Dr Jonathan Virgo

Professional Profile

Dr Virgo is a consultant medical & neuro-ophthalmologist in the Medical Eye Unit (MEU) at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospitals NHS Trust (GSTT). He was first appointed in 2020. He specialises in neuro-ophthalmology and uveitis (including scleritis). Dr Virgo also leads the MEU immunosuppression and biologics service. He has a full time NHS contract and looks after a large number of people with a wide range of conditions. He is principal investigator at GSTT for a national uveitis trial. 

In his neuro-ophthalmology clinics, Dr Virgo sees people with optic nerve diseases, such as optic neuritis (often due to multiple sclerosis or sometimes neuromyelitis optica), optic disc swelling / papilloedema (usually due to idiopathic intracranial hypertension), anomalous optic discs (blurred disc margins, tilted discs, crowded discs, optic disc drusen), optic disc infarction (anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy) and optic nerve atrophy/thinning (various causes). Dr Virgo also regularly sees patients with acquired eye movement disorders (not congenital squint), such as ocular myasthenia, 3^rd nerve palsy, 4th nerve palsy, 6^th nerve palsy, internuclear ophthalmoplegia, chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia and nystagmus. He also regularly sees patients with tumours in the orbit, skull base or brain that compress the optic nerves and/or optic chiasm (pituitary adenoma and meningioma). Lastly, he also regularly sees patients with transient visual symptoms (migraine visual aura, transient ischaemic attack). 

In his uveitis clinics, Dr Virgo sees all types of infectious and non-infectious uveitis, including anterior uveitis, intermediate uveitis, posterior uveitis, uveitic cystoid macular oedema and retinal vasculitis. As mentioned above Dr Virgo also cares for people with a similar condition called scleritis. In the private sector, Dr Virgo does not offer intravitreal injections/implants, but eye drop treatment and systemic immunosuppressive medications are available. Intravitreal injections/implants can be easily arranged via another private consultant if needed. 

Dr Virgo completed medical ophthalmology specialty training in London working between GSTT and Moorfields Eye Hospital. This training included time spent in all ophthalmology subspecialties and extensive time spent working in Eye Casualty. As a result, Dr Virgo is a very capable general ophthalmologist. He is happy to see people with new or undiagnosed ocular or visual symptoms of all kinds. 

In order to stay up-to-date, Dr Virgo attends weekly teaching sessions run by the Moorfields Uveitis Service and weekly teaching sessions run by the GSTT Neurology Service. He also leads weekly teaching sessions for ophthalmology registrars in the South London Deanery. Dr Virgo is an Educational Supervisor for Medical Ophthalmology specialist training in London. As part of his NHS work, Dr Virgo runs the weekly MEU complex case round where he works alongside other consultant ophthalmologists and a consultant neurologist. Lastly, he attends a weekly neuroradiology meeting and a weekly virtual biologics multidisciplinary team meeting.

Dr Virgo graduated from Brighton & Sussex Medical School top of his year in 2009. He also has a Genetics BSc from Nottingham University and a Clinical Neurology MSc from University College London. He became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians in 2013 and a Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in 2019. He completed specialist training in Medical Ophthalmology in the London Deanery between 2014 and 2019, working between Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospitals NHS Trust and Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust. He achieved the highest score nationally in the Medical Ophthalmology knowledge based exam in 2019. Dr Virgo went on to do a neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at Moorfields in 2019-2020. Dr Virgo is a committee member for both the Medical Ophthalmology Society UK and the UK Neuro-ophthalmology Society. He is also a member of the Association of British Neurologists, British & Irish Neuro-ophthalmology Club and the Uveitis National Clinical Study Group.

Accolades

Graduated top of my year at medical school 2009. Highest score nationally in Medical Ophthalmology knowledge-based exam 2018. Passed all three MRCP and all four FRCOphth exams at first sitting

Passions

I am passionate about my role as a physician in ophthalmology. The speciality is traditionally regarded as a surgical one, but a large proportion of people with ocular and/or visual symptoms do not require surgery. Instead they benefit significantly by seeing an ophthalmic physician who can direct appropriate medical assessments and administer medical treatments safely and effectively. I am able to do this, as I have a strong background in hospital medicine and excellent training in medical and neuro-ophthalmology.