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
Lorna Fountain
Julian Stevens has enabled me to see. I had bilateral lens implants done in October 2017
The result is nothing short of miraculous, having used glasses and contact lens from the age of 13. I use over the counter spectacles for small print, otherwise I can see everything it’s amazing.
I am full of gratitude to Julian and everyone I encountered at
Moorefields private eye clinic and hospital, a lovely caring competent bunch of highly skilled people.
If you are considering having this procedure or another eye procedure done, look no further -book a consultation with Julian Stevens, I highly recommend him, for me it’s been life changing.
Lorna Fountain
David
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 and with a significant astigmatism. I therefore decided to go to Moorfields for refractive laser surgery; opting for monovision with the aim of avoiding the need for glasses at all. The whole process at Moorfields was simple and efficient and all the staff were friendly and helpful. I went ahead with the surgery (IntraLASIK) and have been delighted with the results. With my right eye (corrected for distance) I can now read the smallest line in the chart! With my left eye (corrected for reading) I’m able to read the smallest print on the test page. I can also read a computer screen easily. No issues with the different focus between the eyes, with almost perfect vision from 60cm to infinity (slight, hardly noticeable, soft focus at about 1.5m where neither eye is perfectly in focus). Immediately after the surgery I experienced a halo around lights at night, but after 3 months this has gone completely. Occasionally my eyes are a little dry, but better than when I was wearing contact lenses previously. All in all a great outcome and no more glasses!
Lynne Laidlaw
I am very pleased with the results of my cataract surgery. It has made a huge difference to my quality of life. Julian and his team are fantastic – professional, efficient and caring. Every step of the way, everyone was up to date on my case and fully engaged with my care and addressed any questions or concerns I had. I highly recommend their services.
Bert
Had bilateral lasik wavefront surgery this morning under Dr Gartry. Early days, but so far so good. I hadn’t really given laser surgery any serious consideration until earlier this year when I realised that the NHS had been carrying out the procedures for some time, albeit privately. I contacted Moorfields via their website for more info, but had to follow-up with phone calls before I received a pack. At the same time I carried out research online, including trawling a huge number of posts on this site, which I found very useful. I had a consultation with Dr Gartry in October and I’d agree with some of the earlier posts here – i.e. he’s not particularly forthcoming, but responded in a straightforward and professional manner to all my questions (which I had prepared beforehand). There was no pressure to go ahead with surgery but I was left with the impression that given my moderate prescription (-2.50 & – 2.25 no astig) and ave pupil/cornea measurements, I was a pretty routine case for such an experienced surgeon. Despite some lingering doubts/concerns I decided to go ahead with the surgery. I’m sure success rates will improve and complications diminish with every passing year, but now in my mid-thirties I concluded that I should take the opportunity to enjoy the potential benefits now rather than waiting another 5-10 years for more data/better technology. And from my research/consultation I was satisfied that the risks – although very real – were pretty clearly set out and small enough to make it worthwhile. Op was postponed from Sat, which was a annoying when you have childcare etc arranged, but it did give me 2 more days to prepare and I actually felt quite relaxed going in this morning. Procedure as described by many – not painful but not particularly pleasant. Dr Gartry was very reassuring throughout talking calmly through the procedure which is incredibly quick (20 mins). Second eye was a little more uncomfortable – partly because you know what’s coming and partly, as Dr Gartry explained, because your body has used up a lot of its adrenalin dealing with the first attack. I could see reasonably well straight away even though everything was a bit misty. During the 40 min car journey home my eyes streamed constantly and were stinging, but this settled once I got home, and improved again after the first set of drops. A few hours on, the mild pain/stinging I had earlier has abated and my sight is already pretty good, if a little hazy. So far the customer experience has not exactly been 5* at Moorfields, but I had every confidence in the surgeon and his team, which for me was the most important thing. Am due to for my follow-up tomorrow afternoon and will post back.
