Royal Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital

Moorfields Eye Hospital
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
The main hospital building
Geography
Location	City Road London, EC1 United Kingdom
Coordinates	51°31′38″N 0°5′24″W / 51.52722°N 0.09000°W / 51.52722; -0.09000Coordinates: 51°31′38″N 0°5′24″W / 51.52722°N 0.09000°W / 51.52722; -0.09000
Organisation
Care system	NHS
Hospital type	Specialist
Affiliated university	University College London Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry City University London
Services
Emergency department	Yes
Speciality	Ophthalmology
History
Founded	1805
Links
Website	http://www.moorfields.nhs.uk

Moorfields Eye Hospital is a specialist NHS eye hospital in London, England run by Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Together with the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, which is adjacent to the hospital, it is the oldest and largest centre for ophthalmic treatment, teaching and research in Europe.

Moorfields Eye Hospital was founded on the Moorfields in 1805 as the London Dispensary for curing diseases of the Eye and Ear, by John Cunningham Saunders, assisted by John Richard Farre. It moved to its present site in 1899, and was nationalised in 1948. These anniversaries gave it the unique ability to celebrate a centenary in 1999 and a bicentenary in 2005.

In February 2007, the new Richard Desmond Children's Eye Centre (RDCEC), also known as the International Children’s Eye Centre, was opened by Queen Elizabeth II. Its location is adjacent to the hospital's main City Road building.

Moorfields Eye Hospital is a major centre for postgraduate training of ophthalmologists, orthoptists, optometrists, and nurses. It has also played a pivotal role in ophthalmic research. Sir Stewart Duke-Elder founded the Institute of Ophthalmology (now an integral part of University College London), and Sir Harold Ridley, Charles Schepens, and Norman Ashton have carried out research at Moorfields and the Institute.