With a strong track record in surgical innovation and over 60 publications in international medical journals, Mr Bruce Allan is one of the UK’s leading academic refractive surgeons.
The good news? Mr Allan comes high up in the list of the 10 best laser eye surgeons in the UK, based on thousands of patient reviews since 2002.
Is there anything I should know? As you would expect from a top Moorfields surgeon, Dr Allan costs a fair bit more than his contemporaries at other clinics. You may like to read all our surgeon reviews to find if there is an equally esteemed professional at a lower price point, if budget is a priority.
So is he the one? 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. About Mr Bruce Allan
Mr Bruce Allan qualified in medicine from Cambridge in 1985 and was appointed as a Consultant Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital in 1998 after advanced specialist training in the UK, South Africa, and Australia.
He was appointed as the Service Director for Refractive Surgery at Moorfields in 2012, and has remained at this clinic since 1998.
He and his wife, Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Maria Teresa Casasus Borrell, live in North London with their three daughters. He is a keen football fan and sailor.
In a nutshell:
- Clinic name: Moorfields Eye Hospital
- Qualification: MD FRCS FRCOphth
- Address: Moorfields Eye Hospital, 162 City Rd, London EC1V 2PD
- Area: Central London
2. Clinical Experience
Mr Bruce Allan has a range of expertise in sight correction treatments, including laser refractive surgery, ICL implantation, cataract and corneal transplantation, refractive lens exchange, and keratoconus treatment.
That means, he may be help you achieve 20/20 vision, even if you have been turned away by less experienced surgeons at other clinics.
Current professional activities include:
- NHS practice specializing in cataract surgery and corneal transplantation
- Private practice specializing in laser eye surgery and implants for vision correction
- Regular presentations at international research meetings, press, radio and television comment on developments in laser eye surgery, cataract and corneal transplantation
- Peer review for international medical journals and research grant funding bodies
- Specialist advice for NICE and MHRA
- Current research interests include
- Multiple regression analysis to enhance accuracy in wavefront LASIK
- New techniques of corneal endothelial transplantation for Fuchs dystrophy
- Non-transplant interventions for keratoconus
3. Training and Qualifications
Bruce Allan graduated in medicine from Cambridge in 1985, and was appointed as a Consultant Surgeon at Moorfields in 1998.
Before that, he engaged in advanced specialist training in the UK, South Africa, and Australia. He was Training Director for the Corneal Service at Moorfields for over 10 years, and Service Director for Refractive Surgery from 2012 to 2019.
He is currently chairing the Royal College of Ophthalmologists Refractive Surgery Standards Working Group and is an EU Cornea Board member.
Current research interests include:
- Enhancing treatment accuracy in laser refractive surgery
- Laser assisted corneal transplantation
- Early intervention and visual rehabilitation in keratoconus
4. Patient Reviews
“From initial consultation to final check up the whole process was amazing – the procedure was quick and totally pain free I had no problems at all following the procedure and my sight just kept improving on a daily basis it was worth every penny – i don’t need glasses at all.
Would highly recommend Moorfields Private clinic for anyone thinking if having this done they are the best. Thank you Mr. Allan.“ –
Mrs S Whiting
“If I could give higher than a 5 rating I would.
Bruce Allan was absolutely brilliant from my initial consultation onwards. He answered all my questions in a calm and reassuring manner, which made me feel immediately at ease.
He talked me through all the benefits and the drawbacks of the procedure, in a highly professional manner, which made me feel like I was in very, very, safe hands.” – Jack Green
“Excellent result and no longer need glasses for reading and writing with eyes getting better every day. Would thoroughly recommend Bruce and the process from start to finish was outstanding.” – Mike McMillen
5. Prices
As you may have seen, Moorfields Private offers prices at the upper end, given the top-of-the-range equipment and high experience levels of its surgeons.
The exact cost of your treatment will depend on the surgeon ou choose. That’s because the laser eye consultants are employed by Moorfields, and set their own fees.
