Review of Moorfields Eye Surgery
Moorfields Eye Hospital enjoys a global reputation for providing world-class laser eye surgery.
Moorfields Private is the private arm of the renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and offers ophthalmic care to patients seeking a vast range of treatments for both common and complex eye health conditions.
Today, Moorfields has a number of clinics around London – located in the City, the West End, Bedford and Croydon – and treats around 400,000 outpatients and 30,000 inpatients each year.
☀ Pros: World-class reputation, highly experienced eye surgeons, central London locations, advanced technology
☂ Cons: No fixed prices (fixed by the surgeons), no monthly payment options, no free consultation
☝ Compare clinics: See if there are any other top-rated clinics near you, and use our simple tool to receive a personalised quote.
Our no-nonsense review of Moorfields Private and Moorfields NHS Eye Hospital covers:
- Moorfields Private Eye Hospital
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Moorfields laser eye surgery cost
- What laser eye surgeries are offered?
- Moorfields’ best consultants
- Moorfields laser eye surgery reviews
- The Verdict
1. Moorfields Private Eye Hospital
For patients who fail to meet NHS requirements, or for those looking for treatments left off NHS checklists (such as refractive surgery for the average glasses-wearer), Moorfields Private is a viable option.
Private laser eye treatments at Moorfields include the most common surgeries such as PRK, LASEK and LASIK, as well as specialist procedures for more complex conditions. Private patients also benefit from Wavefront guided surgeries, which tend to have higher success rates due to greater laser accuracy.
In addition to providing high quality treatment and aftercare, many patients like to know that the profits from Moorfields Private are used to fund the Moorfields Eye Charity, Friends of Moorfields, which supports critical new research and quality eye care for children and adults.
2. Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
If you happen to suffer from a select range of debilitating eye conditions that cannot be treated by contact lenses or glasses (such as cataracts or glaucoma), you may be one of the few people who qualify for laser eye surgery on the NHS.
Moorfields’ NHS Eye Hospital is there for these patients, but for the vast majority of us, Moorfields Private has its door open.
3. Moorfields Laser Eye Surgery Cost
While NHS treatment is free, at Moorfields Private prices will apply to all consultations and surgeries.
Laser eye surgery costs at Moorfields start at £2,000 per eye for common laser eye surgery such as LASIK or LASEK. These prices rise to between £3,000 and £4,000 per eye for more complex procedures including cataract surgery.
An initial consultation at Moorfields is around £150, and the private prices will depend on the eye surgeon you choose. That’s because the laser eye consultants are employed by Moorfields, and set their own fees.
Consultation costs
- Consultation: £150 – £200
Patients considering laser eye surgery usually book one to two consultations prior to receiving treatment. You can book your first appointment on the Moorfields Private website.
Treatment costs (per eye)
- LASIK or LASEK eye surgery: £2,000 – £2,500
- Refractive lens exchange (RLE) or cataract surgery: £3,000 – £4,000
- ICL implantation surgery: £3,000 – £4,000
Other costs
In addition to these costs, you may also need to consider covering your potential stay in the hospital for private treatment. Moorfields Private hospital fees tend to range from £900 to £1800, depending on the procedure.
However, recovery times vary, and many eye treatments allow you to leave following the surgery. Naturally, there are no hospital fees for NHS patients.
Other options?
Moorfields Private Hospital offers some of the latest laser and implantable contact lens treatments performed by world-class consultant eye specialists, and these prices reflect the clinic’s high standards.
However, if these costs are outside your budget, or you would like to compare them with other leading laser eye surgery clinics in the UK, click here to fill in a few details, and talk directly to a trusted clinic to compare their quotes and services.
To see how other eye laser surgery clinics compare with Moorfields Private, just click here to use our simple quote tool, and receive a tailored quote from any trusted clinics near you.
Paying for treatment
Opting for laser eye surgery is a financial commitment for most people, and Moorfields offers three ways of paying for your treatment:
- Private Medical Insurance – If you are covered by private healthcare, Moorfields asks that you try to verify these details before your first appointment, and obtain your pre-authorisation number.
- Self pay – Many patients pay for their own treatment, with no private insurance needed.
- Third party sponsorship – If a third party (such as your employer) has agreed to settled your account, make sure you acquire a letter of guarantee along with a deposit.