Elizabeth O’Mahoney
Firstly, a big thank you to all those who posted reviews here – they were instrumental in my decision to get my eyes corrected, where and with which doctor. And what good decisions they turned out to be!
I had my surgery with Dr Julian Stevens about 4 months ago. Before surgery I was about -5.5 in both eyes.
It all started with a round of phonecalls to the Moorfield doctors’ secretaries. I wanted to go with the one with the longest waiting list – nervous, moi? This turned out to be Dr Stevens. Cross-referenced with this site and with additional recommendations from colleagues, I decided Stevens was the man! On request, his secretary sent me out lots of useful information and based on this I arranged an appointment for assessment (£90).
On 31st March, I went along to the Arthur Steele Unit (about a mile from my home) and had a raft of eye tests with various individuals. This day characterised my whole Moorfields experience – lots of waiting around (bring a good book to your ALL appointments), lots of nice people, not enough seats. I saw Mr Stevens, who was nice and very confident, and he told me that I was basically very bog-standard and that Wavefront Lasik should give me perfect eyesight. He answered all my questions very patiently. I would deffo recommend bringing a list of questions with you to this appointment.
I decided to go for it and took the next available appointment, which due to my living nearby and due to a last minute cancellation, turned out to be 11th April. This was in Moorfields Hospital. Having handed over my two cheques (£2200 sugeon’s fee and £1087 hospital fee) I took my place in the nice 4th floor waiting room along with a few other brave souls. So much waiting around though! Dreadful. Oh well. Famous person in waiting room. Yes! After a long time, the lot of us were taken down in a lift to a grottier waiting room.
Anyway, turns out that because everyone in front of me in the queue opted for valium, I was first up! So I was straight out. I was a little unprepared because I knew others had been in the queue HOURS ahead of me. Some of those peeps were extremely on edge – I was just very nervous indeed. But a brave soul. Anyway, I followed a nice bod to a tiny, tiny operating room. So tiny! And filled with people! Maybe 4 people. It look liked a dentist’s room with lots of fancy equipment. Everyone was in green or white scrubs though, which was a bit disconcerting. So someone asked for my glasses and I took them off. Which again was a little disconcerting because I couldn’t see any thing. I think they forget that not being able to see is sometimes a bit unsettling for us short-sighted types. Well, I gritted my teeth and was guided to an almost hoizontal dentist-type chair.
Well, it was then, as I lay there not being able to see, with an assistant knocking my feet because the room was too small, that I began to laugh. I don’t know why. Just because I was nervous I suppose. I think they were all talking about football, which added to the surrealism. Anyway, the staff, including Mr Stevens, were all very encouraging and very soothing. And I soon settled down and was happy enough.
So then to the procedure! I’m afraid I can’t remember exactly what went on. All I know is that it was quick and it didn’t hurt. Like I say, I was lying on this horizontal chair. And Mr Stevens did the whole holding back the eyelids jobby, which DIDN’T hurt and wasn’t even uncomfortable! This was the bit I was dreading, you see. And I didn’t even feel like I needed to blink – it just felt almost normal. So, explaining every step as he went, Mr Stevens swung me under one machine, which did its thing. Cutting the cornea flap. Locked onto my eyeball I suppose. I think under THIS machine I mainly saw a small red dot of flashing light and everything else black. And a loud clicking noise. Or maybe that was the next one, I don’t know. Anyhoo, all that only seemed to last about 1 minute. Easy! I didn’t smell anything during the procedure, except for a horrendous sulphurous stink! What a honk! Apparently, kids in the children’s ward sometimes let off stinkbombs.
I must say, one of the flaps which had been cut proved quite tricky to lift, so Mr Stevens was bashing about in my eye for quite a while! But it was painless and just a bit odd really. And you must remember, I am a bit of a wimp myself, so it really wasn’t bad.
