12 June 2026
Uncertainty is part of everyday optometric practice – progressive eye disease with limited treatment options. Visual symptoms that don’t align neatly with refraction or obvious pathology. And increasing pressure to manage what is treatable today while anticipating where eye care is heading next.
The partnership between tertiary care and community optometry has never been more important.
As part of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Moorfields Private provides optometrists with direct access to a globally recognised centre where research, innovation and consultantled care are embedded within patient pathways.
For complex, advanced or unusual presentations, referrals reach specialists who are actively redefining what is possible in ophthalmology.
No patient is routine
Moorfields Private delivers fully comprehensive ophthalmology across every sub-specialty, providing a single ophthalmology destination. Services span cataract surgery, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and AMD, vitreoretinal and corneal disease, uveitis, neuroophthalmology, ocular oncology, inherited eye disease and paediatric ophthalmology, alongside a Rapid Access and Urgent Care Clinic for acute presentations.
All of this is delivered at scale. Moorfields Private is one of the largest single sites for private cataract surgery in the UK and our consultants perform over 2700 private cataract procedures annually.
This breadth and depth are vital for patients with comorbidities or evolving pathology. Highvolume cataract, expert vision correction and specialist oculoplastics services are delivered through impartial, consultantled care, ensuring every treatment is tailored to the individual, because no patient is routine.
For complex, advanced or unusual presentations, referrals reach specialists who are actively redefining what is possible in ophthalmology
From “nothing more we can do” to effective new treatment
Some conditions have long been considered largely untreatable. Chronic hypotony is one such example: a rare condition marked by persistently low intraocular pressure, structural damage to the eye and progressive vision loss.
In January 2026, Moorfields research demonstrated that a widely used surgical gel could restore eye shape, improve pressure control and deliver meaningful visual recovery in patients previously thought beyond treatment. As boundaries shift, knowing where to refer patients with advanced disease becomes crucial. Moorfields Private connects optometrists with consultants at the forefront of these advances.
When complexity becomes personal
The case of patient, Neel, illustrates the value of integrated, specialist care. Diagnosed in childhood with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, which led to complications including uveitis, cataract and severe glaucoma, he faced vision loss in his only seeing eye. When his eye pressure became uncontrollable, he was referred to Moorfields Private. Three worldexpert consultants in paediatric uveitis, retinal surgery and glaucoma worked together urgently to stabilise his eye, stop retinal haemorrhage and implant a drainage shunt. Today, his eye pressure remains stable, he no longer requires glaucoma drops, and he is studying mathematics and computer science at university.
Eye care as holistic medicine
Moorfields’ influence extends beyond ophthalmology alone. A Moorfieldsled initiative recently informed NICE guidance recommending that people with dementia receive an eye test shortly after diagnosis. Many patients may not recognise deteriorating eyesight, leaving potentially preventable vision loss undetected. This reflects a broader understanding of eye care as integral to overall health.
Our partnership with you
Moorfields Private partners with optometrists to deliver seamless referral pathways, shared care cataract schemes and expert consultant support. We offer free CPD events and webinars, worldclass education, patient information resources, and dedicated primary care relationship management.
To be part of the conversation about how we better build our partnership with community optometry, contact our referrals team.
