Eye waiting times by trust
Cataracts, glaucoma and other eye conditions. 620,752 people were waiting in England at the end of September 2026, with a median wait so far of 10.1 weeks. Every NHS trust, shortest median wait first.
NHS waiting times · Eyes (ophthalmology)
England, September 2026
620,752
waiting in England
up 28,830 (4.9%) on a year earlier
10.1 wk
median wait so far
down 0.3 weeks on a year earlier
72.8%
under 18 weeks
12.3 wk
median wait of people admitted
in September 2026
Every NHS trust
103 trusts with at least 50 people waiting, shortest median wait first. Select a column heading to sort.
median wait, in weeks (scale 0 to 40)England's median for the same specialty
| Trust | Waiting | Median wait, weeks | Against England's median | Under 18 weeks | Over a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AiredaleWest Yorkshire | 769 | 5.4 | 88.2% | 0 | |
| Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching HospitalsGreater Manchester | 1,499 | 6.8 | 82.2% | 0 | |
| Epsom and St Helier University HospitalsSouth West London | 2,770 | 7.2 | 88.8% | 0 | |
| University Hospitals of Morecambe BayLancashire and South Cumbria | 2,701 | 7.2 | 81.5% | 10 | |
| London North West University HealthcareWest and North London | 1,331 | 7.3 | 88.4% | 0 | |
| Walsall HealthcareBlack Country | 892 | 7.3 | 81.2% | 0 | |
| Barking, Havering and Redbridge University HospitalsNorth East London | 3,345 | 7.4 | 87.0% | 1 | |
| Calderdale and HuddersfieldWest Yorkshire | 2,447 | 7.4 | 83.0% | 0 | |
| Mid Cheshire HospitalsCheshire and Merseyside | 2,820 | 7.4 | 81.3% | 2 | |
| Moorfields Eye HospitalWest and North London | 41,919 | 7.4 | 85.6% | 13 | |
| Leeds Teaching HospitalsWest Yorkshire | 4,650 | 7.7 | 81.4% | 4 | |
| Harrogate and DistrictHumber and North Yorkshire | 1,789 | 7.8 | 80.5% | 0 | |
| Royal Cornwall HospitalsCornwall and the Isles of Scilly | 4,172 | 7.8 | 80.5% | 2 | |
| George Eliot HospitalCoventry and Warwickshire | 836 | 7.9 | 81.9% | 0 | |
| Gloucestershire HospitalsGloucestershire | 3,154 | 8.0 | 86.5% | 0 | |
| Royal United Hospitals BathBath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire | 2,876 | 8.0 | 84.9% | 0 | |
| BristolBristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire | 7,411 | 8.2 | 75.8% | 1 | |
| East and North Hertfordshire TeachingCentral East | 2,896 | 8.2 | 81.4% | 35 | |
| Guy's and St Thomas'South East London | 3,152 | 8.2 | 81.7% | 0 | |
| Hampshire HospitalsHampshire and Isle of Wight | 3,114 | 8.3 | 82.5% | 3 | |
| Northern Lincolnshire and GooleHumber and North Yorkshire | 3,000 | 8.3 | 82.6% | 1 | |
| North Cheshire and MerseyCheshire and Merseyside | 2,875 | 8.5 | 82.9% | 1 | |
| Lancashire Teaching HospitalsLancashire and South Cumbria | 4,019 | 8.6 | 80.9% | 4 | |
| Maidstone and Tunbridge WellsKent and Medway | 5,811 | 8.7 | 75.4% | 0 | |
| Sandwell and West Birmingham HospitalsBlack Country | 7,580 | 8.7 | 80.3% | 6 | |
| Frimley HealthSurrey and Sussex | 4,539 | 8.8 | 74.1% | 2 | |
| Surrey and Sussex HealthcareSurrey and Sussex | 3,103 | 8.9 | 79.1% | 1 | |
