Mr Daya is Medical Director and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon of the Corneo Plastic Unit and Eye Bank at the Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Trust, East Grinstead.
He is a renowned expert in the field and ranks in our list of the 10 best laser eye surgeons, based on thousands of patient reviews on Lasik Eyes since 2002.
In 1996, Mr Daya founded the Centre for Sight – a high-end provider at the forefront of laser eye surgery, laser lens replacement, cataract and corneal transplants.
But is he the right surgeon for you? Finding a laser eye surgeon you feel happy with is always a personal choice. If you would like a second opinion, Lasik Eyes is making it easy to find a trusted ophthalmologist in your areas, and helps readers book a free consultation with an eye expert to discuss your options.
☝ To find a top-rated laser eye surgery clinic near you, feel free to use our simple quote tool, and receive a tailored match and quote from a clinic you can trust.
1. Qualifications
After graduating from the Royal College of Surgeons in 1984 Mr Daya completed an internship at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
He then completed his training in the United States completing residencies at NY Downtown Hospital (1985 to 1988) and the Catholic Medical Centre at Cornell University (1988 to 1991). He went on to become the Director of Cornea and External Disease at the Catholic Medical Centre.
Today, Mr Daya serves on numerous committees, including:
- The Medical Advisory Board of the Eye Bank Association of America
- Cornea committees of both European and American Societies of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ESCRS, ASCRS)
- International Council for UK on the International Society of Refractive Surgery (ISRS)
- Refractive sub committee of the ESCRS and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists
- Board of Directors of the Cornea Society (USA)
2. Expertise
Mr Daya is a non-London based entry onto the list of the 10 best laser eye surgeons, shortlisted thanks to thousands of patient reviews on Lasik Eyes since 2002.
What’s more, Mr Daya was the first to perform LASIK laser vision correction in the UK, and he has become an expert in the field. As well as serving on the committees mentioned above, he has also appeared as an expert on a number of TV programs, including some on the BBC and ITV.
In addition to expertise in Laser refractive surgery, Mr Daya is internationally renowned for his work in stem cell transplantation (featured on BBC, ITV, Sky News, ABC News USA etc.), corneal transplantation and refractive cataract surgery.
3. The Centre for Sight
The Centre For Sight was set up because Mr Daya was disgruntled with how many private eye care centres were run. He as on a mission to provide patients with world class medical care.
He built the Centre for Sight as a “Centre of Excellence” in refractive surgery, providing the utmost in preoperative and postoperative care and first class levels of training for other surgeons and nurses throughout the country.
The Centre for Sight was the UK’s first provider of Intralase, the femtosecond laser used for cutting flaps in Lasik rather than bladed keratomes. This increases the safety of Laser vision correction, and provides better outcomes, according to the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCO).
4. Patient Reviews for Sheraz Daya
Here are some recent independent customer reviews left on Lasik Eyes for Mr Daya:
I am very happy with my experience at the centre and would recommend them to all my friends and family. Now after my surgery, my dream is to enjoy the rest of my life without the need for spectacles. – Christopher Michel
5 stars, excellent surgeon, excellent facility. Overall experience was fantastic. A very sleek and professional service all round. Very friendly atmosphere. Would do it again! Will certainly recommend Centre for Sight. – Madeleine Edwards-Cook
Fantastic Experience! Staff at Centre for Sight were amazing. Dr Sheraz Daya is great. My vision is better than 20/20. It has been life changing. The results have given me freedom, and they have been better than expected. This is the ‘New Me’ and I feel ecstatic! – Jenny Kingsford
5. The Verdict
So, is Mr Daya the right eye surgeon for you? Of course, that all depends on where you live, and what you’re looking for.
Mr Daya has been at the forefront of his profession for while. That said having his practice in East Grinstead means you might be suited to someone a little closer to you.
With eye surgery considered a safe elective surgery by the General Medical Council (GMC), there are plenty of quality surgeons and clinics to choose from – and you’ll want to meet them before deciding.
☝ 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.
