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Moorfields Eye Hospital Private Clinic

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297 Reviews

I had worn glasses/contact lenses since my teens and required cataract surgery in both eyes in my early fifties which left my eyesight rather better than it had been for thirty years, but not good enough to live without glasses an ...Read more

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:

  1. Moorfields Private Eye Hospital
  2. Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  3. Moorfields laser eye surgery cost
  4. What laser eye surgeries are offered?
  5. Moorfields’ best consultants
  6. Moorfields laser eye surgery reviews
  7. 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:

  1. Mr David Gartry: As one of the first surgeons worldwide to perform laser eye surgery, they don’t come more experienced than Mr Gartry.
  2. 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.
  3. Mr Bruce Allan: Mr Allan had been the Service Director for Refractive Surgery at Moorfields since 2012.
  4. 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.
  5. 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?

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

Our mission at Lasik Eyes is to make it easy to choose the right clinic for your ophthalmic treatment, pop in for a free consultation, and talk through your options with an eye expert. Here’s how:

Next steps: Our simple tool helps our readers every day get one step closer to 20/20 vision:

  1. Find a top clinic near you: Answer three questions to be matched with the leading eye clinic in your area
  2. 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)
  3. Receive a tailored quote: Talk to an expert at a clinic you can trust for a free eye test (worth £800) and personalised quote (with no obligation)

Click here to find the best clinic near you, and receive a tailored quote.

Moorfields Surgeons Reviews

Moorfields Eye Hosptial Reviews

RatingDate

05 Nov 2002

I had my eyes treated six days ago by Mr Bruce Allan at Moorfields. I had been considering eye surgery for seven years (!!) and eventually decided that, although Moorfields was twice the price of the Laser Surgery centres advertising on Satellite, the opportunity to be treated by the person who might end up fixing you up if it goes wrong elsewhere was worth the extra cost. I certainly don't regret a penny that I have spent! My prescription was -6.5 right eye and -6 left eye, which means you can't see a lot really. I was quite concerned that I would not be able to have the surgery as I have dry eyes (and have had to cease wearing contact lenses because of this). I felt that if I went to one of the other clinics, who don't charge for the initial appointment, they might be more keen to do the surgery on me to get their money back. Not sure about this, but I felt that it was better to pay to see Mr Allan the going rate for his time, and for him to decide on the basis of clinical results only. So, anyway, I went to see him, having had to wait almost three months for an appointment. The John Saunders Suite at Moorfields is a comfy waiting room (that's about it). I was amused to find that several people had self-referred, hoping to have it done on the NHS. No luck for them! The receptionists seemed rather used to giving people the bad news, that bilateral LASIK would cost best part of £3,000. Anyway, various tests were done on my eyes, a sort-of topographical map was produced to show the shape of my cornea. I had medium astigmatism and was glad to hear that this could also be treated. I then saw Mr Allan and discussed my dry eyes problem. He checked me for something called Marfans Syndrome (sticking out eyes and loose joints can be symptoms, which I have, but did not have the syndrome itself); I felt this showed the importance of seeing a proper ophthalmic surgeon - would a "consultant" salesperson have known about this? Perhaps. Anyway, Mr Allan said I would be fine to have the treatment. I had read up quite a lot on it and knew that potentially I might have to continue to use artificial tears for years to treat my dry eyes after LASIK, and we talked this through. In the end I decided that, having been fully informed of the risks (the paperwork they give you is about 8 pages of what can go wrong!!) that it was worth a go. How right I was! I could have been treated a fortnight from that date, but delayed it a further month due to diary crowding. I was told to take four days off work, the Tuesday of the surgery and up to the Friday afterwards when I would have my follow-up appointment. On Monday night as I sat down to my evening meal I had a call from the LASIK team to say the Laser had been serviced and had a "glitch" and so they would have to put me off until Wednesday. Was quite happy to think that they weren't operating with a dodgy laser, and I hadn't got all that psyched up for it at that point. Wednesday came, I wandered it for 9am and left at 10:30am with my shades on. Others have talked about what it was like; all I will say is it isn't a particularly nice experience (not something you'd do for fun), but is over pretty quickly and doesn't hurt. When I got up off the chair I couldn't see very well at all and was initially worried as I'd read lots of reports where people say they had fantastic vision immediately. Mr Allan reassured me that it'd slowly come to me. I was given masses of different drops to take away and told to try and rest with my eyes shut for six hours. I could open them to see as I got on the train, etc, but had to try and shut them as much as possible to aid healing. It's interesting walking through London, hailing a taxi, getting on trains etc with your eyes shut (my husband was with me to help). It makes you realise how difficult it must be for blind people, and that other people assume you can see, even if you're wearing colossal dark shades on a dull day in November. Made me realise that I had actually risked a very precious gift (sight) by having the treatment, but then I knew that anyway. I rested at home with Radio 4 and after the six hours was up, got up and went about as normal. It felt completely pain-free, no grittiness, just the sort of "I've had my contact lenses in too long" feeling. I had to take 3 different drops every hour for the first day but these were OK, didn't sting or anything. I went back on the Friday for the quick consultation with Mr Allan who was very happy. Had a very quick eye test which involved me reading whatever lines i could from the letters board. With my left eye I could read the bottom row, with my right the second from bottom row; with my glasses I had been able to read the first from bottom. That was two days after the surgery and it might improve further; in fact, my left eye has become less sharp now, but I can still see very well with both eyes. Can watch TV, read the video clock, use the computer etc with no ill effects. Driving at night is a bit scary due to star effects but I know these will quieten down, and I had them with contact lenses before when they were dry anyway. One thing I am having to do extra because of my dry eyes is to put special drops in at night. I sleep with my eyes open (weird) which means they were really dry the first two nights, despite wearing the bizarre eye-protecting goggles. So Mr Allan suggested I get some lacri-lube and put that in at night. It appears to be basically paraffin and a few other bits that go IN your eye, and means the world becomes blurry and when you wake up in the morning you've look like you've smeared vaseline all round your eyes. But it means my eyes are moist in the morning, although for the first hour or so life's a bit blurry. Am I glad I had it done? Absolutely! From -6 vision (i.e. you can't function without glasses) to near-perfect vision, it's like a miracle. I was evaluating how much I would have spent to get this result, if it were guaranteed. I reckon easily £10,000; I'm only 31 and I have years and years of benefit (hopefully). The £3,000 charge was excellent value for money and, for me, the chance to have it done at Moorfields very much helped my peace of mind.