| East Sussex HealthcareSurrey and Sussex | 3,866 | 9.0 | 80.6% | 0 | |
| Kettering General HospitalNorthamptonshire | 2,930 | 9.0 | 83.5% | 1 | |
| North Cumbria Integrated CareNorth East and North Cumbria | 2,261 | 9.3 | 81.1% | 0 | |
| SomersetSomerset | 3,244 | 9.3 | 76.7% | 15 | |
| University Hospitals of LeicesterLeicester, Leicestershire and Rutland | 8,854 | 9.4 | 77.8% | 5 | |
| Whittington HealthWest and North London | 1,098 | 9.4 | 82.3% | 1 | |
| Hillingdon HospitalsWest and North London | 2,887 | 9.5 | 75.6% | 0 | |
| Liverpool University HospitalsCheshire and Merseyside | 7,932 | 9.5 | 76.5% | 3 | |
| Newcastle upon Tyne HospitalsNorth East and North Cumbria | 9,954 | 9.6 | 77.7% | 101 | |
| Bradford Teaching HospitalsWest Yorkshire | 2,293 | 9.7 | 78.1% | 0 | |
| SalisburyBath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire | 2,077 | 9.7 | 80.2% | 0 | |
| Shrewsbury and Telford HospitalShropshire, Telford and Wrekin | 3,802 | 9.7 | 76.8% | 0 | |
| South Tyneside and SunderlandNorth East and North Cumbria | 9,328 | 9.7 | 76.4% | 0 | |
| RotherhamSouth Yorkshire | 2,358 | 10.0 | 76.0% | 0 | |
| South Tees HospitalsNorth East and North Cumbria | 4,173 | 10.0 | 77.7% | 2 | |
| York and Scarborough Teaching HospitalsHumber and North Yorkshire | 5,662 | 10.0 | 71.0% | 22 | |
| Imperial College HealthcareWest and North London | 5,495 | 10.3 | 74.1% | 1 | |
| Norfolk and Norwich University HospitalsNorfolk and Suffolk | 4,882 | 10.3 | 71.7% | 64 | |
| University Hospitals DorsetDorset | 4,935 | 10.4 | 72.8% | 1 | |
| West SuffolkNorfolk and Suffolk | 2,195 | 10.6 | 72.1% | 4 | |
| Blackpool Teaching HospitalsLancashire and South Cumbria | 3,526 | 10.7 | 70.4% | 24 | |
| Royal BerkshireThames Valley | 5,279 | 10.7 | 79.2% | 4 | |
| Kingston and RichmondSouth West London | 4,103 | 10.8 | 77.7% | 0 | |
| East Lancashire HospitalsLancashire and South Cumbria | 4,434 | 11.1 | 67.9% | 2 | |
| Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching HospitalsCheshire and Merseyside | 3,748 | 11.2 | 71.5% | 9 | |
| United Lincolnshire Teaching HospitalsLincolnshire | 5,700 | 11.2 | 71.2% | 9 | |
| Cambridge University HospitalsCentral East | 3,719 | 11.3 | 66.1% | 4 | |
| Countess of Chester HospitalCheshire and Merseyside | 3,060 | 11.3 | 72.4% | 4 | |
| Royal WolverhamptonBlack Country | 9,422 | 11.3 | 66.5% | 79 | |
| Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching HospitalsSouth Yorkshire | 4,250 | 11.4 | 66.8% | 17 | |
| Princess Alexandra HospitalEssex | 3,164 | 11.4 | 71.0% | 32 | |
| Worcestershire Acute HospitalsHerefordshire and Worcestershire | 6,382 | 11.5 | 69.8% | 1 | |
| University Hospitals BirminghamBirmingham and Solihull | 9,259 | 11.6 | 67.6% | 43 | |
| Dorset County HospitalDorset | 2,527 | 11.7 | 69.1% | 4 | |
| University Hospital SouthamptonHampshire and Isle of Wight | 7,286 | 11.7 | 66.8% | 121 | |
| Wye ValleyHerefordshire and Worcestershire | 2,910 | 11.7 | 68.5% | 42 | |
| Manchester UniversityGreater Manchester | 12,331 | 11.8 | 67.7% | 11 | |
| Barnsley HospitalSouth Yorkshire | 3,294 | 11.9 | 67.3% | 2 | |
