Consultant interview - Miss Claire Daniel

Please tell us more about your areas of expertise and why patients come to see you.

I have been working at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for over 20 years specialising in oculoplastic surgery and ocular surface diseases. This includes correcting upper and lower lid malpositions such as ptosis, ectopion, entropion, and performing eyelid blepharoplasty. I also receive specialist referrals for the treatment of watery eyes, blepharitis, dry eyes, periocular lesions including periocular, orbital and ocular surface cancers. I perform ophthalmic socket reconstructions and correct socket lining abnormalities. I received a recent clinical excellence award for my research and work within Moorfields.

Please tell us about your current research projects.

I have several ongoing research interests. These include novel cancer therapies including immune checkpoint inhibition and targeted therapy for periocular tumours. These treatments are rapidly evolving and potentially will reduce the need for surgery in some ophthalmic cancer patients. I regularly lecture nationally and internationally as well as publish in peer reviewed papers in medical publications and books on the use of these novel therapies.

Please tell us about the award-winning robotic surgery you’ve performed.

I have been successful in developing a surgical robotics group through my collaboration with the Head and Neck Cancer Unit at Guys and St Thomas’ Hospital. We were the first in the world to perform successful robotic assisted orbital surgery to remove a tumour from a patient’s orbit saving their vision. This work has been featured in several international journals and won a prize for best research at The European Society for Oculoplastic and Reconstructive surgery in 2023. I have a First Class Honors BSc in Medical Imaging and I am interested in biophotonics which can aid surgical techniques by providing an augmented view of the surgical field.

Are you a teaching consultant?

I am responsible for training doctors and PhD students in oculoplastic surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Within that, I chair at the regular multi-disciplinary clinical meetings which include melanoma, non-melanoma and head and neck cancer meetings. I wrote 2 chapters for the European Society of Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery training textbook. I organise and co-chair an annual international teaching programme called “Updates on Periocular Cancer” at Moorfields Education.

Why refer to Moorfields Private for oculoplastic service?

Moorfields Eye Hospital is internationally renowned as a center of excellence for ophthalmology. We are a primary and tertiary referral center for ocular diseases, all our oculoplastic, cosmetic, reconstructive, lacrimal and orbital surgeons are highly specialised in their field of practice. We are closely associated with the Institute of Ophthalmology which is a world renowned centre for research into eye diseases and ocular pathology.