Waiting times by specialty
Ophthalmology waiting times in England
At the end of June 2026, 622,977 people were on the England ophthalmology waiting list and about 7 in 10 people (74%) had been waiting less than 18 weeks.
NHS England reports this service as Ophthalmology Service. Hospital eye services. A large share of this list is high-volume day-case work, and a significant proportion is delivered by NHS-funded independent providers. It commonly includes cataract assessment and surgery, glaucoma clinics, medical retina, oculoplastics.
- People waiting
- 622,977
- End of June 2026
- Under 18 weeks
- 73.8%
- Share of this published list
- Over 52 weeks
- 4,621
- Share of all NHS waits
- 8.7%
- of 7,178,718 total
4,621 people (0.7%, roughly 1 in 143) had been waiting more than 52 weeks.
How this has changed
Between July 2025 and June 2026 the share of people on the England ophthalmology list waiting under 18 weeks improved by 3.8 percentage points (70% to 74%).
The number of organisations in our imported data changed from 294 to 350 over this period, so the total count partly reflects coverage. The percentage is a more reliable guide to the trend than the headcount.
Share waiting under 18 weeks: broadly unchanged over 3 months (72.8% in March 2026); up 3.6 points over 6 months (70.2% in December 2025).
Share seen within 18 weeks, month by month
Improving · +3.8 pointsPercentage of people seen within 18 weeks, over the last 12 published months.
View these figures as a table
| Month | Within 18 weeks |
|---|---|
| July 2025 | 70% |
| August 2025 | 69.8% |
| September 2025 | 70.6% |
| October 2025 | 70.9% |
| November 2025 | 70.7% |
| December 2025 | 70.2% |
| January 2026 | 69.7% |
| February 2026 | 70.6% |
| March 2026 | 72.8% |
| April 2026 | 73.1% |
| May 2026 | 74.1% |
| June 2026 | 73.8% |
Month-to-month movements of less than two percentage points are treated as normal variation rather than a real change in direction.
Month-by-month figures
| Month | Waiting | Under 18 weeks | Over 52 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2025 | 587,925 | 70.0% | 8,249 |
| August 2025 | 589,527 | 69.8% | 8,137 |
| September 2025 | 591,922 | 70.6% | 7,155 |
| October 2025 | 600,728 | 70.9% | 6,400 |
| November 2025 | 599,944 | 70.7% | 5,689 |
| December 2025 | 603,289 | 70.2% | 5,012 |
| January 2026 | 598,650 | 69.7% | 5,237 |
| February 2026 | 602,540 | 70.6% | 5,181 |
| March 2026 | 603,966 | 72.8% | 4,424 |
| April 2026 | 612,588 | 73.1% | 4,560 |
| May 2026 | 626,414 | 74.1% | 4,778 |
| June 2026 | 622,977 | 73.8% | 4,621 |
How much hospitals differ
Across the 106 NHS trusts with data, the share waiting under 18 weeks ranges from 52% (Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) to 91% (Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust) — a 39-point gap. These published figures do not predict when an individual patient will receive an appointment or treatment.
- 80% or more under 18 weeks28 trusts
- 65% to 79%53 trusts
- 50% to 64%25 trusts
- Under 50%0 trusts
A further 142 NHS-funded independent-sector and other providers reported 86,781 people waiting for this service. Their case mix can differ from an NHS trust's, so they are counted here but not ranked alongside trusts.
NHS trusts by published position
Trusts with at least 200 people on this list, most recent month, sorted by share waiting under 18 weeks. Small differences are not meaningful.
| Trust | Region | Waiting | Under 18 weeks | Over 52 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust | London | 2,683 | 91% | 1 |
| Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 2,489 | 90% | 0 |
| Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust | West Midlands | 930 | 89% | 0 |
| Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 2,754 | 88% | 0 |
| North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 2,349 | 88% | 0 |
| London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust | London | 1,450 | 87% | 0 |
| Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 1,973 | 87% | 0 |
| Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust | London | 3,967 | 87% | 0 |
| Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 3,372 | 85% | 0 |
| Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 1,576 | 85% | 5 |
| The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 1,993 | 85% | 0 |
| Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | London | 39,641 | 85% | 13 |
| Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 5,358 | 85% | 2 |
| Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 2,741 | 84% | 2 |
| Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 4,841 | 84% | 2 |
| South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North East | 3,963 | 83% | 2 |
| Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 2,545 | 82% | 3 |
| East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | South East | 3,844 | 82% | 1 |
| Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust | London | 3,308 | 82% | 0 |
| University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 2,511 | 82% | 41 |
| The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North East | 9,778 | 81% | 115 |
| South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust | North East | 8,855 | 81% | 0 |
| Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust | South West | 3,897 | 81% | 9 |
| Whittington Health NHS Trust | London | 1,133 | 81% | 0 |
| North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 2,061 | 81% | 0 |
| Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 1,615 | 81% | 0 |
| Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust | London | 4,547 | 80% | 0 |
| Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust | West Midlands | 8,002 | 80% | 3 |
| Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust | East Midlands | 3,453 | 80% | 0 |
| Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 3,045 | 79% | 4 |
| Somerset NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 3,029 | 79% | 19 |
| Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | East Midlands | 2,530 | 78% | 0 |
| Airedale NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 530 | 78% | 0 |
| Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust | London | 5,236 | 78% | 3 |
| Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust | South East | 6,248 | 78% | 0 |
| Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | South East | 3,313 | 77% | 1 |
| George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust | West Midlands | 911 | 77% | 5 |
| The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | London | 2,949 | 76% | 0 |
| Bristol NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 6,790 | 76% | 3 |
| Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 2,383 | 76% | 1 |
| The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust | West Midlands | 3,756 | 76% | 0 |
| Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 2,390 | 75% | 0 |
| Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 3,477 | 75% | 0 |
| University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust | East Midlands | 10,074 | 75% | 27 |
| Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 7,714 | 74% | 1 |
| East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust | East of England | 2,594 | 74% | 24 |
| Bolton NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 5,051 | 74% | 24 |
| University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 5,135 | 73% | 2 |
| United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | East Midlands | 5,879 | 73% | 1 |
| Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | North West | 3,851 | 73% | 13 |
| West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 2,370 | 73% | 3 |
| Wye Valley NHS Trust | West Midlands | 2,836 | 73% | 22 |
| Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 2,338 | 72% | 3 |
| Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | East Midlands | 2,147 | 72% | 5 |
| The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust | East of England | 2,949 | 71% | 40 |
| Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 4,259 | 71% | 2 |
| York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 5,443 | 71% | 31 |
| Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 3,454 | 71% | 6 |
| University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 6,870 | 70% | 29 |
| Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust | West Midlands | 6,099 | 70% | 5 |
| Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust | South East | 5,531 | 69% | 0 |
| Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 4,120 | 69% | 27 |
| University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust | South West | 5,740 | 69% | 37 |
| Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 11,444 | 69% | 44 |
| Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 4,840 | 69% | 16 |
| Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust | East Midlands | 6,632 | 69% | 75 |
| Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 4,945 | 68% | 8 |
| Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 3,285 | 68% | 2 |
| Barts Health NHS Trust | London | 6,123 | 68% | 2 |
| Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 3,944 | 68% | 12 |
| East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 8,724 | 68% | 0 |
| County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust | North East | 3,151 | 67% | 20 |
| East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | North West | 4,358 | 67% | 37 |
| Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust | London | 7,413 | 67% | 1 |
| University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust | East Midlands | 9,621 | 67% | 78 |
| Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 3,467 | 66% | 8 |
| Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 6,353 | 66% | 44 |
| The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 2,042 | 66% | 28 |
| The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust | West Midlands | 4,730 | 66% | 4 |
| East Cheshire NHS Trust | North West | 2,478 | 66% | 20 |
| University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | West Midlands | 9,131 | 65% | 57 |
| Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | London | 2,448 | 65% | 51 |
| Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 3,121 | 65% | 42 |
| King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | London | 12,742 | 64% | 453 |
| South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust | West Midlands | 3,917 | 63% | 56 |
| James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 3,158 | 63% | 83 |
| Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 8,932 | 63% | 160 |
| West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | East of England | 3,392 | 63% | 32 |
| East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 5,477 | 63% | 159 |
| Stockport NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 4,384 | 62% | 26 |
| Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 8,979 | 62% | 295 |
| Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 3,431 | 62% | 14 |
| Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 2,257 | 62% | 3 |
| North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 5,997 | 62% | 21 |
| The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust | West Midlands | 9,471 | 61% | 139 |
| Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | East Midlands | 3,120 | 61% | 5 |
| Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 2,813 | 60% | 42 |
| Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 13,673 | 60% | 458 |
| Isle of Wight NHS Trust | South East | 2,309 | 59% | 0 |
| Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust | South East | 6,750 | 59% | 139 |
| University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust | West Midlands | 5,905 | 57% | 208 |
| Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 6,277 | 55% | 206 |
| Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 4,131 | 55% | 181 |
| University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust | West Midlands | 6,813 | 54% | 201 |
| University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 12,804 | 54% | 309 |
| Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 5,254 | 52% | 220 |
What this measure includes
- These figures cover consultant-led referral-to-treatment pathways where the patient was still waiting to start treatment at the end of the reporting month.
- People can be at different stages of an incomplete referral-to-treatment pathway. The figures do not show the stage of an individual patient's pathway.
- These published aggregate figures do not show the clinical priority of an individual referral.
Checking your own position
Published figures describe a whole list for one month. To work out how long you have been waiting, use the wait check. The team named on your appointment letter is the only source for your actual place on a list.
How to read a specialty figure
These are end-of-month counts of people on an incomplete consultant-led referral-to-treatment pathway. One specialty list holds referrals of different clinical priority and people at different stages, and the published figures do not separate them, so this is context rather than a forecast for any individual.
What these figures cannot tell you
- Where you are in a queue, or when you will be seen or treated.
- How urgent your own referral is. These are aggregate waiting-list figures and do not show the clinical priority of an individual patient.
- Anything about a specific consultant, clinic or site within a trust.
- What will happen next month: these are end-of-month snapshots of a past period.
Related guides on this site
- Work out how long you've waited
Explains how the 18-week measure is counted and what a published percentage represents.
- Your rights while you wait
Reference article on what the 18-week standard is and is not.
- What happens if the NHS misses the 18-week target
Background on what happens when the 18-week standard is not met.
- NHS patient choice explained
Background on the legal basis of NHS patient choice.
- How consultant triage works
Explains how clinical triage affects the spread of waits on one list.