Mr Sheraz Daya Reviews
Don Sinclair
My eyesight was getting worse and my optician said that I had the beginnigs of cateracts in both eyes. Also I had worn varifocal glasses since I was 45, I am now 71. Mr Sheraz Daya and the Centre for Sight had been recommended to me by several friends including an optician golfing mate. So I took the plunge and went to Centre for Sight at East Grinstead for the very thourough assessment and I was told that I was suitable for multifocal iol’s. I had the procedures at Oxshott with the follow up checks in East Grinstead. The whole process was very straightforward and the most painful part was the small prick when the canula was inserted into my arm. Next day I was able to do away with my glasses and can read the small print. If anybody is procrastinating about going ahead with lens replacement at Centre for Sight I have no hesitation in recommending mr Sheraz Daya and his wonderful team.
Pauline Homewood
Very happy with results. Care and politeness of all concerned superb. Everyone from reception, clinical and theatre staff to surgeon gave me wonderful attention and treatment.
John Jaquiss
I just want to say how awesome it is, I am so happy!!!
After wearing reading glasses from the age of 10 years, followed by Lasik treatment in 2009, I learned from a friend how wonderful total lens replacement surgery is.
Right eye operation 8th June followed by left eye on the 10th June, I can only describe the results as awesome.
My vision has never been so good and gets better and better all of the time.
It makes me feel so good as I see new things much more clearly.
My very special thanks to Mr Sheraz Daya and Ms Marcela Espinosa Lagana. they are both so passionate about there work and how they help me as a patient. I am so pleased. The whole team at The Centre For Sight are such lovely people it is a delight and pleasure to have my treatment there and I feel so relaxed and happy too.
Thank you.
Emily Giddings
Absolutely amazing… Fantastic… Terrific… cant think of any other words… well I can think of many but Just “BLOWN AWAY”!!! Its the best thing I’ve got.
Words cannot describe how the Implantable Contact Lens Laser eye surgery at Centre for Sight has affected my life… I am blown away and quite tearful over it. I had my eye surgery because I had very poor vision. I used to wear contact lenses and have been wearing them since the age of year 13 and had to revert to wearing glasses.
As well as being terribly short sighted, my near vision was deteriorating and the contact lenses would not accommodate it. After which I was not confident wearing glasses at all.
Centre for Sight is local to me and has great reputation. My experience was fantastic, I am blown away… Amazing!!!
Just might burst into tears. Really Amazing.
Shivanthy Ratnarajan
Remarkably clear and sharp, I can’t believe it! Now I can exercise & keep fit without the annoying glasses – all thanks to Centre for Sight.
Now that we have finally had some decent summer weather I can wear my sunglasses and not have to think about putting in my contact lenses first. I can’t wait to go scuba diving again and this time actually see the fish and coral clearly!
I am an active person who likes to exercise, dive and ski – not ideally activities for someone you needs glasses.
My husband who is an Ophthalmologist insisted that only Mr Daya would be going near my eyes. He has an international reputation for achieving excellent results and is an innovator in the field of refractive surgery.
The whole team including the reception and nursing to staff made me feel at ease throughout my pre-operative visit as well as the day of the surgery.
I am quite squeamish when it comes to my eyes but Mr Daya took the time to explain the procedure in just the right amount of detail to allay my concerns. The environment was calm and the team was very skilled and organised.
I will be definitely recommending my other doctor colleagues who are considering LASIK to come to Centre For Sight.
Jenny Kingsford
Fantastic Experience!!
Staff at Centre for Sight were amazing. Dr. Sheraz Daya is great. My vision is better than 20/20. It has been life changing.
The results have given me FREEDOM… and they have been better than expected. This is the ‘New Me’ and I feel ECSTATIC!!!
– Jenny Kingsford
Laura Beaton
There are no words that could possibly describe how much this has changed my life. I feel like I have been given a second chance in life. I am happy.
Thank you to Dr. Sheraz Daya and your amazing team at Centre for Sight for making this possible.
– Laura Beaton
Ganesh Krishnamoorthy
My Refractive Lens Exchange journey at Centre for Sight has been positive. Mr Daya has been very friendly and his one-to-one approach to patients makes a real difference which stands out. This is why I specifically chose Centre for Sight to be treated, as compared to my negative experiences with other private clinics. I highly recommend Centre for Sight.
Ganesh Krishnamoorthy
Stuart Dunlop
The process from first enquiry about LASIK through to the surgery itself has been absolutely fantastic. All members at each stage have been courteous and professional taking any feelings of discomfort away immediately. Mr Daya inspired a feeling of absolute self-assurance and confidence and I felt immediately that I was in the hands of a world leader in his field. The results have been phenomenal and I’m looking forward to years of perfect sight.