17 Dec 2002

This is unbelievable...I was one of three doctors on Mr. Gartry's list. Within 24 hours I had perfect vision in right eye and -0.25 in left. I started out with -3.75 both eyes and -2 astigmatism. Mr. Gartry is UK leader for LASIK eye surgery and therefore you pay a bit extra for the best.

07 Feb 2003

Was scheduled for LASIK with Mr Allan at end of Feb. Had a call on Monday 3rd to tell me there was a cancellation for 4th. I took it and can now read the bottom line on the chart with ease. I was -6.5 in one eye and -5.5 in the other. Painless procedure, minor discomfort and pain later. Minor haloes around lights in the evening.

24 Feb 2003

Now 3 weeks since procedure and night time haloes have gone completely.

03 Mar 2003

Had surgery with Mr Gartry at Moorfields on 3rd Feb 2003. I was –2 in both eyes, with astigmatism. The surgery was quick and although uncomfortable, was NOT painful. Eyes a bit gritty afterwards, but by the evening I could see perfectly and now, four weeks on I have 20:20 vision and have encountered no problems at all. Going for post check up in a couple of weeks. I cannot begin to describe how wonderful it is not to wear glasses/lenses anymore. Just waking up and being able to see – and everything so crystal clear – its amazing. I was driving the other day and it got really sunny – so I just reached down and put on my husband’s sun-glasses – no scrabbling around for prescription sunglasses!! It sounds naff, but it really feels like a miracle! I cannot recommend Mr Gartry enough – if you want to discuss, feel free to mail me.

21 Mar 2003

had LASIK on Weds 19th March with Miss Linda Ficker. My previous concerns about pain during the operation were needless. the process can be best described as "wierd", with evrything happening quite lierally, in front of your eyes, but with no pain or even discomfort. Miss Ficker was very good in keeping me informed and we talked all the way through the procedure, which takes about 2 minutes in total, for each eye. Laser time was about 12-13 seconds for my prescription of -2.5 per eye. My follow up visit the next day was with her "fellow" Tom Poole, who described Miss Ficker's work as "beautiful". Even with my natural cynicism, I have no pain, no bloodshot eyes, fantastic vision and even under close scrutiny, there are no marks on my eyes whatsoever. I am absolutely thrilled with the results. It won't be the first time that you have ever heard this phrase, but you get what you pay for. Thanks to Linda Ficker and her team.