Laser eye surgery costs with Mr Bruce Allan cost £2,485 per eye for common laser eye surgery such as LASIK or LASEK. These prices rise to between £3,320 and £4,155 per eye for more complex procedures including cataract surgery and ICL.
An initial consultation will set you back £200, or £300 for a second opinion. If you would like a free consultation to explore your options, it’s worth considering clinics such as Optical Express or Optimax where you can receive free quotes.
Consultation costs
- Consultation: £200
- Second opinion: £300
All post-surgical consultations are included within the procedure fee, as part of your comprehensive aftercare package.
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
Are there any extra 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.
☛ Want a tailored quote? The only way to compare exact quotes is to see an eye expert for a check-up. These can cost up to £250, but with our simple tool, you can find out how much laser or lens surgery will cost you at Optical Express for free.
6. The Verdict
So, is Mr Allan the right eye surgeon for you? Of course, that all depends on where you live, and what you’re looking for.
His prices are some of the highest in the UK. But then again, he is extremely experienced, and if the reviews are anything to go by, you are likely to get what you pay for.
That said, eye surgery is considered a safe elective surgery by the General Medical Council (GMC), so no one should feel obliged to spend any more than they are comfortable with.
If you’d like to find out more, you can always attend free consultations with a range of surgeons to see where you feel happy.
☝ 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.
Mr Bruce Allan Reviews
Mrs S Whiting
From initial consultation to final check up the whole process was amazing – the procedure was quick and totally pain free I had no problems at all following the procedure and my sight just kept improving on a daily basis it was worth every penny – i don’t need glasses at all. Would highly recommend Moorfields Private clinic for anyone thinking if having this done they are the best. Thank you Mr. Allan.
Jack Green
If I could give higher than a 5 rating I would.
Bruce Allan was absolutely brilliant from my initial consultation onwards. He answered all my questions in a calm and reassuring manner, which made me feel immediately at ease.
He talked me through all the benefits and the drawbacks of the procedure, in a highly professional manner, which made me feel like I was in very, very, safe hands.
The day of the surgery he was a constant reassurance and made the atmosphere, in the room feel at ease, rather than tense, which really helped me on the day of the procedure.
I would recommend Moorfields and Mr Bruce Allan to anyone I know. I would personally not go to anyone else but him.
It is a life changing procedure and to know you are in such hands with a fantastic and calm man, with such knowledge and expertise, you really can’t go wrong.
Thank you Mr Allan
Mike McMillen
Excellent result and no longer need glasses for reading and writing with eyes getting better every day. Would thoroughly recommend Bruce and the process from start to finish was outstanding.
Barbara Haigh
Aged 66 and a devout coward..! Fed up with reading glasses and having them hanging around my neck..! It was the last straw when I had to wear specs to see what I was eating. Bit the bullet and thought if I’m going to let someone burn my eyeballs it had to be the best of the best. Hence Moorfields and a quick survey led to Mr. Bruce Allen. True professional; extremely kind; a gentleman and an immediate bond of trust – most important.
A very thorough work-up by his team and the consultation I needed/wanted – i.e. I didn’t want any of the gory details, just needed to know the outcome.
The procedure at my own convenience and over within 25 minutes for both eyes. Zero pain and only minor discomfort which was a feeling of pressure, which I can liken to rubbing your own eyes when you’re a bit tired. Improvement almost immediately, while sitting in the waiting room, which continued for the rest of the day and beyond. Sent home with a huge carrier bag of medication, drops etc. Comprehensive instructions, and contact details if needed – I didn’t need.
Follow up appointments perfect and the final result is I don’t need reading glasses – at all now…. oh, deep joy…! Occasional bleary eyed moments but they are decreasing. Apparently tears take a while to correct themselves. Three months down the line and things are improving even now. Typed all of this without specs!! Thank you Mr. Allen. No hesitation in recommending this clinic and the professionalism of this gentleman.
Angela Bryan
Mr Allan and his team are extremely professional – I was very impressed by everyone I met during the process.
