Professor David Gartry is Consultant Ophthalmologist to Moorfields Eye Hospital, and Visiting Professor to the faculty of Visual Sciences at City University, London. Today, his patients include royalty, A-listers, famous musicians, celebrity chefs, as well as high-flying business men and women.
He was one of the first surgeons in the world to perform laser eye surgery, way back in November 1989. That gives him the longest experience in this field of any eye surgeon in the UK. He has performed over 20,000 treatments to date, which is more than some clinics.
What makes him different? As the person we might consider the father of laser eye surgery in the UK, Professor Gartry tops the list of the 10 best laser eye surgeons in the UK, based on thousands of patient reviews since 2002.
What else should I know? Professor Gartry underwent laser eye surgery (LASIK) himself in October 2000, so he fully understands the process from both the doctor’s and the patient’s perspective. He recently founded the Wimpole Eye Clinic to help more people enjoy freedom from glasses.
☝ So is he the one? You’re the only one that can answer that. If you would like a second opinion, you can find the top-rated eye surgery clinic near you using our simple tool here, and book a free consultation with an eye expert to discuss your options.
1. Training and Prizes
Graduating in 1978 with a first class honours degree in Optometry from Glasgow Caledonian University, David then completed his pre-registration year at Moorfields Eye Hospital in 1979. With the first place in the UK professional qualifying examinations under his belt, he was awarded the Colebrook and Porter prizes of The British College of Optometrists, the Master’s Prize of The Spectacle Makers Company (SMC) and the J Stephen Dawson Memorial award of The Institute of Optometry.
He then read Medicine at University College London, where he won several academic awards including the annual national Sir Stewart Duke-Elder prize in Ophthalmology. He became a Fellow of The Royal College of Surgeons and The Royal College of Ophthalmologists in 1988. And that same year, while at St Thomas’ Hospital, he became involved in the first research work evaluating the then new excimer laser to treat corneal surface disease.
From 1989 to 1992, Professor Gartry held a full-time Iris Fund Research Fellowship, investigating the potential clinical applications of the laser and in November 1989, and became the first surgeon in The United Kingdom to perform laser eye surgery (photorefractive keratectomy or PRK).
He was responsible for the selection and monitoring of all patients in the original St Thomas’ Hospital research trials. And this culminated in the a thesis entitled ‘The Development of Excimer Laser Corneal Surgery in the UK’, which earned him the higher degree of Doctor of Medicine from The University of London.
2. Qualifications
Progessor Gartry moved to Moorfields Eye Hospital in 1992, and from January 1998 onwards he was responsible for the first LASIK (laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis) research protocols there. He has published over 50 scientific papers relating to laser corneal surgery, and has spoken at numerous scientific meetings around the world.
In 1991, he was awarded The Storz Medal and in 1993 The Iris Fund Triennial Award. He has written several book chapters and co-edited 3 textbooks: ‘Excimer Lasers in Ophthalmology – Principles and Practice’ (1997, Martin Dunitz), ‘Cataract Surgery’ (2003, BMA publishing) and ‘Corneal Surgery’ (2013, Springer Verlag).
In February 1995 he delivered one of the prestigious discourse lectures to The Royal Institution of Great Britain, a leading scientific society, and following this was made a member of The Royal Institution. In 2006 he was appointed Visiting Professor to City University and was Refractive Service Director at Moorfields from 2006 to 2013.
He holds The Royal College of Ophthalmologists’ Certificate in Laser Refractive Surgery (2007), and was entered into the 2007 edition of ‘Who’s Who’. In 2010, he was awarded an honorary doctor of science degree (DSc) by Glasgow Caledonian University. And in 2013, he received a lifetime fellowship of the College of Optometrists in recognition of his contributions to the field of ophthalmic surgery.
3. Prices
Laser eye surgery costs and lens replacement surgery costs are fixed and easy to digest at the Wimpole Eye Clinic. These are the latest prices (for both eyes) for laser eye surgery at this clinic with surgery by David Gartry:
| Eye Surgery Procedure | Price (both eyes) |
|---|---|
| Initial Consultation | £195 |
| IntraLASIK / LASEK with Wavefront | £4,480 |
| IntraLASIK/ LASEK with Wavefront (Higher Prescriptions) | £4,980 |
| Surgery package for standard treatment with a premium monofocal lens | £3,517 |
| Surgery package for laser assisted treatment with a premium monofocal lens | £4,138 |
| Special order/custom made lens | From £575 |
So how do these prices compare? Unlike with high street clinics such as Optical Express or Ultralase, the initial consultation with Professor Gartry is not free. Plus, any follow-up consultations will slap another £150 on top.
