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Ophthalmology · London

Private eye examination in London, performed by a consultant ophthalmologist.

A proper eye examination goes far beyond a glasses check - OCT of the macula and optic nerve, IOP measurement, visual fields, and a dilated retinal exam by a consultant ophthalmologist.

A stethoscope on a clinical desk

Indicative pricing

What a private eye examination costs in London.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers.

In short

Advanced eye exam with OCT: £150-£300; full glaucoma work-up £300-£600.

Scan type Indicative range
Advanced eye exam + OCT £150–£300
Consultant ophthalmology assessment £250–£500
Diabetic eye screening £150–£300
Glaucoma work-up (OCT + visual fields) £300–£600
Macular OCT + fundus photography £180–£350
Pre-op assessment (cataract or refractive) £250–£500

Prices vary by clinic, whether visual fields and dilation are included, and whether a full consultant ophthalmology assessment is booked.

The problem

Most sight-threatening eye disease is silent.

Glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy can cause permanent vision loss long before you notice a symptom. A proper eye examination - not just a glasses check - is the one thing that catches them early.

  • Glaucoma in the family?

    First-degree relatives raise your risk substantially - OCT and visual fields find it early.

  • Diabetic?

    Retinopathy is the leading cause of preventable sight loss in working-age adults - screen properly.

  • New floaters or flashes?

    A sudden shower of floaters needs a dilated retinal exam to exclude retinal tear.

What it shows

What a proper eye examination can actually tell you.

Ophthalmic testing answers a specific set of questions - these are the questions people ask most.

  • Refractive error

    Accurate glasses and contact-lens prescription - myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, presbyopia.

  • Glaucoma risk

    Intraocular pressure, optic-nerve OCT and visual fields to detect and monitor glaucoma.

  • Macular degeneration

    OCT of the macula picks up early AMD long before vision changes are obvious.

  • Diabetic retinopathy

    Screening for the retinal changes that come with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

  • Dry eye disease

    Tear-film assessment and meibomian-gland evaluation for chronic dryness or irritation.

  • Sudden floaters or flashes

    Urgent dilated retinal exam to exclude retinal tear or detachment.

  • Red flags

    Sudden vision loss, severe eye pain or a curtain across vision - 999 or A&E, not a routine appointment.

  • General health screen

    A retinal exam often picks up systemic disease - hypertension, diabetes, raised intracranial pressure.

Scan types

Not all eye tests are the same.

What each option on your appointment is actually for.

  • Comprehensive eye exam

    Vision, refraction, ocular motility and slit-lamp examination - the foundation of every visit.

  • OCT (macula + optic nerve)

    A high-resolution cross-section of the retina - the modern standard for macular and glaucoma care.

  • Visual field test (Humphrey)

    The automated field test used for glaucoma monitoring and neuro-ophthalmic assessment.

  • Fundus photography

    A wide-field colour photograph of the retina - a baseline you can compare year on year.

  • Intraocular pressure (Goldmann tonometry)

    The gold-standard measurement of eye pressure, central to glaucoma diagnosis.

  • Diabetic eye screening protocol

    A structured retinal assessment for anyone with diabetes, done properly with dilation.

  • Glaucoma work-up (OCT + fields + IOP + gonioscopy)

    The full battery to diagnose, stage and monitor glaucoma in one consultant-led visit.

  • Contact-lens fitting

    Specialist fitting for soft, rigid, toric or multifocal lenses, including problem contact-lens wearers.

Safety and eligibility

Painless, non-invasive - and safe in pregnancy.

Eye examinations are among the safest tests in medicine. The practical points are dilating drops, contact-lens timing, and knowing what counts as an emergency.

  • Dilating drops blur vision

    Vision is blurred for 4-6 hours after dilation - do not drive, arrange transport home.

  • OCT and fundus photography

    Painless and non-invasive. No injection, no radiation, no discomfort.

  • Pregnancy

    Eye examination is fine in pregnancy - unnecessary dilating drops are best avoided where possible.

  • Sudden vision loss

    Sudden loss of vision, severe pain or a curtain across vision is an emergency - 999 or A&E.

  • Contact lenses

    Take contact lenses out for 24 hours before certain measurements - you will be told which.

