[1][2] Originally the hospital was opened in 1843 as Central London Ophthalmic Institution in a house near to Brunswick Square.

[2][3] In 1848 it moved to 238a Gray's Inn Road, was renamed as the Central London Ophthalmic Hospital and had 12 beds.

[2] By 1900 the hospital was overcrowded and an extension was built giving the facility 28 beds.

It was decided to rebuild and in 1913 the Duchess of Albany opened the new hospital at 41 Judd Street, London.

[2] Eventually the hospital had 40 beds, and during the First World War cared for service men.