Why I chose Centre for Sight?
My mother had surgery at Centre for Sight in 2002 and spoke very highly of the organisation. It’s my vision, why risk going anywhere but the best!
Stuart Dunlop
Calum Hervieu
To Mr Daya and all the staff I have met at Centre for Sight I want to say thank you!
I was extremely nervous on the day of my surgery but was looked after so well by all the nurses. I have never experienced such genuine care at any medical centre so I am very grateful.
You have changed by life and given me a chance to become a fighter pilot which is all I have ever wanted to do. If I make it I will take you for a flight, if I don’t I guess I could train as an Ophthalmologist !…
Thanks again,
Calum Hervieu
Patricia McKee
CENTRE FOR SIGHT / DOCTOR SHERAZ DAYA REVIEW
I have been meaning to write this review for a long time to show my gratitude to Dr. Daya. Selfishly, I’ve been so busy enjoying my new life with perfect vision that I haven’t made the time to sit down and start writing! What follows is a detailed account of my experience, since you are no doubt as anxious about the procedure as I was. Hopefully, this will put your mind at rest once and for all! ☺
My eyes / booking an appointment:
I have suffered from poor vision since age 11 (starting with myopia at -2 and getting to -5.5 WITH astigmatism by age 28). I’ve never enjoyed wearing glasses, since I don’t think they suit me and every time I would look up, down, or to the sides, everything was still a blur. I started wearing contact lenses at age 14, but after 14 years of trying various types, the discomfort increased to the point where I could only wear them for about 3 hours before my eyes became dry and I would get headaches. Since I had waited long enough for my eyes to stabilise, and I had cash to burn for the first time, I decided to take the plunge and get laser eye surgery!
Luckily for me, I got a consultation very quickly. I called in early September 2013 and was told I could go for the free consultation in mid-October and get the surgery done a week later. So I pre-emptively booked for a surgery slot on 21st October 2013. At the time, I didn’t realise that although you can have your consultation in London, the surgeries will only take place at the hospital in East Grinstead, Sussex. I only found out when I received the letter, as the staff hadn’t made that explicit on the phone or in person, and I misinterpreted the website. So if you also have a tendency to skirt over the logistical details, now you know!
The free consultation:
By comparison with another free consultation I had previously had with another big chain of high street opticians, this one was much more thorough, so I’m glad I researched the high street one properly and pulled out of having surgery with them.
At Centre for Sight in London:
•Slightly different machines were used and I was told what each one tested.
•A dry eyes test was done, which the high street chain had failed to do.
•I was shown educational short videos, including one about eyelid hygiene (washing your eyelids with a cotton pad and boiled water), another aspect not covered by the high street chain (and something important to ensure sound hygiene before surgery!)
•I was able to choose and meet with the top ophthalmologist before my surgery, another service not offered by the high street chain.
All this was very reassuring, and the staff (one lady in particular, quite short, middle-aged, with glasses) was absolutely lovely. After an hour and a half or so, I was taken upstairs to meet Dr. Daya in his office, so he could explain the test results. He told me that since my eyes showed absolutely no risks of high-order aberration (halos, starbursts, floaters), there was no need for me to undergo the more expensive, more modern procedure called “Advanced Wavefront CustomVue”.
I confirmed my appointment for the 21st October, and arranged to pay the total amount, £4000, on that day (though you can arrange 0% interest payments in instalments over a long period of time!). But when I got home, I figured I should do more online research on the differences between procedures. Why was Wavefront heralded by the big chains as universally better for all patients? With all the aggressive marketing they used (if it’s good enough for NASA, it’s good enough for you!) I started thinking I would be missing out and risking the frightening prospect of aberrations!
Unsure that I had agreed to the right procedure, I wrote Dr Daya’s secretary an email to stress the fact that I didn’t mind paying the extra cash to ensure the best possible outcome for my eyes. However, being the ethical doctor that he is, Dr Daya turned down the money and reassured my panicky ramblings, insisting that Wavefront was utterly unnecessary in this case, and that IntraLASIK Aspheric algorithm surgery was in fact the best procedure for me. So I stopped believing in the misleading information online and decided to trust him completely.
