Consultant interview - Mr Praveen Patel

Patel, Praveen

Mr Praveen Patel is a Cambridge graduated award-winning Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon specialising in treating medical retina conditions at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Moorfields Private Hospital. He was one of the lead investigators for the world's first randomised trial of Avastin for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration, as published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

Please tell us more about your areas of expertise.

I specialise in wet and dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinal vein occlusion, diabetic retinopathy, macular oedema, central serous chorioretinopathy (CSR) and eye flashes and floaters. I have won the Moorfields Research Medal for my work on new treatments for wet age-related macular degeneration and I am actively involved in research looking at new treatments for macular degeneration.

Why do patients come to see you?

I strive to provide excellence in the care of the patients with macular diseases and offer a wide range of treatments including the use of Lucentis, Avastin, Eylea, Eylea HD, Vabysmo and Ozurdex injections, verteporfin photodynamic therapy and advanced macular laser treatments. Sometimes, people are referred to me by their opticians or book their appointments with me independently based on many of my positive patient reviews on various online platforms. Occasionally, people come to see me for their peace of mind and a second opinion about their provisional diagnosis made at another hospital or to discuss their eye condition in detail.

What a patient can expect from their medical retina appointment with you?

Patients can expect to have a detailed eye assessment including an eye scan (OCT scan) and other scans to help give me a full picture of any macular or retinal abnormalities. I then have a detailed and personalised discussion covering diagnosis, treatment and lifestyle considerations. Often people come to see me to get an update on new research into treatments for AMD or other macular conditions. 

Please tell us about your recent research projects.

I am actively involved in research to find novel therapies for macular diseases including age-related macular degeneration. My research work also includes validation of new imaging tools for the assessment of macular diseases. I was one of the lead researchers for the world’s first multi-centre trial using Avastin eye injections for wet AMD using 6 weekly dosing intervals. We now have other longer acting treatments such as Eylea, Eylea HD and Vabysmo, and more treatments are under research evaluation.

Why refer to Moorfields Private?

Moorfields Private Eye Hospital is the private division of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, with a reputation as a centre of excellence for providing ophthalmic care to private patients from the UK and abroad. We treat the widest range of eye conditions, including complex ocular conditions. Our patients come to us for a second opinion or for a specialised treatment performed in the state-of-the-art facilities and the latest equipment for the best results.