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
Nick Dearnley
I would like to thank you for all your medical expertise and work that you and your team has carried out on my cataract operation and follow up laser treatment. I am truly grateful for all the work and aftercare treatment, it has made a considerable difference to my vision. Thank you so much.
Gabrielle Lazarus
Nothing short of a miracle – having worn glasses from the age of 5 and contact lenses from 11 years old – to sit up after 16 minutes of surgery and be able to see the hands of the clock on the wall, when a quarter of an hour earlier it was a plain white disc…well, just amazing and overwhelming. The anticipation of the procedure was far worse than the process itself and Professor Gartry literally talked me through every second of the procedure in a clear and calm voice and although there was manageable discomfort there was no pain. I would also HIGHLY recommend reading India Knight’s chapter in her book “In Your Prime” in which she gives a step-by-step guide to her procedure with Professor Gartry – you will know exactly what is going to happen and this is incredibly reassuring if a little daunting. Perfect vision at my check-up 3 days later – the feeling of elation on being able to see clearly when I wake up every morning is still with me one month later; the drops are finished, my night vision is also impeccable (that took 10 days to stabilise as the halos around traffic lights and headlights made it impossible to drive in the dark). I cannot recommend Professor Gartry and his team highly enough – kind, considerate, impeccable manners, all my stupid questions answered thoughtfully and SO modest of his achievements. This has been one of the best decisions of my life, I should have had the courage to go through with it several years ago after reading India Knight’s blog the day after her surgery with him, instead of dithering and struggling on for another 3 years with irritating contact lenses and annoying varifocal glasses. Go for it.
Chris Tan
I was recommended to Professor Garty, by a friend and without doubt it is the best thing that I have ever done. I appreciate the cost is high, but I felt when operating on one’s eyes, I really had to go to the very best and without any question this has been the case.
From the time I went for a consultation and had various tests, to the finished ‘job’, I have been extremely pleased that I took this step, so much so, that I have recommended Professor Garty to many friends and customers of mine.
To be able to play sports without contact lens or glasses has been an absolute joy, as before I did struggle in adverse conditions and get up in the morning without the tedious task of using contacts has been a revelation.
Therefore I cannot thank and praise enough Professor Garty and his team for start to finish, absolutely top class, just like my sight now!!!
Willie Matheson
I had been wearing contact lenses for 30 years (-2.5) and had been keeping an eye on laser correction for some time. I checked out a few websites and visited some of the clinics around Aberdeen where I live and although told I was suitable was not comfortable with proceeding.
When my optician recommended Professor Gartry I looked up his web site and could see the difference in perspective straight away. All about the surgery and medical aspects with a simple section on the financial side, the opposite of all the other sites I had seen. I was immediately interested.
I contacted the Moorfields Clinic who were extremely helpful and advised that Professor Gartry would carry out a consultation to confirm if I was suitable and what the best options were for me. We could then decide whether to go ahead with the procedure or not.
We then organised a weekend with a consultation on the Friday and provisional slots for the procedure on the Saturday and a check up on the Monday. As all went well with the consultation and I felt that I was putting my eyesight in the hands of someone I was confident about. The surgery and check up went ahead with no hitches.
I have since been back for a check up at two months, which confirmed that my eyes are good and my vision better than 20/20, as hoped for. I am very pleased with the work carried out by Professor Gartry and his team. All instilled confidence in me regarding their professional ability and their helpful attitude in facilitating my procedure.
I would recommend Professor Gartry and his team to anybody considering laser eye surgery.
Zahra Wahab
It has taken me 34 years to summon enough courage to consider eye surgery and after consulting 2 opticians and the surgeon who performed my husband’s cataract operation Professor Gartry was clearly the man for the job! My sight was crucial and this decision was extremely important.
At the initial consultation I was told that surgery could eliminate my need for distance glasses but in all probability I would still need reading glasses. Prior to the first eye operation I was in a state of terror, all the usual fears – I don’t like things near my eyes, what happened if I blinked or moved, what would I see……. The staff were amazing and very reassuring, I can honestly say I felt no pain or discomfort at all, the fears were all unfounded. I could hardly wait the week for the second operation. Not only has my vision been corrected but everything is enhanced now- colours are much brighter.
Now almost 4 weeks on I am still extremely pleased with the results. I wish I had had the courage much earlier.
Thank you Professor Gartry and the rest of the team.
Dr Aamir Ismailjee
I have always wanted a life free from the hassle and discomfort of contact lenses. It is well known that doctors make the worst patients. As both an optometrist and trainee ophthalmologist myself, I am well aware of the procedure and potential complications. Although the risks are uncommon, I did not want to take any chances. I would only place the health of my eyes in the hands of somebody I could trust completely.
Professor David Gartry is renowned among the medical world as being one of the leading corneal and refractive specialists. I had no hesitation in selecting him as my surgeon. He is an experienced consultant from Moorfields and prior to the consultation performed many tests, to ensure I was completely suitable to safely undergo the procedure.
On the day, my LASIK procedure went extremely well. Prof Gartry is calm, clear and comforting. During the procedure he reassuringly talked me through every step. I recovered very quickly and a couple days later I was able to see the bottom line of the chart.
Almost two years on my vision is brilliant. I feel liberated without the need for visual aids and would recommend a consultation to all who are considering it.
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!
Katherine
I can’t thank Professor Gartry enough! The eye treatment has changed my life, I’m just kicking myself I didn’t do it sooner!
The whole process was so simple, clearly explained, pain free & completely successful.
I have no hesitation in recommending Professor Gartry & the Moorfields Eye hospital private clinic – a great service and well worth the money.
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!
Lee Campbell
I had extreme myopia (-10 in both eyes). Professor Gartry explained that LASEK was more appropriate for my level of eyesight and that I should not expect a perfect result (due to my perscription level). I was happy with that and I had the procedure a few weeks later. It was a simple, pain free procedure and the aftercare was well described, easy to follow with different eye drops and this was all fine. After one week my eyesight was perfect and continues to be perfect today. After several follow-up checkups my eyesight is confirmed as perfect 20/20 vision in both eyes. It’s completely changed my life. Thank you Professor Gartry!
