First patients welcomed to Guildford’s new purpose-built eye health centre

Guildford residents can benefit from rapid, high quality care in their local community, thanks to a new state-of-the-art eye health centre now accepting patients.

The purpose-built facility - located in the Stoughton area of Guildford close to the A3 – could help thousands of people in Surrey living with cataracts.

It is fully equipped with the very latest ophthalmic technology, and crucially, reduces the need to travel further afield for specialist eye treatments. The health centre has also recently been shortlisted as a finalist in the 2026 Independent Healthcare Providers Awards in the category of Best Provider of Community and Primary Care.

Patients referred by their optician or GP will receive fast access to the highest standards of care, with free door-to-door transport available for patients who need assistance getting to and from appointments, and free on-site parking.

Hospital manager Kenneth Keen explains: “More than 220,000 Surrey residents are aged over 65, and with around 30% of this age group likely to have a cataract that affects their vision, this new facility could support thousands of local people each year.

“By combining a modern, comfortable environment with specialist clinical expertise, it will play a vital role in improving early diagnosis, treatment outcomes, and overall quality of life for the community.

"Our ultimate goal is to make high quality eye treatment accessible to everyone in Guildford. By bringing this technologically advanced centre into the area, we are reducing barriers to care and ensuring patients can receive expert help close to home.

“We’re excited to welcome our first patients and help them enjoy clearer vision."

Joining SpaMedica’s network of 69 locations across the UK, the Guildford facility builds on a reputation for excellence: every inspected SpaMedica hospital has received a ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ rating from the Care Quality Commission, with 98% of patients regain driving-standard vision after surgery.

Valerie Newman visited SpaMedica in Epsom for cataract surgery and gave her experience a five-star review on Trustpilot. She commented: “My long sight has improved and is rated 20/20, which is amazing. Given the kindness of the staff and professionalism shown, I would have no hesitation to say that if I were to have a third eye, I would certainly return to Epsom!”

NHS patients diagnosed with cataracts or posterior capsule opacification can request a referral to SpaMedica Guildford through their local optician or GP.

What are the symptoms of cataracts?

The natural lens in your eye contains proteins that change as you age. Eventually, these changes cause the lens to become cloudy and lose its transparency - this is a cataract. Around 30% of people in the UK over the age of 65 have a cataract that affects their vision in one or both eyes. Symptoms include:

• Blurred vision
• Difficulty driving at night
• Difficulty watching television and reading
• Being dazzled by sunlight and/or bright lights such as the headlights of an oncoming car
• Fading of colours
• Frequent changes to their spectacle or contact lens prescription