| Bedfordshire HospitalsCentral East | 3,994 | 12.0 | 70.7% | 12 | |
| Dudley GroupBlack Country | 4,529 | 12.1 | 64.7% | 0 | |
| East CheshireCheshire and Merseyside | 2,290 | 12.1 | 66.8% | 9 | |
| BoltonGreater Manchester | 5,077 | 12.2 | 66.5% | 42 | |
| East Suffolk and North EssexEssex | 9,032 | 12.2 | 65.7% | 16 | |
| Mid Yorkshire TeachingWest Yorkshire | 5,078 | 12.2 | 66.2% | 21 | |
| Royal Free LondonWest and North London | 7,531 | 12.2 | 67.2% | 2 | |
| Royal SurreySurrey and Sussex | 2,344 | 12.2 | 64.6% | 3 | |
| County Durham and DarlingtonNorth East and North Cumbria | 3,377 | 12.3 | 65.9% | 26 | |
| Queen Victoria HospitalSurrey and Sussex | 2,403 | 12.3 | 69.6% | 4 | |
| James Paget University HospitalsNorfolk and Suffolk | 3,266 | 12.5 | 63.2% | 40 | |
| Ashford and St Peter's HospitalsSurrey and Sussex | 4,899 | 12.6 | 65.4% | 22 | |
| Chesterfield Royal HospitalDerby and Derbyshire | 2,269 | 12.6 | 66.9% | 4 | |
| Barts HealthNorth East London | 6,625 | 12.7 | 65.9% | 7 | |
| Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's LynnNorfolk and Suffolk | 2,051 | 12.8 | 63.4% | 28 | |
| Royal Devon University HealthcareDevon | 8,422 | 12.8 | 62.9% | 260 | |
| University Hospitals of Derby and BurtonDerby and Derbyshire | 10,264 | 13.0 | 64.1% | 74 | |
| East Kent Hospitals UniversityKent and Medway | 5,498 | 13.2 | 61.5% | 143 | |
| Chelsea and Westminster HospitalWest and North London | 2,425 | 13.4 | 64.6% | 20 | |
| King's College HospitalSouth East London | 12,257 | 13.4 | 61.6% | 582 | |
| Hull University Teaching HospitalsHumber and North Yorkshire | 8,807 | 13.6 | 60.8% | 277 | |
| Buckinghamshire HealthcareThames Valley | 5,446 | 13.8 | 62.6% | 0 | |
| Mid and South EssexEssex | 14,048 | 14.2 | 59.0% | 448 | |
| Sherwood Forest HospitalsNottingham and Nottinghamshire | 3,183 | 14.2 | 60.5% | 23 | |
| North West AngliaCentral East | 5,790 | 14.3 | 58.3% | 45 | |
| StockportGreater Manchester | 4,681 | 14.3 | 58.8% | 64 | |
| Great Western HospitalsBath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire | 3,025 | 14.5 | 59.0% | 22 | |
| Isle of WightHampshire and Isle of Wight | 2,430 | 14.6 | 59.1% | 1 | |
| South Warwickshire UniversityCoventry and Warwickshire | 3,892 | 15.1 | 55.9% | 131 | |
| Milton Keynes University HospitalCentral East | 4,285 | 15.2 | 57.6% | 110 | |
| University Hospitals of North MidlandsStaffordshire and Stoke-On-Trent | 6,487 | 15.2 | 55.6% | 299 | |
| Wirral University Teaching HospitalCheshire and Merseyside | 3,375 | 15.2 | 57.1% | 17 | |
| West Hertfordshire Teaching HospitalsCentral East | 3,118 | 15.3 | 58.5% | 31 | |
| Portsmouth Hospitals UniversityHampshire and Isle of Wight | 6,975 | 15.7 | 55.1% | 198 | |
| Northern Care AllianceGreater Manchester | 6,362 | 16.5 | 53.5% | 243 | |
| University Hospitals SussexSurrey and Sussex | 13,102 | 17.3 | 51.6% | 465 | |
| Oxford University HospitalsThames Valley | 5,316 | 18.0 | 50.1% | 262 | |
| University Hospitals Coventry and WarwickshireCoventry and Warwickshire | 6,744 | 18.9 | 48.0% | 290 |
The last 13 months in England
September 2025 to September 2026.