31 Mar 2003

I had laser surgery at Moorfield Eye Hospital on both eyes on Tuesday 25th March, 2003. My surgeon was Mr Bruce Allan. I am in the early stages of adjustment but can report a very positive experience. I thought that the pre-surgical testing & consultations were thorough & efficiently conducted with the surgeons being at pains to provide explanations & respond to questions. I raised an enquiry about pre-existing night vision problems & was referred for further tests before surgery was confirmed: Wavefront analysis. I believe that the data from this test was used at least in part in my eventual surgery. Going in I had -3.75 vision in both eyes with an astigmatism in my left eye. The procedure is completely painless & surprisingly short. That said it is not something on which I would choose to reflect upon at any length. Main point is that it is of short duration & I felt absolutely no pain. It is worth resting up immediately afterwards until the drops & procedure has settled. Get collected by a friend/ partner if you can as this will be one less thing to worry about. I had surgery mid-morning & my vision was starting to come back by the early afternoon. It is a joy to be able to see vividly after years of dependency on contacts & spectacles. By the next day I had good vision: car number plates; shop fronts; posters all seeming clearer than I had enjoyed for years. My eyes felt a residual tiredness though as if the adjustment was creating a bit of a strain. My three day test was uneventful; I was clearly in excess of the standard required for driving & was also told that I would not require any further surgery to improve my vision. It was fun to race through the sight chart & make out rows that had previously been incomprehensible to me. The surgeon told me that my vision would shift about for several days after the surgery and that my eye tiredness was to be expected. I will revert with news & reflections on the next 5 weeks. 6 week test is the next assessment & I hope

31 Mar 2003

I recently had LASIK surgery performed by Mr Gartry on 22nd March and am extremely pleased with the results. My prescription was -6.5 and -7.5. It is now to very nearly the same as it was corrected with glasses/lenses. Two days after the op I could read the second from bottom line with my right eye and the third from bottom with the left. I am suffering from hazing around any bright lights (especially at night) but I understood this could happen and it will hopefully clear up in the next few weeks. The procedure was really quick and completely painless. I was nervous before surgery but was reassured seeing the person in for surgery before me. He walked out of the theatre with a smile on his face and his eyes only looked slightly red. During the procedure Mr Gartry talked me through exactly what he was doing and how long things would last. I had about 45-50 secs. laser treatment on each eye. Everything was pretty blurred for the rest of the day, although I did manage to watch the rugby on TV! The next day things were much better (probably around 90% of how they are now) and improved slightly every day for the next week. I'm so glad that I've had LASIK surgery, it really has made a huge difference to my life. I just wish I'd had it done it earlier!

21 May 2003

I had surgery on 7th May, carried out by Mr Julian Stevens. The treatment is quick and painless with no problems afterwards. I even drove back to the hospital the next day. I had been to see two other clinics for similar surgery and cannot recommend Moorfields and Mr Stevens enough. It may be more expensive but you get the best treatment and consultant in the country and you only have one set of eyes.

23 May 2003

Now over six weeks since Lasik surgery with Mr. Gartry. I had my final check up today and also had an eye test last week for a second opinion. I can read the 6/5 line unaided with each eye which is an execllent result (apparently this is the requirement for a commercial pilot). My left eye is +0.25 (very slight over-correction) and my right eye is -0.25 with -0.25 astigmatism (very slight under-correction). Pretty much as near perfect as you could get considering I was -7.25 with -1.25 astigmatism in each eye before surgery. There are a couple of minor issues remaining; dry eyes sometimes particuarly with airconditioned offices but this is getting better by the day (I still use artificial tears a couple of times a day). Also slight halos at night but this again is improving. Mr. Gartry expects both issues to be resolved around the 3 month mark. I am also resisting using reading glasses until the 3 months is up although my optician reckons I will need very mild lenses for this. Unfortunately this is an age thing ! This is only a problem when my eyes are tired. Computer use and TV watching is not a problem at all. I absolutely recommend Mr. Gartry and Moorfields. It costs more but you get the expertise and results. Email me if you would like more info or to talk.


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