Tessa Fayers

FRCOphth MBChB(Hons) BSc(Hons) PGDipMedEd FHEA

Specialist Ophthalmic and Oculoplastic Surgeon

Tessa has a special interest in cosmetic eyelid surgery, particularly blepharoplasty and ptosis surgery, to improve symmetry and rejuvenate the periocular area. From her research into perceptions of facial asymmetry and assessment of quality of life she has a deep empathic understanding of the impact that the appearance of ones’ eyes and eyelids can have on well-being and self-perception. Combined with her meticulous attention to detail and technically advanced surgical skills and experience, she can provide a comprehensive range of aesthetic surgical treatment options, tailored to individual needs, to create a natural, refreshed appearance.

In her NHS practice – at the Western Eye Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Tessa maintains a strongly multidisciplinary approach, collaborating with colleagues from a range of medical specialties. She has a specialist interest in the medical and surgical management of thyroid eye disease and has developed a widely used questionnaire to assess the quality of life of patients with this disfiguring condition.

She performs reconstructive surgery for eyelid cancers, using specialist techniques to minimise tissue loss whilst achieving natural-looking reconstructions.

In addition, she manages severe scarring diseases of the ocular surface, which cause the eyelids to turn inwards. Her judicious interventions in these painful conditions have often been life changing.

Tessa has expertise in the management of eyelid and facial spasms and holds regular botulinum toxin clinics for these debilitating conditions.

Following her graduation from medical school with honours she underwent intensive ophthalmic surgical training at London’s leading teaching hospitals. This culminated in two years of highly specialised fellowship training in oculoplastic surgery at the world-renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital and at the University of British Colombia in Vancouver. Further refinement followed in Seoul under the aegis of some of the world’s leading experts on Asian eyelid anatomy and double eyelid surgery.

With original publications in high-impact scientific journals on a wide range of topics, including eyelid scarring with different sutures, thyroid eye disease, watery eyes and eyelid spasm, Tessa has achieved an impressive academic track record. In 2015, she won a prize for best paper at the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and her work on tear duct surgery made the top 15 research papers. She has been the Chief Investigator on several randomised controlled clinical trials in the Ophthalmic Research Unit at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. In addition, she holds a First-Class degree in Psychology, for which she wrote a thesis on perceptions of facial asymmetry.

Throughout her career, Tessa has received plaudits and awards from a variety of institutions, including the Wolfson Foundation, the Institute of Medical Ethics, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the Bristol Medico-Chirurgical Society and others, establishing an international reputation. She was invited to be an ophthalmologist at the London 2012 Olympics.

A devoted teacher and surgical trainer, Tessa was awarded a diploma in medical education and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. In addition to being a Training Programme Director, she is the Simulation Lead for the for the London Deanery School of Ophthalmology and runs multiple hands-on simulation courses for ophthalmic trainees to improve their surgical skills. She is also an educational and clinical supervisor to ophthalmic trainees and won the Best Educational Supervisor Award for the Division of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in 2025.