The figures
| Month | Value |
|---|---|
| September 2025 | 591,922 |
| October 2025 | 600,728 |
| November 2025 | 599,944 |
| December 2025 | 603,289 |
| January 2026 | 598,650 |
| February 2026 | 602,540 |
| March 2026 | 603,966 |
| April 2026 | 612,588 |
| May 2026 | 626,414 |
| June 2026 | 622,977 |
| July 2026 | 622,947 |
| August 2026 | 625,063 |
| September 2026 | 620,752 |
The figures
| Month | Value |
|---|---|
| September 2025 | 10.4 wk |
| October 2025 | 10.2 wk |
| November 2025 | 10.0 wk |
| December 2025 | 10.9 wk |
| January 2026 | 11.3 wk |
| February 2026 | 10.9 wk |
| March 2026 | 9.1 wk |
| April 2026 | 9.7 wk |
| May 2026 | 10.2 wk |
| June 2026 | 9.9 wk |
| July 2026 | 10.2 wk |
| August 2026 | 10.4 wk |
| September 2026 | 10.1 wk |
Independent hospitals on the NHS
Some independent hospitals treat NHS patients, free to the patient, and you may be able to choose one when you're referred. These are the 25 with the most NHS patients waiting for eyes (ophthalmology).
| Hospital or provider | NHS patients waiting | Median wait, weeks | Under 18 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Health and Eyecare LimitedLancashire and South Cumbria | 8,111 | 7.2 | 85.4% |
| Newmedica - HampshireHampshire and Isle of Wight | 1,783 | 15.7 | 55.5% |
| Newmedica - NorwichNorfolk and Suffolk | 1,750 | 7.5 | 87.4% |
| Newmedica - Teesside - North OrmesbyNorth East and North Cumbria | 1,583 | 6.8 | 90.1% |
| Practice Plus Group Ophthalmology - North WestGreater Manchester | 1,302 | 6.7 | 95.7% |
| Newmedica - Hertforshire - Welwyn Garden CityCentral East | 1,293 | 16.5 | 54.6% |
| Newmedica - BerkshireThames Valley | 1,272 | 10.2 | 71.3% |
| Newmedica - NorthamptonNorthamptonshire | 1,271 | 8.6 | 80.3% |
| IsightCheshire and Merseyside | 1,263 | 8.8 | 85.4% |
| Newmedica - OxfordshireThames Valley | 1,217 | 13.5 | 62.0% |
| Newmedica - North Derbyshire - Midland CourtDerby and Derbyshire | 1,195 | 5.2 | 92.1% |
| Newmedica - Gloucester (Brighouse Court)Gloucestershire | 1,114 | 6.4 | 86.5% |
| Optegra London Eye HospitalWest and North London | 1,107 | 6.7 | 90.2% |
| Newmedica - Bradford and HuddersfieldWest Yorkshire | 1,089 | 8.3 | 85.8% |
| Spamedica PooleDorset | 1,081 | 7.0 | 86.7% |
| Newmedica - BirminghamBirmingham and Solihull | 1,075 | 7.4 | 93.3% |
| Newmedica - WorcesterHerefordshire and Worcestershire | 999 | 5.7 | 96.0% |
| Newmedica LeicesterLeicester, Leicestershire and Rutland | 987 | 8.0 | 85.7% |
| Optegra Yorkshire Eye HospitalWest Yorkshire | 960 | 10.6 | 77.3% |
| Newmedica Community Ophthalmology - North East Lincolnshire - GrimsbyHumber and North Yorkshire | 946 | 10.6 | 72.4% |
| Newcastle Newmedica LtdNorth East and North Cumbria | 944 | 6.1 | 98.5% |
| Optegra (Surrey Eye Hospital)Surrey and Sussex | 934 | 4.5 | 95.1% |
| Southend Private HospitalEssex | 928 | 6.5 | 96.0% |
| The Stoneygate Eye HospitalLeicester, Leicestershire and Rutland | 917 | 11.3 | 74.8% |
| Optegra (Manchester Eye Hospital)Greater Manchester | 916 | 6.9 | 92.2% |
By area
NHS integrated care board areas, by where the hospital trust is.
