Dr CT Pillai (MD, DO, FRCS (Edin), FRCOphth) is a consultant ophthalmic surgeon and the founder and Medical Director of Precision Vision London. A corneal and refractive specialist, he leads the clinic’s laser vision correction and keratoconus programmes, carries out its cataract consultations and aftercare reviews, and remains in charge of its clinical protocols and staff training. About the clinic.
About Dr CT Pillai
Dr Pillai qualified in medicine at Madras University in 1980 and took his first diploma in ophthalmology there in 1982, followed by the Diploma in Ophthalmology of the Royal College of Surgeons in Glasgow in 1988, Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1989 and Fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in 1990. He completed fellowship training in cornea and anterior segment disease in the UK and the USA in 1994, working with Tom Casey and Professor Dua in the UK, Dr Siganos in Greece, and Stephen Wilson and Dr Cavanaugh in the USA.
He has worked as a consultant ophthalmic surgeon for NHS hospitals in the UK and for hospitals in India, and as a consultant for several UK refractive clinics. He established the independent clinics Maxivision and Advanced Vision Care before founding Precision Vision London. The clinic describes him as one of the first refractive surgeons in the country to perform bilateral laser eye surgery, treating both eyes on the same day, and puts his laser experience at more than 50,000 LASIK, LASEK and PRK procedures. Its pages also record more than 250 corneal transplant procedures, including the triple procedure and anterior segment reconstruction after trauma, and more than 3,000 phacoemulsification cataract operations.
Dr Pillai created the UK’s first co-management scheme for optometrists, under which patients can have some of their pre- and post-operative care with a trained optometrist near home, and he is involved in the optometrists’ training and certification. He has published in peer-reviewed journals on corneal vascularisation, fine-needle diathermy of corneal vessels, specular microscopy in uveitis, amniotic membrane transplantation, excimer laser surgery and dry eye, has been a scientific reviewer for a refractive surgery journal, and has presented at national and international meetings including ARVO.
Areas of expertise
At Precision Vision London Dr Pillai leads the laser and keratoconus services:
- Laser vision correction — LASIK, LASEK / TransPRK and laser blended vision for short sight, long sight and astigmatism, with wavefront-guided treatment planning on the clinic’s Schwind Amaris 1050RS laser. He performs the clinic’s laser procedures; SMILE keyhole laser is performed by his colleague Dr Radwan Almousa.
- Keratoconus — corneal cross-linking (epithelium-off, which he has provided since 2007), corneal implants (INTACS and Kerarings) once the condition is stable, KeraSoft specialist contact lenses, and planning of residual-prescription correction with ICL, lens replacement or piggyback lenses.
- PTK (phototherapeutic keratectomy) — therapeutic laser treatment of corneal surface conditions.
- Piggyback intraocular lenses — a second lens implant to refine vision after cataract or lens replacement surgery.
- Cataract care — he carries out the cataract consultation and the aftercare reviews; the operation itself is performed by Dr Almousa.
Training, qualifications and memberships
Dr Pillai is on the GMC register under number 3517198, which you can check on the General Medical Council’s register.
- 1980 — Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Madras University, India
- 1982 — Diploma in Ophthalmology, Madras University, India
- 1988 — Diploma in Ophthalmology, Royal College of Surgeons, Glasgow
- 1989 — Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCS (Edin))
- 1990 — Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (FRCOphth)
- 1994 — Fellowship in cornea and anterior segment disease completed, UK and USA
- 2007–present — Corneal collagen cross-linking for keratoconus
- Present — Founder and Medical Director, Precision Vision London; consultant ophthalmic surgeon
Professional memberships listed by the clinic
- The Royal College of Ophthalmologists
- Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
- British Society for Refractive Surgery
- British Medical Association
- American Academy of Ophthalmology
- Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
- American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)
- International Society of Refractive Surgery (ISRS)
- European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS)
Verify these credentials
Every claim on this page can be checked against an independent source:
- GMC registration — GMC number 3517198 on the General Medical Council register
- Professional profile — Dr Pillai on LinkedIn
- Clinic profile — Dr CT Pillai on the Precision Vision London website, the source of the facts on this page
- Where he consults — Precision Vision London, 22A Harley Street
Where he consults
Precision Vision London has one clinic, at 22A Harley Street, London W1G 9PB, open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5.30pm. Consultations, laser treatment and lens surgery all take place there. About the clinic.
Not sure which treatment suits your eyes? Precision Vision London lists its laser consultation as free, with a £100 holding fee refunded when you attend, and its keratoconus assessment at £250. Send one enquiry and, if the clinic covers your area and treatment, it contacts you.
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