Read more: Laser eye surgery costs explained
4. Laser Eye Surgery Treatments
Moorfields Private Eye Hospital provides over 100 vision correction treatments for adults and children of all ages.
Here are some of the most requested types of laser eye surgery treatments:
- LASIK: The most common treatment to correct eye conditions such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
- LASEK: A surface laser treatment that is suitable for patients with thinner corneas (eye surfaces).
- Cataract surgery: A refractive lens exchange (RLE), which is an option for those in the “reading glasses” age group.
- ICL surgery: Implants that work like permanent contact lenses are common for younger people, or patients with medical dry eye conditions.
Moorfields Private Hospital usually performs laser sight correction surgery to both eyes on the same day, but with cataract surgery and ICL implantation, most surgeons prefer to leave a week between operating on each eye for their patients’ comfort.
5. Moorfields’ Top Surgeons
Moorfields Private and Moorfields Eye Hospital claim their ophthalmic surgeons and consultants are some of the best in Britain, and six Moorfields Private surgeons were recently named in the Daily Mail’s top doctors list.
Within the industry, Moorfields is also the go-to for ophthalmic expertise: a recent Moorfields report shows that over half of all registered ophthalmic surgeons in the UK received their training there. Not surprisingly, many Moorfields consultants also completed their training onsite.
Plus, based on hundreds of unfiltered reviews from former patients, Moorfields hosts some of the top-rated laser eye surgeons in the UK.
Here are the five best consultants at Moorfields, as voted by you:
- Mr David Gartry: As one of the first surgeons worldwide to perform laser eye surgery, they don’t come more experienced than Mr Gartry.
- Mr Julian Stevens: Mr Stevens is an advisor to the British Society for Refractive Surgery, and is recognised globally as an expert opinion leader in laser eye surgery.
- Mr Bruce Allan: Mr Allan had been the Service Director for Refractive Surgery at Moorfields since 2012.
- Ms Valerie Saw: Ms Saw’s interests lie in inflammation and scarring of the eye, and she regularly treats patients for dry eyes and conjunctivitis.
- Mr Alexander C. W. Ionides: Since 1989, Mr Ionides has specialised in cataract and refractive lens surgery for both long and short sighted conditions.
Read more: Laser Eye Surgeon reviews
6. Independent reviews of Moorfields Private Eye Hospital
Moorfields consistently receive fantastic customer reviews, making them one of the highest rated laser eye providers in the UK. Click here to read their customer reviews below.
Moorfields Eye Hospital Private Clinic is also featured as one of Lasik Eye’s best laser eye surgery clinics in the UK, as well as shining in our list of the best laser eye surgery in London for partnering with some of the most renowned surgeons.
What makes Moorfields Eye Hospital so popular?
- History – Moorfields Eye Hospital first opened in London in 1805, and is now one of the oldest and best reviewed eye hospitals in the world.
- Ophthalmic Research – Moorfields has spent over 200 years researching and providing the latest laser eye surgery and implantable contact lens treatments, in partnership with the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology.
- Cutting-edge technology – Moorfields Private is a flagship location for laser and implant manufacturers. Its surgeons are therefore able to choose from the latest state-of-the-art laser eye equipment and non-invasive techniques like Intralase technology.
- Patient care – The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rates Moorfields Eye Hospital as ‘outstanding’ for care in their latest inspection report.
But is Moorfields Eye Hospital right for you?
Not everyone is best suited to Moorfields: as you would expect, world-class laser eye surgery often comes with an eye-watering price tag.
- Expensive treatments – Although patients tend to leave rave reviews, LASEK eye surgery costs on average £2,235 per eye at Moorfields Private, but between £595 and £1,595 per eye at other leading high street eye clinics such as Optical Express.
- No free consultations – Moorfields Private is one of the few laser eye clinics in the UK not to offer free initial consultations: you can expect to pay between £150 and £200, depending on the surgeon you see.
Next Steps: Find the Top-Reviewed Clinic Near You
Compare Moorfields Private with the highest independently reviewed eye laser clinics near you – see if you’re eligible for 20/20 vision or your money back, and receive your very own personalised quote.