Anyway, I was then swung under the next machine. This one seemed to last about 5 minutes. If that. Did the same locking onto eye thing. By this stage, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable. It was a weird sensory experience for me. If you have ever been on Space Mountain in Disneyland or EuroDisney it was a bit like that, but without the rollercoaster. Slightly disorientating, strange lights, but mainly blackness. Anyway, it was all over quickly. And then they did that whole closing of the flaps milarky. So from start to finish, my whole active Moorfields experience was maybe, 10 mins, And then…then…I could see! Yes! It was weird. Everything seemed very, very bright (remember those sunglasses!) and very, very foggy. The fog gradually liftsed as the hours passed.
I was taken to a room with Mr Stevens, for a super quick eye test. I can see! Amazing! Then I went upstairs and a nurse talked be though the different drops I would be taking and all about after surgery care. As I left with my partner in a taxi my eyes were beginning to hurt. Ouch! Too bright too. Well, of course I should have loaded my eyes up with the anaesthetic they had given me, but seeing as they had just done some I didn’t think I should. Anyway, if truth be told, I was in pain for the rest of the day. But I’m a trooper.
When I went back to Moorfields the following day, no one else in the waiting room had ANY pain issues. (I think the moral of this story then, is make sure you have enough anaesthetic BEFORE you eye gets too sore to open properly!) Anyway, at this appointment – more waiting! – they checked my eyes and did another eye test – better than 20-20! So off I trotted to enjoy my new eyesight. There followed a few weeks with various eyedrops, and sleeping with eye goggles and limited swimming. But since that first day, I had no discomfort or pain. For a while lights were a bit fuzzy.
Now, four months on, I have just had my last follow-up appointment (more waiting!). But it’s official – everything is groovy.
I had to score ungenerously on customer service, because at each appointment I waited for hours. However…I can’t recommend lasik surgery highly enough. And I can’t recommend Dr Stevens and Moorfields highly enough. I would do it all again in a nanosecond. My eyesight is perfect. It has had a much more profound effect than I thought it would have. I love it. If you want to get this procedure done, go to Moorfields and go to Dr Stevens.
And that’s all I have to say about that.
Elizabeth O’Mahoney
Firstly, a big thank you to all those who posted reviews here – they were instrumental in my decision to get my eyes corrected, where and with which doctor. And what good decisions they turned out to be!
I had my surgery with Dr Julian Stevens about 4 months ago. Before surgery I was about -5.5 in both eyes.
It all started with a round of phonecalls to the Moorfield doctors’ secretaries. I wanted to go with the one with the longest waiting list – nervous, moi? This turned out to be Dr Stevens. Cross-referenced with this site and with additional recommendations from colleagues, I decided Stevens was the man! On request, his secretary sent me out lots of useful information and based on this I arranged an appointment for assessment (£90).
On 31st March, I went along to the Arthur Steele Unit (about a mile from my home) and had a raft of eye tests with various individuals. This day characterised my whole Moorfields experience – lots of waiting around (bring a good book to your ALL appointments), lots of nice people, not enough seats. I saw Mr Stevens, who was nice and very confident, and he told me that I was basically very bog-standard and that Wavefront Lasik should give me perfect eyesight. He answered all my questions very patiently. I would deffo recommend bringing a list of questions with you to this appointment.
I decided to go for it and took the next available appointment, which due to my living nearby and due to a last minute cancellation, turned out to be 11th April. This was in Moorfields Hospital. Having handed over my two cheques (£2200 sugeon’s fee and £1087 hospital fee) I took my place in the nice 4th floor waiting room along with a few other brave souls. So much waiting around though! Dreadful. Oh well. Famous person in waiting room. Yes! After a long time, the lot of us were taken down in a lift to a grottier waiting room.