  • Diabetic patients

    Bring your most recent HbA1c and any prior retinal photos or reports.

  • New floaters or flashes

    Sudden new floaters or flashes of light need same-day assessment to exclude retinal tear.

Reading your report

An eye-exam report looks technical. It isn’t.

Every eye examination report keeps to the same four parts, whatever tests were done.

A UK consultant ophthalmologist reviewing an OCT scan

A quiet reminder

An abnormal finding is a signal, not a sentence - most eye disease is treatable when caught early.

Ask your clinician to talk you through it before your follow-up.

  1. 01 Header

    Your details and presenting symptoms

    Your details, why you came in, and any relevant medical or ocular history.

  2. 02 Technique

    Which tests were done

    Vision, refraction, IOP, OCT, visual fields, and whether the retinal exam was dilated or undilated.

  3. 03 Findings

    The numbers and images

    Visual acuity, refraction, intraocular pressure, OCT, visual field and disc appearance at each eye.

  4. 04 Impression

    The conclusion: read this first

    Glasses prescription, glaucoma risk category, retinal findings and next-step interval - read this first.

Recognised by major UK insurers

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Frequently asked

Common questions about private eye examinations.

Quick answers on cost, referrals, glaucoma, diabetic screening, floaters and children.

  • What does a proper private eye examination include?

    Vision and refraction, intraocular pressure, OCT of the macula and optic nerve, visual fields where indicated, and a dilated retinal examination by a consultant ophthalmologist or specialist optometrist. It goes far beyond a glasses check.

  • How much does a private eye examination in London cost?

    An advanced eye exam with OCT is typically £150-£300. A full consultant ophthalmology assessment is £250-£500, and a glaucoma work-up with OCT and visual fields is £300-£600.

  • Do I need a referral?

    Most clinics accept self-referral for eye examinations, including OCT and glaucoma work-ups.

  • How often should adults have an eye examination?

    Every two years is a reasonable baseline for adults with no symptoms and no risk factors. Annually if you are over 60, have diabetes, glaucoma in the family, or a high refractive error. Sooner if anything changes.

  • High-street optometrists versus consultant ophthalmology - what is the difference?

    A high-street optometrist is excellent for a glasses check and general screening. A consultant ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats eye disease - indicated when you have symptoms, glaucoma risk, diabetes or a family history that matters.

  • How is glaucoma tested for?

    Intraocular pressure with Goldmann tonometry, an OCT of the optic nerve to look for thinning of the nerve-fibre layer, and a Humphrey visual field test. These three together are the modern standard for detecting and monitoring glaucoma.

  • I get NHS diabetic eye screening - do I still need this privately?

    NHS screening is a photograph-based programme designed to catch sight-threatening retinopathy. A private diabetic eye screening adds a full consultant exam, OCT of the macula and a slit-lamp view - useful if you have advanced diabetes, macular changes, or want reassurance beyond the photograph.

  • Floaters and flashes - when should I worry?

    Long-standing floaters that have not changed are almost always harmless.

  • Is a private eye examination covered by insurance?

    Many policies cover a consultant ophthalmology assessment when there is a medical reason - glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, sudden symptoms. Routine glasses checks are usually not covered.

  • How young can children have an eye exam?

    Every child should have their vision checked before starting school.

Related content

Looking for something else?

In practice, in London

Where eye test sits in a private London pathway

With eye test, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it - not whether the scan is available. On the NHS, eye test typically sits behind a triage step and a wait that can stretch from a few weeks into months. In London’s private sector, the same appointment often lands within days. That speed matters when symptoms are disrupting work, sleep, or a plan you’d already committed to - and it’s the single most common reason people consider going private in the first place.

A typical private booking for eye test in London starts with a consultant conversation - sometimes in person on Harley Street or Marylebone, sometimes on video if that suits better. Any imaging or diagnostics happen at a nearby CQC-registered facility, and reports usually land within 24 to 72 hours. The whole loop, from first call to written report, is often done inside a fortnight. For eye test specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.

The value is knowing which consultant reads this particular presentation best, which unit turns reports around fastest, and which pathway won’t hit a dead end if the findings point somewhere unexpected.