Mr Hatch Mukherjee, Consultant Ophthalmologist

Training That Goes Three Levels Deeper Than Standard

Mr Mukherjee trained at Cambridge and King's College London before completing his ophthalmology specialist training in Wales. After qualifying as a consultant, he undertook three separate advanced fellowships, each a year or more of additional subspecialty training beyond consultant level.

Laser Refractive Surgery Fellowship at the Emmetropia Eye Clinic in Crete, widely regarded as the birthplace of LASIK. This training covers LASIK, TransPRK, and the full range of laser vision correction techniques. Mr Mukherjee holds the Royal College of Ophthalmologists' Certificate in Laser Refractive Surgery (CertLRS), the UK's specific qualification for laser refractive surgery.

Corneal Transplant Surgery Fellowship covering all forms of keratoplasty (DMEK, DSAEK, DALK, PK), keratoconus management including CAIRS, and pterygium surgery. This fellowship underpins his expertise in corneal conditions and transplant.

Glaucoma Surgery Fellowship at Cambridge, Cardiff, and King's College Hospital London, covering medical glaucoma management, SLT laser, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), and trabeculectomy.

Most consultant ophthalmologists in the UK complete one fellowship. Some complete two. Three is exceptionally rare. The practical benefit for patients is that Mr Mukherjee does not need to refer complex cases to other specialists because he is already trained across all three areas that account for the vast majority of eye surgery.

NHS Consultant and Private Practitioner

Mr Mukherjee serves as Consultant Ophthalmologist and Clinical Lead at Colchester Eye Centre within East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT). In this role, he leads the clinical team, performs complex NHS eye surgery, and trains the next generation of ophthalmologists. His NHS work keeps him at the frontline of high-volume, complex cases across all three of his specialities.

Privately, Mr Mukherjee practises at the Colchester Eye Centre under The Vision Surgeon. The private practice offers the same clinical expertise with shorter waiting times, access to premium lens technology, and the continuity of seeing the same surgeon at every appointment. Both clinics sit just off the A12, making them straightforward to reach from across Essex and Suffolk.

Recognition from Peers and Professional Bodies

Mr Mukherjee is an elected Fellow of the World College of Refractive Surgery (FWCRS), a distinction awarded to surgeons who have demonstrated the highest level of expertise in vision correction surgery. He is a member of the UK Cross-linking Consortium, the British Society for Refractive Surgery (BSRS), UKISCRS, and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS).

Fellow surgeons refer their most complex laser and corneal cases to Mr Mukherjee. He is a regular invited speaker at national and international conferences, including the BSRS Annual Conference and international meetings in Tunisia, and has presented CPD-accredited webinars on therapeutic refractive surgery and keratoconus management. His published research appears in peer-reviewed journals including BMJ Open Ophthalmology.

Honest Advice, Even When It Means Saying No

The most valuable thing Mr Mukherjee offers is not a procedure. It is the assessment that determines whether a procedure is the right choice for your eyes. Having all treatment options available under one surgeon removes the bias that exists when a practice only offers one type of correction. If laser is not safe for your cornea, the recommendation is ICL or lens replacement, not a compromised laser procedure. If your keratoconus can be managed with cross-linking, the recommendation is cross-linking, not a premature transplant. If surgery is not the right answer at all, the recommendation is to wait and monitor.

Patients consistently mention two things about their experience. The first is that Mr Mukherjee explains everything in plain language, without jargon, so that they understand what is being recommended and why. The second is that he does not rush. The consultation takes as long as it needs to take, and questions are welcomed rather than tolerated.

Two Clinic Locations in Colchester

Colchester Eye Centre — First Floor, Colchester Primary Care Centre, Turner Road, Mile End, Colchester CO4 5JR. Where consultations, assessments and most procedures take place. Free parking.

Oaks Hospital — 120 Mile End Road, Colchester CO4 5XR. Where cataract and lens replacement surgery is performed. Free parking. Just off the A12.

Both clinics are accessible from Chelmsford, Ipswich, Witham, Bury St Edmunds, Sudbury, and the wider Essex and Suffolk area. Evening and weekend appointments are available.