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Note: this account describes one patient’s experience, published with her consent. She was not paid for the interview. Outcomes after eye surgery depend on your starting prescription, the lens chosen and how you heal, and they differ from person to person. Nothing on this page is medical advice or a promise of any particular result.
