Moorfields was founded in 1804 and opened in 1805. We are the oldest and one of the largest centres for ophthalmic treatment, teaching and research in the world.

More patients in the UK come to Moorfields than to any other eye hospital or clinic because of our world-famous reputation. This is based on the expertise of our clinical staff and the cutting-edge research taking place on site.

In fact, over half the ophthalmologists practising in the UK, and many more overseas, have received specialist training at Moorfields.

In 2004, we were one of the first organisations to become an NHS foundation trust.  More recently, UCL Partners, of which we are an integral part, was accredited by the Department of Health as one of the UK's first academic and health science centres.

Moorfields is one of the world’s leading eye hospitals, providing expertise in clinical care, research and teaching and education. 

Our main focus is the treatment and care of NHS patients with a wide range of eye problems, from common complaints to rare conditions, which require treatments not available anywhere else in the UK. We treat people at our main hospital base in London’s City Road and at 12 other sites in and around the capital, which enables us to provide expert treatment closer to patients’ homes.

We are also a postgraduate teaching centre and a national centre for ophthalmic research involving, with the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, the largest ophthalmic research programme in the world. 

In addition, we manage three commercial divisions: Moorfields Private, Moorfields Pharmaceuticals and Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai.

With our partners at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, we are members of Vision 2020, an organisation committed to raising public awareness of blindness and vision impairment as major public health issues.