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.
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:
- 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)
- 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
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
Michael G
The best recommendation I can say is that I am really happy for the outcome of the treatment.
The result is perfect!
I think it’s probably one of the best things I’ve done, Mr Maurino and his team are professionals and friendly.
Fast, efficient, very little pain (almost negligible), perfect service, and I could come back to drive the bike in a week!
I would recommend anyone with severe myopia to have this surgery done.
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!
Adie Shariff
I had strong stigmatism in both eyes and was sceptical of how I could be corrected by laser surgery. 3-months on I have near perfect unaided vision. The clinic was outstanding – explaining everything before and during surgery. Post surgery care is second to none. Recommended without hesitation.
Caolan Gardner
The service provided by the team at Moorfields was fantastic and I am very pleased with the results. I would not hesitate to recommend this treatment to any of my friends or family.
Lynda Berry
I had both eyes treated with LASIK Eye surgery last August, and it has been fantastic. Having worn contact lens for over 30 years I had considered laser eye surgery many times but had always chickened out as I am very squeamish about my eyes, sight. When my reading vision started to deteriorate as well I took 2 years considering my options, testing out the high street laser clinics, but I had no confidence in the youngsters I saw, my eyesight, even bad eyesight, was too precious to risk losing. Then some more research led us to Mr Maurino. On reading about then meeting him I felt confident that he would do a good job, and he did. Both eyes corrected, one for distance, one for reading, gone are my glasses & lens, gone are itchy eyes from wearing contacts all day. I wake up in a morning & can see the alarm clock without squinting. I can read menu’s in dimly lit restaurants, I can see for miles. So glad I did it. And it didn’t hurt at all. Sore eyes for a week or two but that’s all. What was I so scared of? Thank you Mr Maurino & all your team (especially the lovely nurse who held my hand throughout as I was so so nervous, but it wasn’t anything like as bad as I imagined). Job well done.
Mike Alizade
I had the procedure with Julian Stevens last year, and am amazed and delighted with the results. My vision is now perfect even with a -7 prescription and an astigmatism. I cannot recommend him enough.
Charlotte Seneschall
I’d worn glasses since I was six years old and contacts since I was eleven. Every year I’d gone to the opticians only to be told the same thing – my eyesight was worse. By the time I considered laser eye surgery, I’d ended up with a prescription of -9 in my left eye and -7 in my right, making it unsafe for me to have LASIK. However, Professor Gartry’s clinic at Moorfield’s offered me LASEK – a technique suitable for higher prescriptions like my own. The procedure took about 30 minutes in total. The next few days were a bit uncomfortable, but the pain was easily managed with some special eye drops the clinic provided. Five days after the operation I attended my sister’s graduation with no problems at all. Now I have better than 20/20 vision with no complications whatsoever – and my eyesight’s almost good enough for the air force!
Margot Cronin
I am thrilled with the results of my surgery in September 2015. The whole process was very straightforward and professional. Mr. Ionides explained exactly what would happen and he and his team looked after me very well throughout the process. The operation itself was quick and painless and recovery was rapid. After three days no one could even tell that I’d had eye surgery and my new lens was working beautifully. Mr. Ionides operated on my other eye six months earlier in February 2015 and that operation was also a complete success. I knew therefore I was in very safe hands for the second operation. The improvement in my vision has really changed my life and I am so grateful to Mr. Ionides and his team. I can’t recommend him highly enough.
Charlotte Leonard
Very pleased with the results. The novelty has not worn off yet! Ms Saw is very gentle and calm. I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
James Ormiston
Being very short sighted -10.5, I was expecting to have lens replacement but Bruce Allen was so very confident in being able to treat me with Wavefront LASIK I had to go ahead. Because of my original high prescription for myopia it took a couple of sessions to adjust my vision. However, Mr Allen never hesitated to make the adjustments and now I’ve got almost perfect vision. The procedure was painless, quick and the only drama are the excellent results. The whole team at Moorfields are so competant, friendly and just plain helpful. Worth going for the best. How about this, had my hip replaced this year and guess where my hip surgeon had his eyes treated? Yep, Moorfields; the place where surgeons go to get treated.
