With 20 years performing vision correction surgery under his belt, Mr Julian Stevens has been a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital since 1988.
The good news? Mr Stevens makes the list of the 10 best laser eye surgeons in the UK, based on thousands of patient reviews since 2002. Hundreds of former patients have left positive reviews, praising his surgical skill and caring manner.
Is there anything I should know? You’ve probably already guessed this, but Mr Stevens’s experience and prime London address also makes him one of the most expensive eye surgeons around. As with all Moorfields surgeons, his prices can be double that of competitors.
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 Julian Stevens
Julian Stevens won a scholarship to study Medicine at Merton College, University of Oxford, where he was then awarded a Postmaster scholarship. He graduated top of his year in 1980 and was awarded the Oxford University Prize in Medicine for the top First Class Honours Degree.
He continued his clinical medical training at Clare College, University of Cambridge and at the Cambridge Medical School. Higher training was undertaken at the Oxford Eye Hospital and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London.
2. Training
After completing his general ophthalmic surgical training, Mr Stevens undertook two years of sub-specialist training, with Fellowships in Lens, Corneal and then Refractive Surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital.
Mr Stevens was appointed as Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital in January 1996. His main interest is laser refractive surgery.
He has been involved in the development and application of wavefront refractive surgery and has personally performed over 10,000 wavefront procedures. Mr Stevens was the first Director of Refractive Surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital.
3. Qualifications
Mr Stevens joins Professor David Gartry in being one of the UK’s most qualified eye surgeons. He is an examiner for the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and holds the Certification of the Royal College in Laser Refractive Surgery. He is an advisor to the British Society for Refractive Surgery and is on the Board of the International Society of Refractive Surgery.
He has won prizes from both the American and the European Societies of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. He is the recipient of the 2007 American Academy of Ophthalmology (ISRS/ AAO) Lans award for innovation in refractive surgery.
Internationally recognised as an expert opinion leader, Mr Stevens has published peer reviewed papers on refractive surgery and is regularly invited to deliver keynote lectures at national and international ophthalmic meetings.
Mr Stevens trains Ophthalmic Surgeons in advanced refractive and cataract surgery. He founded the Moorfields basic and advanced IntraLASIK courses and the Moorfields wavefront training course for Ophthalmic Surgeons.
4. Patient Reviews
“My husband and I had lens replacement by Mr Stevens last year, and are both thrilled with our results. After years of wearing glasses, we feel liberated from them from the moment we wake up. I would personally recommend Mr Stevens, and would not hesitate to refer any of my family to see him when the necessity arises for them to seek eye treatment.” – June Clayton
“I had LASIK in 2005, performed by Mr Julian Stevens at Moorfields Eye Hospital. I have absolutely fantastic vision and it stills shocks me just how well I can see. The procedure was quick and painless, and Mr Stevens and his team made me feel at ease throughout the whole process.” – Rosie
“Mr Stevens was fairly brief in his pre-op time given for discussion but you could say, efficient and utterly knowledgeable. His junior doctors were not so well informed and one lady even fobbed me off with false information. His receptionists (especially Janet – a star) were much better informed. Overall I received all the answers I needed (I was annoyingly inquisitive) but had the sense that as a customer of an expensive and commercial procedure, time for chat was necessarily not huge. Delighted with the results.” – Andrew James
5. Prices
As you would expect at Moorfields Private, Mr Stevens does not come cheap.
Laser refractive surgery costs twice the quotes at other leading UK clinics, although the prices for lens replacement surgery are only around a third more, given the higher base cost of the lens itself.
- Consultation: £150 – £600
- Wavefront laser refractive surgery: £4,370 – £4,970
- Refractive lens surgery: £3,825 – £4,430 (per eye)
- Cataract surgery cost: £3,825 – £4,430 (per eye)
Unlike at many other clinics, initial consultations with Mr Stevens are not free – you’ll be paying between £150 and £600, depending on the surgery you’re interested in. If you would prefer to have the option to pay monthly for your surgery, it’s worth looking around, as Moorfields will need the full payment up front. At Optical Express or Ultralase, for instance, you could pay around £50 a month for two years.