On the day of the surgery, I got the train tickets for myself and my boyfriend (you need to be accompanied by someone!), and I’m happy to report the journey was cheap, short, and pleasant: we watched an episode of Breaking Bad on a laptop, so it was over in a second. We got a cab for £5 from the station to the hospital (5 minutes or so), and arrived in the waiting room. I was asked to do another couple of tests, one that blew a puff of air onto my eyeball, which had to be done about 10 times because my eye kept closing automatically– but they got the result they wanted in the end. After a little more waiting, I was taken to another waiting area just outside the operating room, given some plastic protection covers to put on my shoes for hygiene, some drops in my eyes, asked to close them, and given a valuum.
The operation:
After these took effect, I was called into the operating room. There was Dr Daya and two nurses, who asked me to lie down on a comfortable surgery chair. He asked me how I was, and explained each step as far as was necessary – we were going to start with my “difficult” right eye, the one with the most astigmatism. Mostly, he and the nurses focused on their work and I focused on breathing calmly!
First, the chair swivelled under a machine that pushed back my eyelids – I just felt a tiny bit of pressure on my eyeball, nothing unpleasant. Then it swivelled gently back under the laser. A laser created the flap, and then I saw his hand holding the metallic device used to open the flap, and still – no pain. The only difference was that the laser, which had up until this point appeared to me as a small sharp red circle, became huge and fuzzy as my flap was opened. That’s when the laser did its magic – at this point, you focus your eye on one of the red dots (I wasn’t sure I was doing that properly, but I obviously must have!), you can smell a bit of burning, it’s a little noisy, and you can see the outline of your eyeball’s veins in a fascinating kaleidoscopic effect, but there’s still no pain. It took 60 seconds. The second eye a little less.
After that, with the googles on, I was taken outside to sit in a dark room for a bit, where I nearly fell asleep (the valuum). And ten minutes later, into a bright room where an ophthalmologist lady asked me to read the letters chart – already! It was all blurry and my eyes were really wet and a bit sore at this point, so it was a struggle to open them – however, underneath all that blur and water I could tell there was a sharper vision, reminiscent of wearing wet glasses. Still, I was a little worried that I couldn’t read the line, but altogether too tired to care! I went back to see my boyfriend in reception, who’d arranged for another cab to pick us up, and we were driven to this very nice B&B that I had booked, again just 5minutes away or so: http://www.grinsteadlodge.co.uk/. The room was affordable, the man very friendly, and he cooked us a delicious large English breakfast the next day!
I was led up the stairs by my boyfriend and into bed, where I napped for 4 hours, as suggested (you’re supposed to keep your eyes closed for the first 12 hours or so). I could definitely feel discomfort and some pain, like having tiny bits of grit that sting a little, but really no more than is to be expected and nothing to write home about! When I inevitably opened my eyes slightly after resting, I could tell that everything was much clearer already, though still a little fuzzy and dark (the goggles).
We ordered Chinese food and listened to a radio show. It was a lovely experience being out of London for a day and a night, getting this miraculous operation and being so well taken care of by my amazing man (who also enjoyed taking a day off from work). I did my 3 different drops as I was instructed to, and slept a full night. Worryingly, when I woke up, my goggles had come off – but that didn’t affect me in the long run, so don’t panic if that happens to you once or twice. By then, I hadn’t figured how to fasten them on securely and tightly with hair clips.
Post-operation:
The next morning, I had my first post-surgery consultation. A lady asked me to read the smallest lines I could twice, and it was the tiniest both times. Then I saw Dr Daya’s wife and she said I had better than 20/20 vision! I went off to London with my drops and goggles, which became part of my daily routine for the next month.
Then I saw Dr Daya again for my one-month post-op one-hour consultation in London, and after some tests, it was confirmed I have 6/4.5, which is better than 20/20 vision!! Now, almost 3 months after surgery, the little pink that I had in my eye from a burst vein is completely gone. I’ve stopped automatically searching for my glasses in the mornings, and I felt so much satisfaction at throwing my contact lenses away. It’s still amazing to always be the first person to see which bus is coming, and to be able to read all number plates from miles away! I hadn’t had such good vision since age 9 or so! I’ve also started playing netball again for the first time in years. After surgery, be sure you don’t wear makeup for as long as possible, and then buy all brand new makeup. It’s great being able to put it on without having to fiddle around with contacts first!
If I could give the centre one piece of advice, it would be to have a collection box for people to donate their glasses and contacts for charity during their post-surgery check-ups – that would make for a very satisfying feeling, and I’m sure many customers don’t know what to do with their unnecessary optical crutches post-surgery!