How to choose an ophthalmologist 2026: when people are referred to ophthalmology, checking specialist registration, public and private fees and waiting, insurance
To choose an ophthalmologist, check on the Medical Council's Specialist Register that the doctor is listed under Ophthalmology (code S07), then pick public or private by referral rules, waits and fees. Ophthalmology is responsible for vision problems and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the eye and surrounding tissues (Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, Specialty Descriptions, April 2025). Book a Doctor's Ophthalmology list shows 177 specialists (as of 25 October 2026) in English-name order, not of preference (this page is compiled by this site).
What does an ophthalmologist treat?
Ophthalmology is responsible for vision problems and the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the eye and surrounding tissues, and comes under The College of Ophthalmologists of Hong Kong (Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, Specialty Descriptions, April 2025). The specialty name on the Medical Council's register is Ophthalmology (S07); see Ophthalmology: English name and code.
Whether an eye problem needs a referral, and which doctor follows it up, is decided by the treating doctor according to the condition.
When are people referred to ophthalmology?
The Primary Healthcare Commission's reference frameworks set out eye checks, and the situations for referral to ophthalmology, for people with diabetes, older adults and children; see the table below.
| Who | What the reference framework says | Reference framework |
|---|---|---|
| People with type 2 diabetes | An eye examination soon after diagnosis, then once a year; any degree of macular oedema, severe non-proliferative or any proliferative diabetic retinopathy should be referred to an ophthalmologist as soon as possible | Diabetes Care (revised 2023) |
| Older adults aged 65 or over without diabetes | Vision screening during a consultation at least once every 12 months; referral to an ophthalmologist if corrected vision is worse than 6/12, or if an eye disease needing an ophthalmologist's assessment or treatment is suspected; cataract surgery can be considered when vision is 6/18 or worse or daily activities are affected | Preventive Care for Older Adults, Module on Visual Impairment (2017; reviewed 2021) |
| Children aged 3 to 5 | Vision screening at least once, to detect amblyopia or its risk factors | Preventive Care for Children (revised September 2019) |
How do I check whether a doctor is a specialist in ophthalmology?
On the Medical Council of Hong Kong website, selecting ‘Ophthalmology’ (S07) in the Specialist Register opens the list of doctors registered in that specialty; a search by name shows the specialty and specialist registration number in the specialist registration field of the doctor's record. For the steps, see how to check a doctor's registration and specialty.
Doctors can present themselves as specialists only if they are on the Specialist Register, and can use only the title of the specialty in which they are registered (Medical Council, Code of Professional Conduct for the Guidance of Registered Medical Practitioners, section 7, revised October 2022).
For what the qualification abbreviations on a doctor's business card mean, see what FHKAM means.
How do I get a referral to public ophthalmology? Can I book a private ophthalmologist directly?
The eight specialties for which the Hospital Authority regularly publishes new-case waiting times include Ophthalmology. To book a new-case appointment at a Hospital Authority specialist outpatient clinic, you need a referral letter issued within the past three months by a locally registered doctor; one from a private doctor is also accepted. Compiled by this site: for a private specialist, you can ask the hospital or clinic directly how to book; if you use medical insurance, whether a referral letter or pre-approval is needed depends on the policy terms, and you can ask the insurer first.
‘Eligible persons’ in the table mainly means holders of a Hong Kong Identity Card and children under 11 who are Hong Kong residents; for details, see the 2026 public healthcare fee reform.
For consultation fees at each institution, see private ophthalmologist fees compared; for booking steps, see how to book a public specialist outpatient clinic; for a general comparison of the two routes, see public or private for a specialist.
If the condition gets worse while waiting, you can contact the specialist outpatient clinic and ask for an earlier appointment; in an emergency, go to Accident & Emergency.
| Item | Public (Hospital Authority specialist outpatient clinics) | Private (hospitals, medical centres and clinics) |
|---|---|---|
| How to start | A referral letter issued within the past three months by a locally registered doctor is required; one from a private doctor is also accepted | As arranged by the hospital or clinic |
| Triage | New cases are usually first assessed by a nurse and then reviewed by a specialist, and classed as urgent, semi-urgent or stable; the Hospital Authority's target is a median waiting time within two weeks for urgent and within eight weeks for semi-urgent new cases | As arranged by the clinic |
| Consultation fee | HK$250 per attendance for eligible persons, the same for first and follow-up visits (from 1 January 2026) | At the 9 private hospitals and medical centres this site checked, published fees for an ophthalmology first consultation or per consultation were about HK$650 to HK$3,000, depending on the hospital, the doctor's grade and the consultation session |
| Drugs and tests | HK$20 per drug item, charged in units of 4 weeks (excluding self-financed drugs); some lab tests and non-urgent radiology examinations are charged separately | Drugs are usually charged separately, lab tests and examinations are charged per item, and some hospitals also charge a facility fee |
| Fee protection | An annual fee cap of HK$10,000 (excluding special accommodation ward charges and self-financed drugs and devices), by application, with no means test; people in financial difficulty can apply for a medical fee waiver | Depends on your medical insurance cover |
How long is the wait for public ophthalmology?
