Fees & Insurance
Private ophthalmology consultations for adults and children, including assessment of squint, double vision, paediatric eye conditions and general eye concerns. Please contact your insurer before attending if you are using private medical insurance.
Consultation fees
Consultant Ophthalmologist
Orthoptic assessment
Accepted Payment Methods
We aim to make payment as simple and convenient as possible. We accept BACS bank transfer and all major credit and debit cards.
Payment Responsibility
Payment is requested prior to, or on the day of, your appointment. Any orthoptic assessment fees, room fees, excesses or charges not covered by your private medical insurance remain the responsibility of the patient.
Spire Payment Plans
For eligible self-funding treatment, Spire Healthcare may offer finance options to help spread the cost of treatment. Finance is arranged directly through Spire and is subject to eligibility, status and Spire’s terms and conditions.
Please note: Spire advises that treatment finance prices exclude consultation fees, so consultant appointment fees may still need to be paid separately.
Why an orthoptic assessment may be needed
Orthoptists are specialist eye care professionals who assess vision, eye movements, eye alignment and binocular vision. Stephanie may request an orthoptic assessment as part of your investigation, particularly for children, squint, double vision, lazy eye, eye movement problems or complex visual symptoms.
The orthoptic assessment provides detailed measurements that help guide diagnosis, treatment planning and, where relevant, surgical decision making.
Private medical insurance
If you have private medical insurance, the ophthalmology consultant fee should usually be covered by your health insurance company. Please contact your insurer before your appointment to obtain a pre-authorisation code and to check whether there is any excess on your policy.
If Stephanie has requested a necessary orthoptic assessment as part of your investigation, this fee may not be covered by your private medical insurance and may need to be self-funded. Insurance policies vary in their level of cover, so it is your responsibility to confirm this directly with your insurance company before attending.
If your insurance company does not cover the orthoptic fee, or if they decline payment after your appointment, you will be responsible for paying this fee yourself. For patients without medical insurance, or where the insurer does not cover part of the assessment, you can still be seen as a self-funding patient and will be invoiced directly.
Book Online or Refer a Patient
Choose the most appropriate route below. Patients can book directly online, while GPs, optometrists and other healthcare professionals can refer securely.
Book Online
Patients can book online for a private ophthalmology consultation with Miss Stephanie West. Please use the secure booking portal to register as a new patient and request an appointment.
Before booking: if you are using private medical insurance, please contact your insurer in advance to confirm cover, obtain a pre-authorisation code and check whether any excess applies.
Refer a Patient
Medical professionals can refer patients directly for specialist ophthalmology, strabismus, double vision, paediatric ophthalmology and orthoptic assessment.
Please include relevant clinical history, current symptoms, visual acuity, previous treatment, imaging or investigation results where available.
Fees FAQs
Clear answers about consultation fees, orthoptic assessments, insurance cover, payment methods and transferring care.
If you have private medical insurance, the ophthalmology consultant fee should usually be covered by your insurer, depending on your individual policy. Please contact your insurer before your appointment to obtain a pre-authorisation code and to check whether there is any excess or shortfall for you to pay.
Orthoptists are specialist clinicians who assess eye movements, squints, double vision, binocular vision and children’s visual development. Stephanie may request an orthoptic assessment where this forms an important part of your investigation, diagnosis or treatment planning.
Orthoptic fees are not always covered by private medical insurance. If your insurer does not cover the orthoptic assessment fee, this will need to be paid by you directly, usually in advance of your appointment.
Patients remain responsible for any fees that are not paid by their insurance company. This may include policy excesses, shortfalls, declined invoices, orthoptic assessment fees, room fees or any treatment that has not been authorised by your insurer.
Yes. Patients without medical insurance, or whose insurance does not cover their appointment or assessment fee, can still be seen as self-funding patients. You will be invoiced directly for the relevant self-funding fees.
If you have not been seen for more than 12 months, your next appointment will usually be booked as a new patient consultation and charged at the current new patient fee. This allows time for a full reassessment and an updated management plan.
Yes. If you wish to continue your care within the NHS, we are happy to facilitate transfer to an appropriate NHS ophthalmology service local to you wherever possible. We can provide clinic letters, investigation results, imaging and relevant records to support continuity of care. NHS waiting times and referral acceptance are determined by the receiving NHS service.
We accept BACS bank transfer and all major credit and debit cards. Payment is usually requested prior to or on the day of your appointment.
Patients self-funding eligible treatment at Spire Southampton Hospital may be able to apply for Spire’s finance options, including a 0% payment plan over 10 months, subject to status and eligibility. Finance is arranged directly through Spire Healthcare and is not available for all fees or appointments.
Continuity of Care & NHS Transfer
Transfer of Care to the NHS
If you wish to continue your care within the NHS, we are happy to facilitate a transfer to an appropriate NHS ophthalmology service local to your home whenever possible.
To ensure a smooth transition, we will provide a detailed clinical summary together with copies of relevant clinic letters, investigation results, imaging and other medical records. This helps your new clinical team continue your care without unnecessary duplication of tests or appointments.
Please note that NHS waiting times and acceptance of referrals are determined by the receiving NHS service, and we are unable to influence appointment availability.
Returning After 12 Months
If you have not been seen in clinic for more than 12 months, any subsequent appointment will normally be booked as a new patient consultation and charged at the current new patient consultation fee.
This allows sufficient time to undertake a comprehensive reassessment of your eye condition, review any changes to your medical history or medications, and ensure that your management plan remains appropriate and up to date.
Please note
If you require ongoing follow-up care, attending your recommended review appointments helps ensure continuity of care and may avoid the need for a further new patient assessment after an extended interval.
Specialist squint care — easier to reach than you may think
Patients travel to Southampton from across the UK and overseas for specialist assessment and treatment of adult squint, double vision, complex eye movement problems and previous squint surgery. A video consultation can often be arranged first, helping us review your history and plan the most useful next steps before you travel.
Start with a video consultation
Your first appointment may be held by secure video. This is particularly helpful for patients travelling a long distance or coming from overseas.
Before the consultation, you can share previous clinic letters, orthoptic measurements, glasses or prism prescriptions, scan reports and earlier squint surgery records. This helps us understand your condition and decide what assessment or treatment may be appropriate.
Straightforward UK travel
Southampton has direct rail services from London Waterloo and good connections from across southern England, the Midlands, Wales and the South West.
Spire Southampton Hospital is approximately a 10-minute taxi journey from Southampton Central station. It is also easily reached by road using the M3 and M27, with on-site patient parking.
International patients welcome
Southampton International Airport is approximately 15 minutes by taxi from the hospital and is immediately beside Southampton Airport Parkway railway station.
Patients arriving through Heathrow or Gatwick can continue to Southampton by rail, coach or car. Appointments can be coordinated wherever possible to reduce unnecessary journeys and make the visit as efficient as possible.
Travelling a long distance?
Contact us before booking travel. We can advise whether a video consultation would be useful first and which medical records or measurements to send securely for review.