Anyway, turns out that because everyone in front of me in the queue opted for valium, I was first up! So I was straight out. I was a little unprepared because I knew others had been in the queue HOURS ahead of me. Some of those peeps were extremely on edge – I was just very nervous indeed. But a brave soul. Anyway, I followed a nice bod to a tiny, tiny operating room. So tiny! And filled with people! Maybe 4 people. It look liked a dentist’s room with lots of fancy equipment. Everyone was in green or white scrubs though, which was a bit disconcerting. So someone asked for my glasses and I took them off. Which again was a little disconcerting because I couldn’t see any thing. I think they forget that not being able to see is sometimes a bit unsettling for us short-sighted types. Well, I gritted my teeth and was guided to an almost hoizontal dentist-type chair.
Well, it was then, as I lay there not being able to see, with an assistant knocking my feet because the room was too small, that I began to laugh. I don’t know why. Just because I was nervous I suppose. I think they were all talking about football, which added to the surrealism. Anyway, the staff, including Mr Stevens, were all very encouraging and very soothing. And I soon settled down and was happy enough.
So then to the procedure! I’m afraid I can’t remember exactly what went on. All I know is that it was quick and it didn’t hurt. Like I say, I was lying on this horizontal chair. And Mr Stevens did the whole holding back the eyelids jobby, which DIDN’T hurt and wasn’t even uncomfortable! This was the bit I was dreading, you see. And I didn’t even feel like I needed to blink – it just felt almost normal. So, explaining every step as he went, Mr Stevens swung me under one machine, which did its thing. Cutting the cornea flap. Locked onto my eyeball I suppose. I think under THIS machine I mainly saw a small red dot of flashing light and everything else black. And a loud clicking noise. Or maybe that was the next one, I don’t know. Anyhoo, all that only seemed to last about 1 minute. Easy! I didn’t smell anything during the procedure, except for a horrendous sulphurous stink! What a honk! Apparently, kids in the children’s ward sometimes let off stinkbombs.
I must say, one of the flaps which had been cut proved quite tricky to lift, so Mr Stevens was bashing about in my eye for quite a while! But it was painless and just a bit odd really. And you must remember, I am a bit of a wimp myself, so it really wasn’t bad.
Anyway, I was then swung under the next machine. This one seemed to last about 5 minutes. If that. Did the same locking onto eye thing. By this stage, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable. It was a weird sensory experience for me. If you have ever been on Space Mountain in Disneyland or EuroDisney it was a bit like that, but without the rollercoaster. Slightly disoritentating, strange lights, but mainly blackness. Anyway, it was all over quickly. And then they did that whole closing of the flaps milarky. So from start to finish, my whole active Moorfields experience was maybe, 10 mins, And then…then…I could see! Yes! It was weird. Everything seemed very, very bright (remember those sunglasses!) and very, very foggy. The fog gradually liftsed as the hours passed.
I was taken to a room with Mr Stevens, for a super quick eye test. I can see! Amazing! Then I went upstairs and a nurse talked be though the different drops I would be taking and all about after surgery care. As I left with my partner in a taxi my eyes were beginning to hurt. Ouch! Too bright too. Well, of course I should have loaded my eyes up with the anaesthetic they had given me, but seeing as they had just done some I didn’t think I should. Anyway, if truth be told, I was in pain for the rest of the day. But I’m a trooper.
When I went back to Moorfields the following day, no one else in the waiting room had ANY pain issues. (I think the moral of this story then, is make sure you have enough anaesthetic BEFORE you eye gets too sore to open properly!) Anyway, at this appointment – more waiting! – they checked my eyes and did another eye test – better than 20-20! So off I trotted to enjoy my new eyesight. There followed a few weeks with various eyedrops, and sleeping with eye goggles and limited swimming. But since that first day, I had no discomfort or pain. For a while lights were a bit fuzzy.
Now, four months on, I have just had my last follow-up appointment (more waiting!). But it’s official – everything is groovy.
I can’t recommend lasik surgery highly enough. And I can’t recommend Dr Stevens and Moorfields highly enough. I would do it all again in a nanosecond. My eyesight is perfect. It has had a much more profound effect than I thought it would have. I love it. If you want to get this procedure done, go to Moorfields and go to Dr Stevens.
And that’s all I have to say about that.