6. The Verdict
So, is Mr Stevens 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 industry, but he can also justify them, as one of the UK’s most qualified surgeons.
You’d be in trusted hands with Mr Stevens. That said, with eye surgery considered a safe elective surgery by the General Medical Council (GMC), no one should feel obliged to spend any more than they are comfortable with. You can always attend free consultations with a range of surgeons to see where you feel most comfortable.
☝ 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 Julian Stevens Reviews
Rosie Ivison
Mr Stevens is charming, calm, and completely professional.
The operation was swift and painless. I have had no problems at all subsequently.
I am more than happy with the results.
Previously I had been needed stronger and stronger glasses to read. Now I don’t need any except very weak ones in dim light.
Everything is much brighter and clearer now, especially colours.
I am delighted with the results. Worth every penny.
Thank you Mr Stevens!
Andrew James
Had Lasek surgery 18 months ago. It was painful and uncomfortable. I would definitely recommend that you book a week at home after surgery and have someone pick you up or help you home after surgery. For 3 months afterwards I would wake up every now and then with the sensation of painfully gritty eyes. But this side-effect was temporary and would subside about 10 minutes after waking up ... in the scheme of things, not a huge issue.Apparently, it does not make much difference which surgeon you have unless things go wrong and I was willing to pay for the guarantee of having Dr Stevens in case they did. His average results are also very good. He was fairly brief in his pre-op time given for discussion but you could say, efficient and utterly knowledgeable. His junior doctors were not so well informed and one lady even fobbed me off with false information. His receptionists (especially Janet - a star) were much better informed. Overall I received all the answers I needed (I was annoyingly inquisitive) but had the sense that as a customer of an expensive and commercial procedure, time for chat was necessarily not huge.Delighted with the results. I used to have a prescription of -2.75 and -3.00 and was completely dependent on glasses or contacts. I am 34. So pleased to have stable eyes from lasek as I do loads of outdoor activities and I can see very well (20:20). I never got used to contacts or glasses and as someone who loves to feel self-reliant, the surgery has made a tremendous difference to my life.Recommend the lasek surgery with Dr Stevens.
Rosie
I had LASIK in 2005 performed by Mr Julian Stevens at Moorfields Eye Hospital. I have absolutely fantastic vision and it stills shocks me just how well I can see. The procedure was quick and painless, and Mr Stevens and his team made me feel at ease throughout the whole process. Having researched laser eye surgery in depth I knew that the outcome would be affected by the surgeon’s skill. Knowing that Mr Stevens had performed thousands of procedures and was highly regarded by other surgeons as an expert opinion leader in the field made him the obvious choice. In the waiting room I met a patient who had been treated elsewhere and was unhappy with the outcome so was now seeing Mr Stevens for a re-treatment. This just confirmed that I was in the best place for my own treatment.I would recommend Mr Stevens to anyone considering laser eye surgery.
June Clayton
My husband and I had lens replacement by Mr Stevens last year and have just had Lasik treatment to one eye to refine my left eye and I just wanted to add that I could not have had better treatment and after-care (which I think is very important). We are both thrilled with our results, after years of wearing glasses we feel liberated from not having to wear glasses from the moment we wake up. I would 100% personally recommend Mr Stevens and would not hesitate to refer any of my family to see him when the necessity arises for them to seek eye treatment.He also has a wonderful PA in Janet Bartlett who makes you feel relaxed and answers any of your queries or fears and is always at the end of a phone to ensure you never feel isolated. (FANTASTIC)
Richard Wills
I chose Mr Stevens , because I considered Moorfields the safest place to have my operation and having read other reviews realised that Mr Stevens came highly recommended.I was wearing -5 contacts for sport and social events and glasses the rest of the time. I had quite pronounced Astigmatism in my right eye and I will be 50 in December , which as you know means I would be expecting bifocals as my reading sight deteriorates.So on the face of it this was a tall order . I had a consultation with Mr Stevens in February and in early March I went in for Lasik surgery. Mr Stevens is wonderfully calm about the whole process , and I never once felt that he wasnt going to do a fantastic job.Because you feel it is such foregone conclusion ,much of the apprehension disappears.The actual operation is no more uncomfortable than having a regular filling done at the dentist . In fact in terms of discomfort , the dentist is much worse. I suppose eyes make us traditionally more squeamish.By the evening of the same day , though still a little misty , I was happily walking the dog . The slight mist continues to improve day by day a bit like glass being polished .On the fourth week , none of the eye drops are required and at that point my eyesight became crystal clear. Fantastic .Having worn glasses and contacts for over 30 years, its great to be unburdened. Cleverly he managed to use my astigmatism to advantage and managed to keep my short vision like that of a 30 year old. I can still read tiny print close up, but have better than 20/20 vision for distance work.Expensive? Well, you only have one pair of eyes , so only let the best chap near them . The other thing is , at 50 I was looking forward to at least ten years of bifocals , prescription sun glasses and contacts with solutions. My estimate would be £2500 for that period plus all the hassle and inconvenience of carrying it all with me , especially on holidays.I really would recommend Mr Stevens and Moorfields to anyone .You really do feel so confident with him and his team and that trust is well placed.
