Referral to treatment (RTT) data for August 2026, published 8 October 2026 · Page updated 1 November 2026
Ophthalmology waiting times
In August 2026, 625,063 pathways were waiting for consultant-led ophthalmology care in England. 72.2% had waited under 18 weeks (standard 92%), the median wait so far was 10.4 weeks, and 5,022 had waited over a year. Waits vary widely between hospitals, as the table below shows.
Ophthalmology covers eyes, for example cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease. These are referral to treatment figures: they count everyone waiting for consultant-led ophthalmology care, from referral until treatment starts, whether or not they need an operation.
How long is the NHS waiting list for ophthalmology?
| Measure | England |
|---|---|
| Pathways waiting | 625,063 |
| Rank by size among specialties | 2 of 18 |
| Waited under 18 weeks | 72.2% |
| Median weeks waited | 10.4 |
| 92nd percentile weeks waited | 33 |
| Waited over 52 weeks | 5,022 (0.8%) |
| Share with independent providers (WTUK calculation) | 15.2% |
Which NHS trusts have the shortest and longest median ophthalmology waits?
Among NHS trusts with at least 1,000 pathways waiting. The median is how long half the people on that list had waited so far.
How long are ophthalmology waits at each NHS trust?
NHS trusts with at least 50 pathways waiting, grouped by region and listed A to Z.
Which independent providers treat NHS ophthalmology patients?
The largest 50 of 196 independent providers with at least 50 NHS pathways waiting. The full list is in the CSV download.
| Provider | Region | Waiting | % under 18 wks | Median wks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Health and Eyecare Limited | North West | 4,149 | 86.3% | 7.6 |
| Newmedica - Hampshire | South East | 1,827 | 55.7% | 15.7 |
| Newmedica - Norwich | East of England | 1,741 | 86.7% | 7.3 |
| Newmedica - Teesside - North Ormesby | North East and Yorkshire | 1,641 | 92.3% | 7.2 |
| Newmedica - Hertforshire - Welwyn Garden City | East of England | 1,407 | 60.9% | 14.4 |
| Newmedica - Berkshire | South East | 1,267 | 68.4% | 11.2 |
| Isight | North West | 1,266 | 81.3% | 10.5 |
| Optegra London Eye Hospital | London | 1,255 | 80.7% | 8.1 |
| Newmedica - Northampton | Midlands | 1,231 | 77.2% | 10.3 |
| Practice Plus Group Ophthalmology - North West | North West | 1,183 | 96.3% | 7.5 |
| Newmedica - North Derbyshire - Midland Court | Midlands | 1,162 | 90.3% | 6.2 |
| Newmedica - Oxfordshire | South East | 1,154 | 65.6% | 13.1 |
| Southend Private Hospital | East of England | 1,103 | 81.4% | 8.7 |
| Newmedica - Birmingham | Midlands | 1,074 | 93.0% | 6.9 |
| Optegra Yorkshire Eye Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 1,056 | 70.7% | 11.6 |
| Newmedica - Worcester | Midlands | 1,029 | 88.1% | 6.1 |
| Spamedica Poole | South West | 1,026 | 88.1% | 7.3 |
| Newmedica - Gloucester (Brighouse Court) | South West | 1,021 | 81.7% | 6.8 |
| The Stoneygate Eye Hospital | Midlands | 1,002 | 73.9% | 11.3 |
| Newmedica - Bradford & Huddersfield | North East and Yorkshire | 984 | 87.4% | 8.3 |
| Newmedica Leicester | Midlands | 981 | 86.4% | 8.7 |
| Newmedica Community Ophthalmology - North East Lincolnshire - Grimsby | North East and Yorkshire | 929 | 78.4% | 9.8 |
| Optegra (Manchester Eye Hospital) | North West | 912 | 92.9% | 7.4 |
| Newmedica - Ipswich | East of England | 912 | 95.1% | 7.1 |
| Optegra (Surrey Eye Hospital) | South East | 902 | 95.7% | 5.1 |
| Newcastle Newmedica Ltd | North East and Yorkshire | 889 | 97.9% | 6.1 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Shepton Mallet | South West | 852 | 84.3% | 7.7 |
| Newmedica Aztec West | South West | 850 | 74.4% | 8.4 |
| Optegra Eye Hospital Brighton | South East | 843 | 98.0% | 4.7 |
| Spamedica Carlisle | North East and Yorkshire | 830 | 90.6% | 6.7 |
| Spamedica Birmingham | Midlands | 829 | 91.1% | 6.2 |
| Optegra (Solent Eye Hospital) | South East | 804 | 95.0% | 6.3 |
| Spamedica Coventry | Midlands | 793 | 89.2% | 6.6 |
