Professor James Bainbridge

Professor James Bainbridge is a leading London-based ophthalmologist. He specialises in managing conditions of the retina including retinal detachment, epiretinal membrane, and macular hole, as well as eye floaters, cataracts and retinal detachment surgery. Professor Bainbridge practices at Moorfields Eye Hospital and King Edward VII Hospital in London.

Professor Bainbridge studied medicine at King’s College Cambridge and St. Mary’s Hospital London, and trained at Moorfields Eye Hospital London. He obtained his PhD and performed postdoctoral research at UCL, supported by Wellcome Trust Fellowships and a NIHR Research Professorship. In 2005, he was appointed Consultant Ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital London, and in 2011 was appointed to the Chair of Retinal Studies at UCL. In 2018 he was appointed Surgeon Oculist to Her Majesty’s Household and Consultant Ophthalmologist at King Edward VII Hospital London.

As a surgeon-scientist his aim is to address blindness by developing new treatments for retinal diseases particularly gene and cell therapies. In 2007 he performed the world’s first retinal gene therapy for genetic blindness. In 2013 he performed Europe’s first trial of embryonic stem cells transplantation. His career achievements have been recognised with numerous awards including Moorfields Research Medal, the US Foundation Fighting Blindness Board of Directors’ Award and the Champalimaud Vision Award. Notably, in 2020, he was elected fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences.