Consultant interview - Mr Alfonso Vasquez-Perez

What are your areas of expertise?

My areas of expertise include all types of corneal transplantation, cataract surgery, refractive laser surgery and ocular surface reconstruction. Moorfields Eye Hospital is a national referral centre where I commonly manage complex cases, such context provides me a robust range of skills and allows me to offer the finest treatments to restore and improve vision. I have a passion for innovations, and I have introduced new surgical techniques in corneal transplantation which have helped many of my patients.

I set up the Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprosthesis (OOKP) Service at Moorfields, which is a highly specialised treatment for blind people with severe eye diseases who cannot be treated with a corneal transplant. The OOKP involves making a device from the patient’s own tooth and bone that carries a small acrylic lens; this device is then inserted in the front of the eye and allows these patients to recover sight. Moorfields is currently national and international referral centre for this complex treatment, and I lead a multidisciplinary team formed by highly renowned specialists.

I am also very passionate about education. At Moorfields Eye Hospital, I am actively involved in teaching, and I am a surgical trainer for fellows from the UK and abroad. In addition, I frequently deliver lectures and present my work in national and international conferences.

Why do patients come to see you?

I consider several reasons, first due to my expertise and skills working as a consultant at Moorfields Eye Hospital which has a worldwide reputation as a centre of excellence. Another reason is that I always pursue improvements and innovations, and I offer my patients the best available and personalised treatment options. In addition, at Moorfields I have the latest technology and the expertise of my team which enable me to provide high standards of care for all diseases of the cornea as well as for cataract surgery and refractive laser surgery.

What are your research interests?

I have several scientific publications in the areas of my research interests which are mainly corneal transplantation and artificial corneas or keratoprosthesis (KPro). I have always had special interest in developing new techniques to improve the outcomes in corneal transplantation but more recently, my efforts are directed to develop new artificial corneal devices for blind patients who cannot be treated with a corneal transplant.

Other areas of my research interest include cataract surgery and refractive laser surgery, especially the application of the latest technology to allow more accurate and predictable results.