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
Mr R Patel
I researched into choosing the best eye surgeon and what equipment/machine is best for laser eye surgery. I chose Mr Romesh Angunawela as he is rated as one of top ten eye surgeons in the UK.
From various articles Moorefield’s have one of the best laser machines in the world. I went with Romesh at Moorfields due to his expertise and skills and his fee includes a 2 year aftercare package.
I was -9.25 in both eyes prior to surgery in August 2014 and Romesh recommended Trans PRK laser surgery the results are amazing. 3 months on I have better than 20/20 or 6/6. I have 6/4 vision I have perfect vision it’s amazing I can now see the bottom lines of an eye chart.
I have no side effects my eyes are healthy. I am now in my Thirties and I wish I had taken a decision to have the eye surgery done earlier in my life.
I would just like to say a big thank you to Mr Romesh Angunawela and his team who were very professional from start to finish. The Optometrist who checked my vision was very professional and thorough. Mr Angunawela checked my eyes thoroughly and recommended which type of eye surgery would be best suited for me.
The pre and after care service is excellent Mr Angunawela phoned me the next day to make sure everything was o.k which put my mind at rest.
I have now recommended my friends and family to see Mr Angunawela at Moorefield’s.
This guy is a legend !
Mrs SKB
A super service from Mrs Saw and her team, even better results than I had anticipated after wearing glasses and contact lenses for so long, giving me a fantastic lifestyle change.
Nicholas Pollitt
I went to a number of eye clinics who all failed to spot my cataracts. Valerie was quick to diagnose and treat my various needs and swiftly achieved great results. If you are worried or in need of advice or quality care I would recommend Valerie.
Chinelo Obibuaku
The surgery itself was quick and painless. I was talked through every step of the surgery by Mr Allan. Extremely happy with aftercare and results!
Jeremy Rutherford
Having been told I would never see clearly again with glasses or contact lenses (due to severe stigmatism in both eyes and a worsening prescription) I sought out a reliable practice and surgeon to provide some advice and guidance on options for laser surgery.
I knew that Moorfields had a great reputation for excellence and, using this site to compare surgeon reviews, I chose to visit Mr Allan. I was not disappointed.
The clinic is very well managed and communications at all stages of my consultation were clear and concise. Mr Allan is a charming individual who almost immediately put me at rest and provided a clear and helpful explanation of the diagnosis and options. I was suitable for laser surgery which was great news. However Mr Allan warned me that due to my prescription it was likely I would need two operations on each eye.
During the surgery Mr Allan kept me well informed and whilst not entirely relaxing, the first surgery was successful in that I could immediately see more clearly than before. After a three month checkup, further surgery was deemed necessary (as originally suggested) and this was performed shortly afterwards. The second round was far less intrusive and I had fully recovered in a couple of days.
Having now completed my second check up I have been discharged from care with 20/20 vision! I cannot recommend the Moorfield’s team enough and would encourage anyone to visit Mr Allan for guidance and treatment if required.
Jeremy Bedford
Great service and professionalism from Mr Allan and his team. I would throughly recommend. My only regret is that I didn’t do this years ago.
Neil Hudswell
I’m very happy to recommend Mr Allan and his team at Moorfields who performed laser surgery to correct my short-sightedness.
The whole process was much more straightforward than I had expected, it was clear from the very start that I was in the hands of an expert. Excellent results.
Chris Hoyle
I have needed glasses since the age of 10 and worn contacts for the last 20 years
I have considered eye surgery for the last 14 years. And been bamboozled by different types, prices, reviews. I have missed the last 14 years of good vision through this confusion.
Find a surgeon you trust, ask questions about success rates and experience, read reviews. But do it.
Surgery was quick. The nurse briefing on the drops took longer. I was in and out within minutes. The initial consultations used machines and analysis of my eyes I had never seen before. I had complete trust in Mr Allan and his team. I could drive the next day. The process was smooth and healing happened before I knew it. My wife pointed out that my brain needed time to catch up with my new eyes! Find a surgeon you trust and do it. If you are looking for a surgeon then I completely trust Mr Allan
Nancy Atkinson
Excellent care from beginning to end and am very happy with the result of treatment
Alison Lister
I had a fantastic experience with Mr Allan at Moorfields. I was short sighted with a very high prescription and astigmatism and also needed reading glasses, so I was keen to find the best possible treatment. Mr Allan explained everything very carefully and the operation went well. By correcting one eye for close work and the other for distance, I can now do without any glasses. I would highly recommend Mr Allan.