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
carole
How much do you charge for your services and as I am not living in the UK peranently what would your consultant fees and operation fees be
Mr Anonymous
Surgery was okay I was nervous now have problem with my left eye but it is okay. Follow up I felt a bit insulted when he asked me what I was studding felt like it was a bit of bed side manner Mr Gartry needs to learn. With his price I believe with the amount I paid I should have been given a bit of respect.
V Man
I had Lasek in Jan 2014. I had a high prescription and thin corneas so wasn’t able to have LASIK. I took a week off work and recovery was very gradual – took 3 weeks to have decent vision. Sadly I’m now (April 2014) left with a 0.25 and 0.5 prescription which is pretty disappointing given I shelled out £5000 for an expensive surgeon at Moorfields who pointed me to all the disclaimers I signed accepting the risks… Still undecided about whether to buy new glasses to watch TV and drive at night…
Gavin Conway
Overall I am very happy with the result which has taken my vision from -6.25 to near 20/15 vision. Clinically I highly rate the experience with the Moorfields team who were very attentive and were always on the end of the phone and available for me to come in. I would have rated 5, but for the recommendation that Moorfields be more open with future patients about the repair time for Lasek which in my case was 3 weeks . Whilst some documentation does say final prescription settles in 3-4 months, its at odds with other documentation which suggests taking 1 week off. For patients who need to go back into work after 1 week there needs to be more discussion around what ‘functional vision’ is, and its impact. Sharing repair times on an average basis is not comforting to those who fall out of this, and referring back to the governments ‘driving standard’ as gospel is irresponsible. All the best Gavin p.s Special Thanks to Jenny who was wonderful throughout.
Leanne
Words cannot describe just how highly I would recommend Professor Gartry for laser-eye surgery. The fact that I travelled all the way to London from Devon just to have him be my surgeon hopefully speaks volumes of his acclaim and my high praise of this wonderful man!I myself was very short-sighted, with a -10.00 and -9.50 prescription (on top of astigmatisms in both eyes). The good professor recommended me LASEK treatment over LASIK due to my prescription, and I am glad to say that, thus far, it has worked wonders! I had some concerns a few days after (on a Sunday), and Professor Gartry personally called me back on the Sunday to ensure it was nothing bad.I had the surgery just over a week ago and, while I am still recovering (thus my vision is not up to its optimum as yet), I know that I made the best choice. It may cost a bit more, and you may have to travel, but Professor Gartry truly is the only man for the job. If I could give him more than five stars, I would!
Keeley Wiggett
Thank you so much for fulfilling my dream, already my life has changed. Without your help this would never have been possible. I wrote this without glasses or contact lenses :-
Zahra Wahab
I had been considering eye surgery for many years but lacked the courage, I couldn’t even contemplate putting contact lenses in. I consulted 3 opticians as regards who they thought was the best in the industry for lens replacement surgery and Prof. Gartry was the name all 3 gave me.
I trusted Prof. Gartry implicitly from the first consultation when he advised me that I he could operate but I would still require reading glasses. From the start I felt confident that I was in capable hands. The whole team were very helpful and supportive.
Despite absolute fear on the day of the first surgery I felt no pain or discomfort at all. I left the theatre after the first eye and couldn’t wait to get the 2nd lens replaced. My distance vision was unbelievable, colours were so vibrant and bright. Now, almost 4 weeks on from the first lens replacement I wished I had had the courage many years ago.
I haven’t suffered so much as a headache and would advise anybody contemplating this procedure to definately proceed- they won’t regret it. I am confident that the ease I felt with Prof. Gartry’s team was well worth the money – I was in good hands.
Simon Tilley
Had Lasik treatment in July 2014. Went back for a retreatment on my right eye in February 2015 to correct minor defective vision. Successful outcome, vision is better than 20/20. Would happily recommend David Gartry / Moorfields to anyone considering laser eye surgery.
Charlotte Monk
I had both my eyes lasered in February 2015, it’s now August ’15 & I cannot fault the service and results from Professor Gartry and his team. Efficient, pleasant and fast the whole experience was great and my vision which was a bad astigmatism in both eyes (-2.5) is now 20:20. It really changes your life! I went here from a friends recommendation and would definitely recommend Mr Gartry and his team to anyone thinking of having this done. Knowing that he was one of the first people to use this technique, and has been successfully doing it for so many years really put my mind at rest. If you’re going to have someone alter your eyesight, make sure it’s one of the best people & latest machines you put your trust in.
N Reip
From initial appointment, through the operation and finally with the aftercare, the experience and quality of service has been superb. Have already recommended the clinic to friends, and will continue to do so in future.
