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
Sarah Brendlor
I’ve been short sighted since I was young and now developed early onset of cataracts. My eyesight was depressing me. After much research I found David Gartry. David and his team made me feel relaxed and reassured from my first consultation through to the procedure it self. It really is a life changing operation, definitely the best decision I have ever made. I can’t recommend David Gartry enough nor thank him enough.
LH
Had my Lasik surgery to both eyes (-3.75 and -3.0) yesterday at 12.30pm. Just had my follow up 4.45pm and I am reading bottom line of chart (2 better than 20/20 apparently). Procedure was pretty weird (isn't that true of anything to do with the eyes?) but certainly not painful. Some discomfort for a couple of hours after the op but the drops quickly sorted that out. Absolutely delighted with results and like so many others just wish I'd done it sooner!
marva ross
excellent care during the procedure Mr Gartry expalained everything that he was doing, I am 1 week post op had Lasek, ssw him on thurs, things seem ok. He was very pleasant and easy to talk too.Have a check-up in 3 months time.
Kam Lau
As far as I'm concerned, Prof. Gartry isn't just a great surgeon and pioneer but he's THE top dawg in the field! Do yourself a favour and do an amount of pre-emptive background reading. That way you'll get the best out of the whole process - with any surgeon. I'm on a sabbatical so was very flexible on timing and could move with little notice and took advantage of a cancellation. However, the regular appointment list is a good couple of weeks as you'd expect with any good doctor, builder etc ..During the consultation, we briefly discussed procedure and I had no proper questions. I was glad that the good prof was happy to take me as a patient (circa -4.75, and 1.5 astigmatic). This is actually an important point which many people don't even consider. Using the analogy of looking for a good builder - just because you've found a good builder it doesn't mean he (or she) is obliged to take your job! It cuts both ways - you choose a surgeon but he or she chooses or not to take you as a patient.Anyway, two and a half days later, I was in for the procedure. Again, most people take a bit longer but I was simply lucky and ready to move so I was all done from first consultation to zapped eyes in less than 96 hours - call me an impatient patient!The staff at the clinic are professional and considerate - that's good coming from me, who is extremely particular about people doing their jobs well! Prof Gartry is an extremely nice bloke. I can only speak about my experience of the whole process and bear in mind that I'm a straight forward, down to earth guy, technically minded and was primarily interested in "improving" my vision (remember that everything is relative - "expecting" perfect vision just because you're paying for it is not a good starting point). If you're of a similar mindset and thinking of refractive laser treatment then go see him. For the record, I was able to demonstrate better than 20/20 vision at my 72hr post-op appointment. How well, the process goes isn't just down to the skill of surgeon or how good or expensive the technology but also how well your eyes able to heal.Just a one word summary to finish off. Recommended.
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!
Susan Archer
I had lasik surgery to correct short sightedness in 1999 performed by David Gartry. 12 years on I am still delighted with the results. Would highly recommend him to anyone.
Steve D
I'm extremely happy with Moorfields Private - The day after surgery I have better than 20/20 vision - I can now read 3 lines below 20/20Awesome - Thanks to Proffessor David Gartry1st class treatment plain and simple -Would recommentd in a heartbeat - Thank you so much for enhancing my life.
Helen B
I'm very very happy with my eyes. Near perfect vision thanks to Professor David Gartry. I was very nervous of the whole procedure and anxious afterwards but trusted Mr Gartry and Moorfields. I had a few extra aftercare appointments afterwards and Mr Gartry saw me quickly with no problems or fuss. I had dry eyes for about 2 months afterwards. I would highly recommend him. It really has transformed my life.
Howard B
A top bloke, ok so my eyes were terrible, at worse than -5.75, and -6.25, now they are better than 20:20!The important thing is that David, and his staff were there every step of the way, anything that could be done to ensure patient confidence and comfort were thought of at every turn. David himself is personable and extremely competent.If there was a 6 rating he would get that.Fantastic outcome, well done!Thanks
Valerie C
Mr Gartry operated on my eyes in Aug 2011, and I can only agree with all the other positive comments. My first appointment was to consider laser surgery however I was not suitable for this process therefore Mr Gartry recommend that the lens of both eyes be replaced to give me the best possible result. The operation has been a great success - to start with I did have some sensitivity to bright light but this subsided after a couple of months. I am extremely grateful to Mr Gartry and his team for achieving such a wonderful result for me.If you are considering eye surgery I would highly recommend that you choose Mr Gartry and the Moorfields Eye Hospital.
Penelope O’Hara
I have worn glasses since I was 2 years old due to an inherited condition causing long sight, almost to + 5 in both eyes I never thought I would be a suitable candidate for laser surgery until I was pointed in the direction of Mr Gartry. I had the surgery in May 2012 and now have better than 20:20 vision thanks to the skill and expertise of my surgeon. I credit him with not only giving me my life back but also my confidence. Suddenly the world is a much clearer, sharper, more colourful place to be in. Even simple things like being able to read a newspaper or menu unaided feels like I have conquered the world! Thank you.