Mr Allan put me at ease and explained everything throughout. It makes such a difference when a surgeon has a nice kindly manner and smiles a lot! Having eye surgery is a very nerve wracking for a lot of patients – your eyesight is very precious – I knew I was in excellent hands with Mr Allan and would definitely recommend him to my friends and family if they wished to have the same procedure.
Leeor Douek
**LIFE CHANGER**
background: high myopia (-10 both eyes) and for over 12 years wore bi monthly soft contacts. During the past 3 years, I had been suffering from recurring infections\inflammations in both eyes, apparently from overuse of soft contacts.
2 years ago, I started using hard contacts but didn’t get along with them at all as I have very dry eyes. I did not fit the Lasik due to my thin corneas but was recommended for the ICL transplant by Dr Bruce Allen.
After a long research I went ahead with it and 8 months after the procedure I can comfortably say that this is a life changer and I am grateful for this every morning!! I would have never let anyone besides Dr Bruce Allen do this procedure !!
Emma Weyman
Dr Bruce Allan is the person I was recommended by a Dr at Moorfields Eye Hospital when I got an infection in one of my eyes and could not wear my lenses for at least a month. I never minded the look of glasses, you can get some nice styles now, however, always hated wearing them, swimming was a pain, lying on the sofa on your side I found irritating in glasses and overall I just found them overly uncomfortable. I had booked in for laser eye surgery twice before and had been skeptical so cancelled (neither bookings had been with Dr Allan) Dr Allan made me feel so comfortable and has a very reassuring/ ‘non pushy’ informative approach that I felt confident proceeding!! It is the best thing I have ever done: day of surgery went swimmingly, there was some discomfort the day of surgery but a migraine is much worse in comparison if that helps? With the SMILE technique, recovery is not instant ie your eye sight is not immediate, however, approx 3 days after surgery you are able to see amazingly well and then ever increasing as the days go on… Overall I would highly recommend Dr Bruce Allan and his team they are all fantastic! No gimmicks or pressure to book in: I have never looked back!
Laura Eccles
I had been considering laser eye surgery for years and was very apprehensive about it. I did a lot of research and ended up finding Mr. Allan at Moorfields. I went for my consultation and that day booked in for my surgery the following week! Being very anxious about the procedure Mr.Allan and his team made me feel very at ease. They talked me through the whole procedure and it was all over and done with within 30minutes. I can’t thank Mr. Allan enough, as the surgery has really changed my life. You can tell he is extremely knowledgable and passionate about what he does. I would definitely recommended Moorfirlds and Mr.Allan if you are choosing laser eye surgery.
Amar Singh
I was thoroughly impressed by the whole process the team at Moorfields in particular Mr Allan who explained the procedures and carried out the surgery with great care and attention, he was always available to answer any questions. The cleanliness of the hospital also impressed me aswell as the friendliness of the staff. I would thoroughly recommend Mr Alan to others and have done to members of my own family.
Phil Davis
I’ve been considering having corrective surgery on my eyes for a few years now, so when finances became available, I bit the bullet and started doing some serious research online. In terms of the procedure, Lasik was the obvious choice, and I would not certainly not consider anything different. The short recovery times, lack of pain and lower risk factors seemed clear – and all were born out in practice.
Next choice was which company or clinic to choose. Geographic location obviously plays a part, and so does price. However I settled on Moorfields. The key decider for me was a comment by my optician when I mentioned that I was considering it: “Moorfields is the best – it’s where those who do have problems with corrective eye surgery go to have the issues fixed”. Online reviews backed this up with consistently higher review ratings. They did charge more than most, but that was a price I was willing to pay.
I settled with Mr Bruce Allan, and have to say he was superb. The advice, openness to discussion and calm approach were excellent. He also explained and talked through the options I had around splitting the amount of correction applied to the two eyes, to stave off the need for reading glasses. I did choose this option, and while it was disconcerting initially to have one eye perfectly focused with the other remaining short sighted, the results now, 3 months on, are excellent. My brain compensates without me noticing, and switches seamlessly between reading and distance viewing.
So in all, a thoroughly professional, friendly service which has given me exactly the sight I was after – perfect. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Moorfields and Mr Allan.