D Brown
Expect your initial consultation with David Gartry to be very brief, without even a vision test, for which he relies on the data provided by your optician. You may also have to be proactive as he did not volunteer information on the likelihood of complications, but was happy to answer questions.
He did explain, however, that the treatment will not give you BETTER sight than you currently have with glasses/contact lenses, merely (if successful) reduce/eliminate the need for corrective lenses to get to that level of sight.
GREG RUSSELL
AM I ABLE TO HAVE LASIK SURGERY? I AM EXTREMELY SHORT-SIGHTED. MY CURRENT PRESCRIPTION IS MINUS 15.5 AND MINUS 17.00 RESPECTIVELY. I HAVE DAMAGED RETINA DUE TO RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY FROM BIRTH.
CAN ANYONE SUGGEST ANY FORM OF TREATMENT?
Irene Frendo
About eighteen months after I had lasik my left eye (previously -8.50) began regressing rather rapidly form -1.- with about .50 astigmatism to -3.25 with 2 astigmatism within a few months. My right eye has regresses slightly but not significantly. Has anyone experienced anything like this? I am particularly surprised as it happened so long after treatment. I am at the moment looking into the possibility of successful re-treatment.
Ian Taylor
I had Lasik surgery with Dr. Gartry on Monday 7th April 2003. My presciption was -7.25 with 1.25 of astigmatism in each eye. I researched both Moorfields and Dr. Gartry beforehand and decided that if anything was to go wrong it was the right place with the right surgeon for fixing things up. I had my consultation with Dr. Gartry at his Harley Street surgery. I concur with a number of postings on this site. You have to go with a list of questions. He does not readily offer information but answers any question in a straight-forward and clear manner. I went to Moorfields for the operation at 08:15. They did the scans and tests 15 minutes before the operation. Two things to consider here that I was not ready for. 1. Dr. Gartry relies on the eyetest that you take with you from your optician. I just assumed he would do his own test as well so you need to be happy with the prescription you take with you. 2. As the corneal scan was done only a few minutes before the surgery I was actually lying in the laser machine chair before I was told that due to my prescription and the corneal thickness results (500 and 520) he was not able to fully correct my sight. He was able to correct -6.5 of the -7.25 which would leave me with a residual prescription of -0.5 to -0.75. I then had to make a snap decision whether to go ahead or not. I had not prepared for this eventuality. I recommend you decide what you would do if this or something similar was sprung on you. I decided to go ahead. I could end up needing glasses for close work but should be able to drive, play sport, etc. The operation was painless and not as bad as I had feared. It took less time and was less uncomfortable than getting a tooth filled. Dr. Garty was very good. He was obviously very competent, talked me through everything and conveyed the general air of someone who spends their life doing complex corneal surgery (which is his main job) and who performs laser surgery for light relief. Very comforting ! My sight was very hazy straight after the operation and I could not have hailed a taxi and caught a train without assistance. The haze cleared after a few hours leaving blurred vision. I sorted out the drops (3 different ones in each eye every two hours). Some prickling sensation in my eyes but no pain or other discomfort. I spent the rest of the day mainly resting with my eyes closed. The next day my sight was much better but still with some blurring. However I was able to train and taxi it back to Moorfields for the checkup on my own. Dr. Gartry proclaimed himself very happy with the results, said I was able to drive (not sure about this yet myself) and sent me off after about five minutes. Again he was happy to answer any question but did not volunteer a lot of information. He said my sight would continue to improve over the next month. As the correction was quite a lot it will take longer for my sight to settle down then if I had had a smaller correction. I went stright from the consultation to work for a three hour conference call. In retrospect this was probably too soon. This morning (2 days after the operation) my sight was less blurred again and is now good enough for me to post this article. I decided not to go into work but am able to pick up email, etc. from home. My eyes are not up to a day at the computer yet though. I may consider driving tomorrow. I'll post an update at the one week mark when the drops and the "sleep-inhibiting" goggles are done.