From October 2025 to September 2026, the median waiting time for stable new cases in Hospital Authority ophthalmology was 25 to 65 weeks (about 6 to 15 months) across the seven hospital clusters (under the former boundaries); the data are next due to be updated on 29 January 2027. For each cluster's figures, see public waiting times for ophthalmology.
How do I compare hospitals and medical centres?
When comparing, look at the same item on the same basis. Private hospitals must keep a fee schedule covering all chargeable items, and patients have the right to know the charges before treatment (Department of Health, Code of Practice for Private Hospitals, July 2026).
For each private hospital's fees, see private hospital fees.
| What to compare | How to compare like with like |
|---|---|
| Consultation fee | Whether the published fee is for a first consultation, a follow-up or a maximum charge; whether it is listed by doctor grade or consultation session; the published fee is usually the doctor's consultation fee only |
| Test and examination fees | Whether the price is for an outpatient or an inpatient (standard room); whether the doctor's fee and report fee are included; whether there is a set charge for patients with a Hospital Authority referral letter |
| Other charges | Whether there is a facility fee; how drugs are charged |
| Budget estimate | Before a non-emergency procedure or hospital stay, you can ask for a budget estimate; the Department of Health has recommended 30 common non-emergency treatments and procedures for which private hospitals can give a budget estimate before admission |
| Insurance | Whether fees can be billed directly to the insurer; whether a referral letter or pre-approval is needed |
What should I check when using medical insurance for an ophthalmologist?
Before seeing a private specialist, confirm three things with the insurer: whether the policy covers specialist outpatient visits, whether it is limited to a designated medical network, and whether a referral letter or pre-approval is needed; see Using medical insurance for a private specialist.
The Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme covers only individual indemnity hospital insurance; outpatient insurance is outside the Scheme. The Standard Plan covers up to 1 outpatient or emergency consultation before a hospital stay or day surgery, and up to 3 follow-up outpatient visits within 90 days after discharge or day surgery, which must be directly related to the illness or injury requiring the hospital stay or day surgery, at HK$580 per visit and HK$3,000 per policy year (Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme, Standard Plan policy template, July 2022).
Some insurers offer pre-approval (commonly called ‘免找數’): if both the policy and the hospital offer direct billing, you can apply to the insurer before admission and the insurer pays the hospital directly; the approved amount is an estimate, and before discharge you still pay charges not listed in the ‘letter of guarantee’, such as the deductible, co-payment and items outside the cover (Insurance Authority, January 2024); see Medical insurance pre-approval.
What should I ask before booking, and what should I bring to the first visit?
Is the doctor listed under Ophthalmology (S07) on the Medical Council's Specialist Register?
How much are the first consultation and a follow-up? What grade is the doctor?
Does the consultation fee include medicines? What tests might be needed this time, and roughly how much will they cost?
Do you accept my medical insurance, can you bill the insurer directly, and is a referral letter or pre-approval needed?
If a procedure or hospital stay is needed later, can you give a budget estimate first?
What to bring: the referral letter (if any), previous test reports and a list of the medicines you are taking; see what to prepare before seeing a specialist.
Eye problems: when should I call 999 or go to A&E straight away?
If you feel it is an emergency, call 999 straight away. The situations in which this site suggests calling 999, with the source for each, are listed in Why do we suggest calling 999?.
If it is not urgent and you are not sure whether you need an ophthalmologist, you can see a family doctor first; which specialty to be referred to is decided by the attending doctor according to your condition.
Frequently asked questions
Who is a good ophthalmologist?
What you can check yourself: whether the doctor is listed under Ophthalmology on the Medical Council's Specialist Register, whether to go public or private, the fees, and the questions to ask before booking. To find a doctor in Ophthalmology by district, use Book a Doctor's Ophthalmology list (177, as of 25 October 2026), each doctor page showing the register check date, in order of English name, not of preference. Book a Doctor does not publish patient reviews, because it is hard to verify whether an online reviewer actually saw the doctor; instead it lists what you can check yourself, such as register entries, qualifications and practice arrangements, with their sources and dates.
Do I need to see an ophthalmologist to get glasses?
Older adults aged 65 or over whose corrected vision is 6/12 or better and who have no other eye symptoms or signs are referred to an optometrist for glasses (Primary Healthcare Commission reference framework Preventive Care for Older Adults, Module on Visual Impairment, 2017; reviewed 2021, for primary care); for when they are referred to an ophthalmologist, see the table above.
Where do children have vision checks?
The Department of Health's Maternal and Child Health Centres carry out vision screening for children at specific ages, and suspected abnormalities are referred to specialist clinics for follow-up; health services at Maternal and Child Health Centres are free for children who are eligible persons.
Not sure whether to see an ophthalmologist? Can I see a family doctor first?
Primary healthcare is the first point of contact for individuals and families in a continuing healthcare process, and family doctors are the main providers of primary healthcare; the Primary Healthcare Blueprint's directions include improving the arrangements for family doctors to refer patients to specialists and hospitals (Health Bureau, December 2022). On choosing a family doctor, see how to choose a family doctor.