| Area | Waiting | Median wait, weeks | Under 18 weeks | Over a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire | 9,707 | 9.7 | 75.4% | 24 |
| Birmingham and Solihull | 13,070 | 9.7 | 74.6% | 48 |
| Black Country | 23,864 | 9.8 | 72.5% | 88 |
| Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire | 10,158 | 7.6 | 77.9% | 7 |
| Central East | 28,679 | 11.8 | 66.5% | 250 |
| Cheshire and Merseyside | 29,837 | 9.7 | 75.1% | 51 |
| Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly | 5,064 | 6.7 | 82.8% | 2 |
| Coventry and Warwickshire | 12,279 | 15.6 | 55.5% | 424 |
| Derby and Derbyshire | 14,302 | 11.7 | 67.9% | 81 |
| Devon | 10,986 | 11.0 | 67.9% | 265 |
| Dorset | 9,228 | 9.7 | 74.6% | 6 |
| Essex | 28,706 | 12.1 | 65.2% | 500 |
| Gloucestershire | 4,973 | 7.6 | 84.9% | 14 |
| Greater Manchester | 34,706 | 11.5 | 67.6% | 364 |
| Hampshire and Isle of Wight | 23,918 | 11.8 | 65.9% | 363 |
| Herefordshire and Worcestershire | 12,011 | 10.4 | 72.8% | 47 |
| Humber and North Yorkshire | 22,690 | 10.5 | 70.8% | 305 |
| Kent and Medway | 13,136 | 9.6 | 71.9% | 147 |
| Lancashire and South Cumbria | 24,770 | 8.3 | 79.3% | 48 |
| Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland | 11,264 | 9.3 | 78.8% | 9 |
| Lincolnshire | 6,689 | 11.3 | 72.5% | 10 |
| Norfolk and Suffolk | 16,735 | 9.5 | 74.0% | 139 |
| North East London | 11,575 | 9.9 | 75.3% | 9 |
| North East and North Cumbria | 35,709 | 9.1 | 79.0% | 131 |
| Northamptonshire | 4,825 | 8.9 | 83.2% | 3 |
| Nottingham and Nottinghamshire | 5,314 | 10.0 | 73.4% | 32 |
| Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin | 5,031 | 9.0 | 80.5% | 1 |
| Somerset | 4,702 | 8.6 | 79.5% | 29 |
| South East London | 16,168 | 11.8 | 66.4% | 586 |
| South West London | 7,075 | 9.2 | 82.2% | 1 |
| South Yorkshire | 11,163 | 10.2 | 71.6% | 20 |
| Staffordshire and Stoke-On-Trent | 7,541 | 12.8 | 59.7% | 299 |
| Surrey and Sussex | 37,813 | 11.4 | 67.1% | 500 |
| Thames Valley | 19,540 | 12.6 | 65.4% | 277 |
| West Yorkshire | 21,002 | 8.6 | 79.4% | 30 |
| West and North London | 66,522 | 8.3 | 81.5% | 43 |
Use these figures
Free to quote and reuse, for journalists, researchers and AI agents. Please credit "Thera Travel, from NHS England data" and link to theratravel.co.uk/nhs-waiting-times. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS England, Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times. Open Government Licence v3.0.
- All figures as JSON (England, every specialty, area and trust)
- All figures as CSV (one row per hospital trust or provider and specialty)
- A plain-text summary in Markdown, for AI assistants
- One trust:
/nhs-waiting-times/<trust>.json, the trust list is in the JSON above
Source: NHS England, Referral to Treatment waiting times, September 2026 (published November 2026). Next figures expected 10 December 2026. Journalists: press page.
Questions
How long is the NHS wait for eyes (ophthalmology)?
At the end of September 2026, 620,752 people were waiting for eyes (ophthalmology) in England. Half had waited more than 10.1 weeks so far, 72.8% under 18 weeks and 5,153 over a year. People admitted for treatment that month had waited a median of 12.3 weeks. Source: NHS England.
Which hospital trusts have the shortest eyes (ophthalmology) waits?
In September 2026, the shortest median waits among trusts with at least 50 people waiting were at Airedale (5.4 weeks), Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals (6.8 weeks), Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals (7.2 weeks). The table on this page lists every trust.
Can I choose a hospital with a shorter wait?
The NHS says you should be offered a choice at the point of referral, and in many cases you can choose the hospital or service, including some independent hospitals that treat NHS patients. See "Your choices in the NHS" and ask your GP.
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If you're weighing up treatment abroad, tell us what you're looking into. We send your enquiry to relevant, pre-vetted clinics, and up to 3 that can help contact you directly.
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