Mr Alistair Laidlaw has developed a national and international reputation during a consultant career spanning nearly three decades.

After graduating from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne Medical School he completed his ophthalmology training in Newcastle and Bristol where he undertook a research MD degree (the medical equivalent of a PhD). His specialist retinal training and vitreoretinal fellowships were at Moorfields Eye Hospital.

For 28 years, Mr Laidlaw has served as Consultant Ophthalmologist at St Thomas' Hospital, London and The Maidstone Hospital, Kent. He is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at King's College London. His NHS practice operates at a regional tertiary referral level, receiving routine and complex referrals from eye units in the South Thames, Kent, Surrey and Sussex regions.

Privately, Alistair is based at the London Clinic Eye Centre, 119 Harley Street, London. His friendly and compassionate style is backed by the expert support and diagnostic facilities at the London Clinic Eye Centre and responsive practice management. His patients benefit from decades of experience and commitment to evidence-based care.

Alistair treats a range of retinal conditions including, amongst many others, retinal detachment, macular hole, epiretinal membrane, floaters, diabetic retinopathy and age related macular degeneration.

He is regularly asked to provide second opinions and offer medicolegal advice.

Alistair’s extensive research portfolio includes two investigator-initiated multicentre randomised controlled trials and more than 95 peer-reviewed publications. He is currently leading an innovative study aiming to improve the outcome of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. In addition to retinal research Alistair has developed the COMPlog Vision Acuity Measurement System.

A leader in his field he has supervised the fellowship training of over 20 consultant vitreoretinal surgeons now practicing across the UK and Europe and chaired four UK Multicentre Trials. He is regularly sought as a speaker at national and international meetings. He was a co-founder the BEAVRS National Retinal Detachment and Macular Hole Audits, which between them contain the largest complexity adjusted outcome datsets anywhere.

Mr Laidlaw has served as President of both the British and Eire Association of Vitreoretinal Surgeons (BEAVRS, 2011-2013) and Euretina, the European Society of Retinal Specialists (2021-2023). Euretina organises the world's largest retinal meeting.

Outside work, Alistair enjoys skiing, cycling, open water swimming and occasional triathlons. He both races and cruises sailing yachts with colleagues, family, and friends.