| Optegra (Birmingham Eye Hospital) | Midlands | 777 | 91.6% | 6.9 |
| Spamedica Romford | London | 776 | 85.4% | 6.7 |
| Newmedica - Nottingham | Midlands | 769 | 96.5% | 5.5 |
| Spamedica Wolverhampton | Midlands | 765 | 89.9% | 5.6 |
| Woodlands Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 763 | 85.6% | 8.4 |
| Plymouth Newmedica Ltd | South West | 760 | 90.7% | 8.1 |
| Anglia Community Eye Service Ltd | East of England | 744 | 93.3% | 5.3 |
| Spamedica Taunton | South West | 740 | 86.5% | 7.6 |
| Newmedica Community Ophthalmology - Leeds | North East and Yorkshire | 740 | 86.5% | 9.7 |
| The Yorkshire Clinic | North East and Yorkshire | 725 | 94.3% | 5.0 |
| Optegra Eye Hospital West London | London | 722 | 81.9% | 8.9 |
| Optegra Eye Hospital York | North East and Yorkshire | 720 | 86.5% | 9.4 |
| Spamedica Chelmsford | East of England | 714 | 89.9% | 5.8 |
| Spamedica Bolton | North West | 710 | 94.8% | 5.1 |
| Spamedica Oldham | North West | 710 | 88.0% | 5.6 |
| Spamedica Bromley | London | 693 | 84.6% | 7.5 |
| Midland Eye (Eye-Docs Ltd) | Midlands | 685 | 96.8% | 8.1 |
Can I choose a hospital with a shorter wait?
In England you have a legal right to start consultant-led, non-urgent treatment within 18 weeks of referral, with some exceptions, and you can usually choose where you are referred for a first outpatient appointment. Each hospital has a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) that can help with questions about your wait. Your waiting time rights explained.
Not medical advice. If your symptoms change or get worse while you wait, contact your GP or the team treating you. If it is not an emergency, NHS 111 online or calling 111 can tell you where to go, including urgent treatment centres, which often have shorter waits. Call 999 or go to A&E for life-threatening emergencies such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding or signs of a stroke.
Frequently asked questions
Do these figures cover cataract surgery?
Yes. Cataract operations are counted in the ophthalmology total, along with all other eye care that is consultant-led. Waits for individual operations are not published separately.
What is the average wait for ophthalmology on the NHS?
In August 2026, the median time waited so far was 10.4 weeks in England, and 72.2% had waited under 18 weeks. This is how long people on the list had waited at the end of the month, not a prediction.
Why is my hospital not listed?
The table shows trusts with at least 50 pathways waiting in this specialty. Some trusts record this work under a different specialty or did not submit data this month. Check the trust pages.
Can I ask to be referred somewhere else?
In England you can usually choose where you are referred for your first appointment. If you are already waiting and are likely to wait over 18 weeks, ask the hospital or your integrated care board about alternatives.
How should I cite these figures?
Waiting Times UK, “Ophthalmology waiting times”, NHS England RTT data for August 2026, https://waitingtimesuk.co.uk/waiting-times/ophthalmology (accessed [date]). Where possible, cite the official publisher too.
Who wrote this page and where do the figures come from?
Written and maintained by the Waiting Times UK editorial team at Oaknest Media Ltd, an independent publisher that is not part of the NHS. Every figure is taken from an official publication, shown with its date, and linked below; where we add up or compare figures ourselves we say so. This page has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not medical advice. Page last updated 1 November 2026, from the data files named below. Figures change when the publisher releases new data.
- NHS England: Referral to treatment waiting times (August 2026, published 8 October 2026)
- NHS England: Diagnostics waiting times (DM01)
- NHS England: Cancer waiting times (provisional)
Official statistics are reproduced under the Open Government Licence v3.0. See data sources and methods and about Waiting Times UK.
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