Balbriggan at a glance
- People in Balbriggan
- 24,322CSO Census 2022, Fingal
- Aged 20 to 39
- 25%5,991 people (Dublin: 31%)
- Aged 45 to 64
- 23%5,649 people (Dublin: 23%)
- To the city centre
- 37 min37 km by car, outside rush hour
- To Sandyford
- 45 min57 km by car, outside rush hour
- Laser, per eye
- €800 to €2,600Dublin price guide
Getting to the clinic from Balbriggan
Most of Dublin's laser eye clinics are in the city centre and in south county Dublin around Sandyford and Carrickmines, both on the Luas Green line. From Balbriggan, the city centre is the nearer of the two by car: the city centre about 37 minutes and Sandyford about 45 minutes, outside rush hour. Balbriggan has a station on the northern commuter line, near the Meath border.
Plan on about six visits: the assessment, the treatment, the next day, about a week, and later checks at three months and a year. You can't drive yourself home after treatment. Have someone collect you or book a taxi, bring sunglasses because light will feel harsh, and leave the Luas or DART for another day.
Age and the treatment that fits
About 5,991 people in Balbriggan are aged 20 to 39, the age most people have laser treatment once their prescription settles, and 5,649 are 45 to 64, when reading glasses arrive and lens replacement starts to make sense.
For everyday prescriptions, LASIK, LASEK or PRK and SMILE; for high prescriptions or thin corneas, an implantable lens.
What it costs
| Treatment | Per eye | Both eyes |
|---|---|---|
| LASIK | €1,500 to €2,600 | €3,000 to €5,200 |
| LASEK, PRK or TransPRK | €800 to €2,600 | €1,600 to €5,200 |
| SMILE | €2,600 | €5,200 |
| Implantable contact lens (ICL) | €2,900 to €3,900 | €5,800 to €7,800 |
| Lens replacement (RLE) | €2,900 to €3,700 | €5,800 to €7,400 |
Choosing a clinic
Ask who will operate and look the surgeon up on the Medical Council's register: an eye surgeon practising as a specialist should be on its Specialist Division, in ophthalmology.
Give yourself at least a week between meeting the surgeon and deciding, as the Royal College of Ophthalmologists advises, and check the deposit is refundable.
Our assessment guide lists the questions to bring.
Treatments and visits
Questions from Balbriggan
Where is the nearest laser eye clinic to Balbriggan?
Dublin's clinics are mostly in the city centre and around Sandyford and Carrickmines. From Balbriggan, the city centre is nearer by car, about 37 minutes outside rush hour.
How do I get home to Balbriggan after laser eye surgery?
By car with someone else driving, or by taxi. You can't drive yourself, and public transport is uncomfortable with sore, light-sensitive eyes.
Does laser eye surgery cost more near Balbriggan?
No. Dublin clinics charge in the same range as the rest of Ireland: €800 to €2,600 per eye for laser.
Who contacts me if I enquire from Balbriggan?
One Dublin eye clinic, not five. They contact you to arrange an assessment. Nothing is booked until you say yes.