The surgery costs are also higher than at some other eye clinics. Yes, all procedures comes with Wavefront technology as standard, which is a high-precision AI-enhanced laser. But remember other treatment centres will sometimes give their own name to their advanced laser technology – at Optical Express, it’s called iDesign, at Optegra it’s Clairvu.
Are there any hidden costs? Yes and no. These prices include extensive eye tests before treatment, and any aftercare visits will be free for the first two years following surgery.
But patients will usually need two to three follow-up consultations, which are £150 a pop. If you suffer from very high prescriptions or astigmatism, your cost of surgery may even be higher than the prices above.
If these prices are more than you would feel comfortable paying, you might like to consider a leading high street clinic, as most will offer monthly payment options for as little as £30 a month for two years.
4. Professor Gartry Review: The Verdict
David Gartry continues to be at at the forefront of technological innovation in laser eye surgery. But he actually specialises in cataract surgery, and was one of the first UK surgeons to evaluate and adopt the latest femtosecond laser.
So, is Professor Gartry the right eye surgeon for you? Of course, that all depends on where you live, and what you’re looking for.
To find out, you might like to book a consultation with Professor Gartry to meet him, and discuss your eye care in detail. This will cost £195. Or, you can talk to an eye expert commitment-free by finding a well-reviewed eye surgery clinic that offers full eye tests and a surgery consultation at no cost at all.
☝ To find a top-rated laser eye surgery clinic near you, just click here to use our simple quote tool, and receive a tailored match and quote from a clinic you can trust.
Professor David S Gartry Reviews
Kiera Farrelly
LASEK: From -7 And -7.50 → Better than 20/20 Vision!
Having worn glasses from the age of 7, short sightedness had been a lifelong problem. Throughout my teenage years, my prescription kept increasing (as did the thickness of the lenses on my glasses!) and my eyes became increasingly sore from wearing contact lenses for the majority of the time. It was then that I decided to proceed with laser eye surgery. I decided that even if I could not achieve perfect vision, anything would be better than the very blurry world that I was currently experiencing.
At the age of 21 my eyes had stabilized enough for laser eye surgery. I mentioned to my local optician that I would like to have laser eye surgery and without hesitation he recommended Professor David Gartry at Moorfields Eye Hospital. I swiftly booked a consultation and haven’t looked back since!
On arrival at the consultation they conduct many different optical tests to determine whether you are suitable for laser eye surgery (some of which were rather new and exciting!) before Professor Gartry then looks at the results and makes a decision. I was initially disappointed to be told that due to my age and high prescription (-7 and -7.50), LASIK (the most common and quicker healing procedure) was not suitable. Instead Professor Gartry recommended LASEK and explained the procedure and recovery time. After some thought, I decided to proceed with LASEK.
5 weeks later in August 2014 and I was back at Moorfields Eye Hospital for my surgery. It was a strange mix of emotions– excited but apprehensive all at the same time. However I was quickly greeted and reassured by the nurses. I was then taken into the room for the surgery. What happened next was probably one of the most memorable experiences of my surgery. Before the surgery, Professor Gartry told me to look at the clock on the wall without my glasses on. It has to be said that I couldn’t even see the clock on the wall, just a blob of white!
The surgery itself flew past in a bit of a blur. It was completely painless and I was in the operating room for only 15 minutes. On completion, Professor Gartry then asked me to look at the clock and tell him what time it was. WOW! It was crystal clear and I could tell the time for the first time in my life without wearing glasses!
I was then taken into a side room and administered with a rather large bag of eyedrops to use for the next 4 weeks to help with the healing process. The first day involved putting in lubricating eye drops every 15 minutes to cope with the dryness. However this was extended to every hour from the second day onwards. I had prepared myself for the worst after reading many blogs and reviews prior to surgery. However the healing process was nowhere near as bad as I had anticipated! My eyes were a little heavy for the first few days but I had very little pain. My vision was incredibly blurry but that was to be expected. I had numerous eye drops administered and had to sleep with a pair of goggles on my face to stop me from accidentally poking my eyes whilst asleep.
On Day 5 I headed back to Moorfields for my first check-up. The bandage contact lenses were removed and my eyes were tested. I was initially a little disappointed that the eyesight chart was still rather blurry but I was reassured that this was completely normal and that my eyes were healing well. 2-3 weeks after surgery and I started to notice that my eyesight was beginning to improve. I could read road signs as a passenger in a car and the blurriness was beginning to subside.