Bella Bathurst
I'm partially deaf and thus rely even more on my sight than most people for lip-reading and for filling in auditory gaps. I've been short-sighted most of my life, and was probably more hesitant about the idea of Lasik surgery than I would have been without the deafness. Julian Stevens and his team at Moorfields were excellent throughout, ready to deal not just with the usual questions (side-effects, long-term issues etc), but with the unusual ones as well. The procedure itself was quick, painless and fascinating. All the staff were happy to deal with any extra issues arising from the deafness; all of them (particularly Mr Stevens) exuded a sense of total solidity and competence about their work. Three months after the surgery, I'm still astounded at being able to wake up in the morning and not have to grope for my glasses. It's a delight to wear normal sunglasses, it's a joy being able to open an oven without steaming up, it's fantastic walking through the rain without having to wear two wet windscreens. It's just really lovely being able to see. The surgery is perfect; no problems, no side-effects, nothing. Perhaps the greatest endorsement I can give is to say that because I can see better now, I can also hear better too. If you want Wavefront laser surgery, Mr Stevens is The Man.
Edward Rom
Having been told I could not have Lasik surgery, I was lucky enough to be recomended to Julian Stevens.After meeting with him and have the necessary tests i was told I could have the Lasik Surgery to correct my horrendous short sightness. The man is a magician and has worked wonders for me and has revolutionised my wife of life.His after care is sensational and i cannot thank Julian enough for what he has done for meif you need a recomendation for Laser surgery i can only but recomend Julian Stevens to do the Job.
Richard Malach
This is the most amazing thing I have ever done. I used to be very short sighted (-8.0 and -8.5) and now the world has never been clearer. I did my research thoroughly and all roads seemed to point to Mr Stevens; from the number of procedures he's carried out, all the great reviews and professional recommendation he's had and his research interests in the wavefront technologies. Mr Stevens and his team gave instilled me with a level of confidence nesessary to go through with such a procedure, after all I only have one pair of eyes.The procedure itself was painless and took less than 10 minutes. I went out that evening and was able to drive the next day. 2 weeks on and I have completely forgotten what life was like with glasses!
John Brierley
No point in going over what's already been said but for me 100% satisfaction. To top it off, l I had two very interesting conversations about different subjects all thrown in for the normal fee. So thanks Julian.
david
I visited Mr Stevens in July having been advised not to wear contact lenses for much longer.A number of my friends and colleagues had recommended him and like so many people have commented i wanted to go to the best because after all it is your eyesight. The procedure took about 10 minutes, was uncomfortable but not painful and I can honestly say that it is the best money i've ever spent. I would not only recommend surgery but would wholeheartedly recommend anyone considering it to use Mr Stevens.
Alison
It's two years ago this week since I had iLasik surgery with Julian Stevens and I'm still so pleased with my wonderful vision.Moorfields was the only place for me and Mr Stevens and his team were excellent from start to finish. Having previously had PRK surgery several years before I was so worried about being in pain afterwards but was amazed that it didn't hurt at all, just a slight stinging for a couple of hours.Although I was very nervous on the day, Mr Stevens has such a confident, reassuring manner, which really helps when you're as nervous as I was! I would highly recommend Mr Stevens to anyone considering Laser Surgery.