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Next steps: Our simple tool helps our readers every day get one step closer to 20/20 vision:
- Find a top clinic near you: Answer three questions to be matched with the leading eye clinic in your area
- Check you’re eligible in minutes: Receive a quick call to check you can get surgery (we will never share your number with anyone else)
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Moorfields Surgeons Reviews
Mr Alexander C W Ionides
BSc FRCOphth MD.
Mr Vincenzo Maurino
Mr Bruce Allan
MD FRCS FRCOphth
Mr Stephen Tuft
Professor David S Gartry
MD, FRCS, FRCOphth, DO, BSc(Hons)
Mr Julian Stevens
MRCP, FRCS, FRCOphth,DO
Moorfields Eye Hosptial Reviews
Patricia Li
It was an extremely hard decision to make but one that I don’t regret. My myopia is considered low –3.5 in each eye, so was surgery a risk I should take? Could I be blind? Would I die? Would it hurt forever? After hearing and seeing adverts for LASIK I went for a consultation with another clinic. They said it was possible to treat me, however because I have larger pupils I may have halos/glare. I also did not meet the surgeon that was going to treat me This was what put me off. Later I read an article on the new wavefront (improved lasik) technology, it was more accurate as it overrides the problem that a larger pupil can give. Mr Julian Stevens was highly recommended by a friend of a friend who is a doctor. So I phoned them up and they told me that wavefront technology was standard. I booked an appointment (long waiting list) and met Mr Stevens. Normally I take a long time to decide anything, but I booked the treatment date straight away. He answered all my questions clearly and patiently (trust me I ask a lot of questions). Not only was Mr Stevens nice and helpful but also his staff, who answered any queries I had. I went to see my doctor and my optician and they both said that there was nowhere better than Moorfields. So three days ago (8th August) I went to Moorfields for the operation. I took a long look at my beautiful bulldog just in case I would never be able to see him again (due to my vanity) and went to the hospital. I was so nervous and my body was stiff. The operation was painless, everything was a bit of a blur but my mind was conscious of what was going on. I was so scared. The treatment went by fairly quickly. Then everything was a bit blurry, by the time I walked out of the hospital I could see most things quite clearly. On the journey home my teeth were hurting, due to me gritting them too much! Now I don’t know what all that worry is for. I feel so good I don’t have to fiddle around with contact lenses. Mr Stevens is a truly excellent and professional surgeon and the fee for the surgery was very reasonable - even less than some places that don’t even use wavefront. I can’t wait to scuba dive without my contact lenses and I can see my dog without finding my glasses in the morning!
Walter Colebatch
I had LASEK done on both eyes on August 6 by Julian Stevens. I have been looking into laser eye surgery since about 1991, but had been consistently turned away as being in the too hard basket. Twice in 2002 I visited laser eye clinics and did the full basket of tests only to be turned away at the end. The last guy I saw in Harley Street was at least good enough to explain why. I had a difficult right eye with an irregular topography. It was more than the small amount of myopia, and more than the astigmatism, it was a very irregular surface. He went on to tell me that no commercial clinic in the world would be able to treat it with current technology, but there were two guys at Moorfields, Stevens and Gartry I think was the other, who were at the cutting edge globally and they might be able to help. Failing that I would have to contact a top university teaching hospital in the US to have any chance of getting laser correction. It was 6 months from first contacting Mr Stevens office to actually getting an appointment, but thankfully only 6 days later I could have the surgery. Stevens seemed to have no problem with the irregular right eye and even identified the likely cause of it, a droopy right eyelid. Because of the unusual right eye surface, LASEK was to be the operation. The surgery itself was a bit freaky, looking at a red flashing light while you see various instruments scraping across your eye.... it was a bit like I imagine looking up at an ice hockey stick moving across ice to look, as if viewed looking upwards from beneath the ice. I had both eyes done at the same time and the whole show must have taken 20 minutes all up. Results are excellent. 5 days after the op, vision was at least as good as I gould get with contacts or glasses. Make no mistake, Stevens is world class. I read up a bit on Moorfields and on Stevens in the 6 months it took to get my appointment. There are, at best, a mere handful of eye surgeons in the world with the reputation of Stevens. You combine this with the equipment in Moorfields (they quite literally have the cutting-edge, very best wavefront scanners and lasers, which you wont even see in the most expensive private clinics for 2-3 years) and I would have done the business at just about any price. In reality, the price compares favourably with more poorly equipped Harley Street clinics who dont even come close to the reputation of Stevens as a surgeon. The only unpleasant surprise for me came with the removal of the protective contact lens, on the 13th (2 days ago). Immediately prior to that moment my vision was excellent, and all the discomfort had passed, with the exception of feeling like I had dryish contact lenses in my eyes. I wasnt aware that removal of the protective contacts would set of another couple of days of discomfort. All in all, if you can put up with the significant queue ahead of you to see Stevens, the fact that for a lot of the time he is lecturing in Europe and the US on some of the pioneering work that he does, and the fact that when he is around he is invariably seeming rushed, then I recommend him to anyone who is looking for a top class surgeon or who has been put in the 'too hard basket' by commercial clinics.