I went back to Moorfields for a check-up 1 month after surgery. This was an optional check up but I thought it best to attend as I was concerned that my eyesight was fluctuating throughout the day. However I was informed that this was normal and that my eyes were now driving standard which reassured me a lot! From there my eyes kept improving and I noticed that they were getting better by the day – it was incredibly exciting to open my eyes in the morning and see every detail or just to see what shampoo I was using in the shower! I continued to use lubricating eye drops (Carmellose Sodium) for 3 months post-surgery as I found that my eyes would often get quite sore when removing eye make up. By Christmas, this had decreased and I rarely had to use the eye drops.
In March 2015, I went back for my final check-up at Moorfields. Usually most people have this at 3 months post-surgery but due to other circumstances, I could not attend before then. I knew that I had good eyesight, but I was completely thrilled to find out that I now had better than 20/20 vision! Especially after being told by Professor Gartry that it can be unusual to have a perfect prescription after LASEK.
It is safe to say that I am absolutely thrilled with the results from my LASEK surgery. I would not hesitate to recommend Professor Gartry and Moorfields to anyone interested in undergoing laser eye surgery. Although it took some time for my eyes to settle after surgery, the end result has definitely been worth it! I now have (hopefully!) many years to enjoy my new eyesight. I have been informed that I may need reading glasses in many years time like most people do. However for now I will make the most of waking up every morning with crystal clear vision, rather than rummaging around for the pair of thick glasses next to my bed!
Marion Manton
Excellent all perfect
Ben Holden
I had a very high prescription, -9 and -10. I was advised Lasek was the best treatment and that the operation would not lead to perfect vision given the high prescription. The result, three months later, is -0.75 and -0.5 which allows me to do everything that I want to do without any form of aid. I can run, cycle, swim and drive without glasses. The advice from Professor Gartry was honest and open throughout. There was never any pushiness at the initial consultation and I was able to make an informed decision to go ahead based on the information provided. The actual operation was quicker than I thought it would be and any nervousness was put to one side by the professionalism of Professor Gartry and his team. Equally the aftercare was excellent. My only regret about the whole treatment was not having it done 10 years ago! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Professor Gartry to anyone who was thinking of having it done.
Patrick Burgess
Smooth, sensitive, reassuring- outstanding!
Fiona Boxall
Brilliant. I can see wonderfully what more could I want.
Hollie Brader
My experience of laser eye surgery with Prof Gartry has been completely life-changing. I have been extremely short sighted (-8.5) for as long as I can remember and totally reliant on glasses and contact lenses. I had LASEK surgery in December 2016 – the procedure was incredibly quick and painless, a little bit uncomfortable but it was over very quickly and Prof. Gartry talked me through each step in a very calm and soothing voice. For the next week or so I had blurry, light sensitive vision and my eyes were often dry, but my sight improved and the discomfort decreased every day. Now, three months later, I have almost 20/20 vision and my eyes have never felt healthier! Prof Gartry and all of the staff at his clinic have been consistently helpful and supportive throughout the entire experience. Before the surgery, they were always available to answer my (very long list!) of questions and the after-care since the surgery has been second-to-none. Upon leaving the clinic on the day of the LASEK, I was given a huge bag full of different eye drops and clear instructions on which ones to use and when, and I was also given a direct number to call if I came into any difficulties; this level of care and support was very reassuring. I would highly recommend Prof Gartry and Moorfields Eye Hospital. The entire experience could not have been any better and I will always be so grateful to Prof Gartry for allowing me to see without glasses/contact lenses and for all of his support and care.
Emily Phipson
Surgery was quick and pain-free with no problems. Eyes have now settled down and 20/20 vision. I am very pleased I had the surgery
Tahiti Procopi
Has been great, best purchase ever made! Had a top up in my right eye which has helped further. Many thanks.
Rory Hishon
I am very pleased with my outcome. Before the treatment, I had extremely high astigmatism in both eyes (around -5.5), as well as some moderate short-sightedness. I have not worn glasses since the treatment, and can now see as well without them as I could with them before the treatment. I can drive, watch television (and read subtitles), read clocks from a distance, and see people’s faces clearly in meetings! Things I could never do before without reaching for my glasses. Thank you.
Rachel Peirse
I am more than delighted with the outcome of my LASEK surgery. I had myopia of -10 and -2 astygmatism when I first came to see Professor Gartry. A year after having LASEK surgery in both eyes I had a prescription of -1.25 myopia in my right eye and -4.75 in my left. I was pleased with the huge difference it had made to my vision but wondered whether it would be possible for the vision in my left eye to be closer to the vision in my right. Professor Gartry was able to retreat the left eye to balance the two and now I am -1 in both eyes! I understand that retreatments are rarely necessary after LASEK treatment so I was unlucky in that respect but feel extremely lucky to have been recommended Professor Gartry, to have been under his care and to have near perfect vision now. I can’t recommend him highly enough.
J. Golstein
Extremly professional, very kind and well trained staff.
