Mr Jonathan Barnes is a Consultant Ophthalmologist based at Luton & Dunstable University Hospital (L&D), with a special interest in paediatric ophthalmology and retinopathy of prematurity. He has been in this post since 2005 and held a joint consultant role with Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust until 2013. During this time, he led the Moorfields Paediatric Eye Clinic at Northwick Park Hospital.

At L&D, Mr Barnes is responsible for managing a wide range of paediatric eye conditions, including surgical procedures such as squint correction and incision and curettage of chalazia. He also sees adult patients for general ophthalmology and oculomotility conditions.

One of Mr Barnes’ key areas of expertise is retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)—a serious eye condition affecting premature infants. He runs the ROP screening and treatment service at L&D and also leads the ROP service at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage. Babies who require urgent, sight-saving laser treatment are referred directly to him at L&D.

From 2011 to 2017, Mr Barnes served as Clinical Director of the ophthalmology department at L&D. Under his leadership, the department expanded significantly, introducing subspecialty services and improving national performance metrics. Notably, his team achieved the shortest waiting time for cataract surgery in the country—just 15 days—according to a 2017 Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) study. He also ensured that the department consistently met the NHS 18-week outpatient appointment target.

Mr Barnes played a key role in acquiring an Eye-Si Cataract Surgical Simulator, a valuable training tool for junior ophthalmologists. The simulator was fully funded by a £98,000 donation from The Amateurs Trust and has since become an essential part of the hospital’s surgical training programme.

In addition to his NHS work, Mr Barnes has been the Admitting Ophthalmologist for Blind Veterans UK (formerly St Dunstan’s) since 2011. He holds regular clinics to assess eligibility for the charity’s rehabilitation services, which support ex-service personnel coping with sight loss.

Mr Barnes has also been active in private practice since 2007, holding clinics at The Clementine Churchill Hospital in Harrow and The Cobham Clinic at L&D. While The Clementine Churchill and Bishops Wood Hospitals no longer offer paediatric surgical facilities, all surgical procedures are now performed at The Cobham Clinic.

Before studying medicine, Mr Barnes completed a degree in Optometry at the University of Bradford and worked for Boots Opticians. This early experience inspired his career in ophthalmology. He went on to qualify in medicine from the University of Birmingham in 1993 and completed his specialist ophthalmic training in the North Thames Deanery.

He spent four years as a Registrar/Fellow in General Ophthalmology at Moorfields Eye Hospital, followed by two specialist fellowships there—in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Medical Retina.

• Adult Ocular Motility Disorders
• Amblyopia
• Binocular Vision
• Conjunctivitis
• Diplopia (Double Vision)
• Double Vision
• Eye Muscle (Squint) Surgery
• Eye Test
• Glasses
• Lazy Eye (Amblyopia)
• Muscle Balance
• New Eye Exam
• Paediatric Optometry
• Retinopathy of Prematurity
• Squints
• Strabismus

• General Medical Council
• Royal College of Ophthalmologists