MG
I had wavefront lasik surgery on 18th August by Mr Gartry at Moorfields Hospital. My appointment was for 11.30am, went in for surgery around 12. I chose Mr Gartry after months of reading everything I could find and decided he was the one I could trust. My prescription pre-surgery was -1.75 with –1.5 astigmatism right, -2.25 with -1.25 astigmatism left. Actual surgery was very quick, only took around 15min, I found it to be totally painless with virtually no discomfort, I felt like I was just viewing something at very close range! The worse part for me was when the sticky tape was removed from around my eye that holds the eyelashes out of the way! Vision immediately after surgery was fairly blurry, was given my supply of eye drops to use hourly & goggles to sleep in by the nurse plus some refresh capsules to use on the train, as my journey home took an hour and a half. (The bottles of drops have to be refrigerated after opening, bit difficult when your on a train!). Started administering the drops as soon as I got home, vision improved and cleared after each hourly application, by evening vision was already pretty good, watched a little TV but felt pretty worn out. Used the goggles with some sticky tape for added security and managed, quite surprisingly, a good nights sleep. Next morning, vision pretty good, eyes felt a little dry, right eye slightly pink but this soon disappeared after the first lot of drops, by mid morning eyesight is incredible, everything seem so crisp & sharp, long distance especially, close vision a little less so (which could be down to my age). This hardly fluctuated throughout the day, eyes felt comfortable and only felt a little dry once. Had one small fright, a fine hair from my Persian cat managed to get in my eye, I could see it right across the centre of the eye ball, panicked slightly then remembered I was told to apply lots of artificial tears to wash any debris from the eye and thankfully this worked. Had my 48hour check up today which should have been with Mr Gartry himself, but he was not there due to a family bereavement. Check up was very quick, 5-10 minutes max, eyes examined told everything looks fine, could read the line 6/5 except for one letter, same for both eyes which I am extremely happy with, especially so soon, (6/5 was my best with GP lenses), can also read today quite easily so reading spec’s not needed just yet! Next check up in four weeks time. Eyes still very comfortable, no noticeable feeling of dryness, have very slight halo’s and starburst effect on sunlight reflections, but not anything that bothers me, (have yet to drive at night so not sure how that will be yet), in fact I could easily forget that I had had surgery at all apart from now having perfect eyesight! Two small tips, (my personal opinion), I applied the drops above the white part area of my eye, directly above the cornea can dislodge the flap should the bottle touch which can easily be done, also, I have bought a pair of almost clear sunglasses (which are all the fashion at the moment) to wear all day indoors and out for added safety, just to make extra sure nothing accidentally gets poked in the eyes! I am extremely happy with the outcome so far, to have perfect vision all the time is just awesome, Mr Gartry and his team were very professional and would highly recommend him to anyone else.
L Mortlock
I had Lasik with Miss Ficker on Tuesay 20th August. The procedure was brill. No pain or even discomfort. I didn't even get any discomfort afterwards. I was a little confused when having the pre-op tests as being myopic I knew that I would need reading glasses afterwards which I didn't previously. The optician mentioned monovision which under corrects one eye but Miss Ficker advised agains it. It is now 36 hours since the treatment and I have wonderful long vision but I can't read any print and close up is blurry. I am slightly worried about this but I hope that it will clear sufficiently to only necessitiate reading glasses for very small print. It does feel weird without glasses but all in all the procedure was carried out very expertly and worth every extra penny. Don't take risks with yout eyes go to the best and Moorfields is that.
Walter Colebatch
This is a one month follow up on my Wavefront guided LASEK operations. The slight discomfort I had felt during the second week was sorted out with another bottle of anti-inflammatory drops. Apparently Mr Stevens prefers to use drops for only one week after LASEK, while other surgeoans use them for longer, up to a month. There is a trade off between using the drops for comfort and the side effect of the drops which delays healing. But using the drops for another week instantly sorted out any discomfort. I no longer use any drops, nor do I have even the slightest discomfort. It is now 5 full weeks since the operations and as expected, vision continues to improve. My left eye no has 6/5 vision while the right is approaching 6/6. I have thrown away the glasses and contacts and associated fluids. Night vision is astonishingly good. I punish my eyes with a lack of sleep, and uber smoky eastern european bars. Yet there is no dryness, no glare, no halos, no starbursts at night. This total absense of some of the typical, negative side effects of laser eye surgery are one of the primary reasons I went to Julian Stevens. Its these little differences that make the difference for me. After all, there are a thousand places that can do your eyes, and make a dramatic improvement in your eyesight. Its easy to make the big dramatic differences. But how many of them get the smaller things right, like avoiding side effects, almost every time? And how many of them get such top quality results while deliberately taking the hard cases? Thats where the quality of Moorfields and Stevens in particular comes in to it. As someone below mentioned, you only have one set of eyes, and if you can get to see the top surgeon in the country, at the best equipped centre in the country, then why wouldnt you go to him?
nick cooper
2 month follow up to my op 14 July. Everything ok, never had any problems. Right eye better than 20/20, left eye virtually 20/20. Eye tests puts right eye as 0 plano (perfect), and left + 0.25. Prior to op I was about -6 and -4.
Claire Benfield
I had Lasik treatment at Moorfields with Miss Ficker on 20th August after many years of thinking about it but being too scared just in case… It’s now been over a month and I’m really pleased. The initial consultation was professional as was the whole procedure on the day – it also helped to see another patient who’d just had it done saying how painless it was! It was painless but slightly surreal during the operation – I was glad of someone holding my hand and being reminded to start breathing again once it was done! I slept for a few hours once I got home and was then amazed at the clear long sighted view when looking over the garden. However TV was slightly blurred as was print. The follow up appointment the next day was very brief and I did feel rushed asking my questions but was told everything was as it should be (if very blurry). Over the first week I was slightly worried as I was finding reading print and the computer rather blurry with things getting worse in dim light or when going indoors. I did call and was advised to make sure I was using plenty of eye drops which I have been. After the second week, things started to improve just as I’d been told they would and now although I get slight blurring if I’m tired things are really good.
MG
Update on my wavefront lasik, 18th Aug. Had my '1month' follow-up on the 24th Sept. everything fine. 6/5 in right eye, slightly better in left, am extremely happy with results, have had no problems whatsoever not even dry eyes. However, have awarded 4 stars not 5, as neither of my two follow-ups were with Mr. Gartry for one reason or another, which was a bit disappointing. At a cost of 4k I thought that I would have been guaranteed that at least, and it would have been nice to have been able to thank him personally.
Nicola Kerr
I had Wavefront Surgery with Mr Garty at Moorfields on Sat 13 Sept. The operation itself was painless and apart from some minor discomfort and stinging that same afternoon, I can honestly say that the whole procedure was a doddle. The first week after the operation I was delighted with the results and could see perfectly clearly. It is now nearly a month since the surgery and I am concerned because my level of vision is getting worse not better. I am hoping this is just a case of waiting for things to heal and settle down and nothing more serious. Has anyone else had this experience and what was the outcome?
Batul
My eye surgeon was Julian Stevens, I had treatment on Friday 7th October. I cannot complain about any part of the service.I had Lasik with Wavefront Surgery. I was informed about all possible problems all along the way and was able to ask questions at anytime. My eyes were measured in 3 seperate ways to ensure acurate readings. I was made to feel like an individual and not a patient. I feel happy with my sight today. My left eye remains slightly out of focus but the prescription (-4.00) was higher than the right eye (-2.50). I am told that this will settle in the coming weeks. My eyes feel a little dry but this is norma and be expected for the next few weeks. I was also told that I can walk in anytime I need to to be seen which is extremely reassuring. Thank you Moorfields and Julian for a great service.
