Private eye care for Southam
Anyone getting from Southam to George Road should plan on a full car journey rather than a mix of driving and rail. Southam is the furthest of Ms Jiang's catchment towns from the clinic, and whether you are behind the wheel yourself or someone is doing you a favour, the road is the only route worth committing to.
Driving in: the A425, with an evening alternative
The A425 through Leamington and Warwick, picking up the A46 towards Birmingham, is the route to use for most appointments — it is the more direct line by distance and the one to give whoever is driving. The exception is the evening peak, when the A425 through Leamington backs up badly; at that time of day the A423 towards Coventry and onward is often quicker despite being the longer way round. Either way, allow the best part of an hour.
Why a taxi or a lift is the answer here
Southam had its own station until 1958, and driving to the nearest one now, Royal Leamington Spa, does not change the arithmetic: it is a 15-minute drive in roughly the direction you would be going anyway, and by the time you have parked, waited and changed if needed, you have spent as long as finishing the journey by road would have taken. So for Southam the honest answer is a taxi, or a lift from a family member or friend, for the whole way there and back — not a compromise, just the sensible plan. It is roughly fifty minutes each way, which is worth saying plainly so whoever you ask knows what they are being asked for.
Villages around Southam
Long Itchington, Napton-on-the-Hill, Bishop's Itchington, Ladbroke and Harbury are all within a few minutes of Southam and share the same journey. Most patients from these villages arrive after a routine sight test in Southam itself or in Leamington — bring the prescription history if it can be printed, since it tells Ms Jiang more than one reading on its own.
The dilating drops and the return leg
You will have dilating drops at the first appointment and should not drive afterwards, which for Southam is not a short journey to sit out. If you drove yourself in, you still need someone else to drive the car home, or a taxi booked in advance to collect you and take you back to it once your eyes have settled. Whoever is arranging the lift or the taxi should plan for both legs from the start, not just the one getting you there.
Getting there
- From Southam town centre
- About 50–55 minutes via the A425 and Warwick, or the A423 and Coventry in the evening peak
- From Long Itchington
- About 55 minutes via the A423 and A425
- From Bishop's Itchington or Harbury
- About 55–60 minutes via the A425 through Southam and Leamington
- From Napton-on-the-Hill or Ladbroke
- About 55–60 minutes via the A425
Your nearest clinics
Edgbaston Eye Consultants
22 George Road
Birmingham B15 1PJ
Where you can see Ms Jiang
An interactive map of the clinics. Every clinic is also listed in full below, with its address and consulting times.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · Cartography by Protomaps
Two minutes, no obligation
Not sure whether a consultation is worthwhile?
Answer a few short questions and we will tell you honestly whether it is worth coming in. It takes about two minutes and is not a medical assessment.
This questionnaire is not a medical assessment and does not tell you whether you can have surgery.
What treatment costs
Your exact costs are confirmed in writing before anything is booked, and nothing is charged before you have had them in front of you.
Laser eye surgery
£1,295per eye
Laser vision correction is elective and is not usually covered by private medical insurance.
Premium monofocal lens
The lens used for cataract surgery or refractive lens replacement, set for one working distance.
from £2,795per eye
Multifocal lens
The lens used for cataract surgery or refractive lens replacement, focusing at more than one distance.
£3,595per eye
Lens surgery for spectacle independence is not usually covered by private medical insurance.
Implantable contact lens
£3,395per eye
YAG laser capsulotomy
from £395per eye
Your exact costs are confirmed in writing before anything is booked. Nothing is charged before you have had them in front of you.
Common questions
What happens at the first consultation?
The first appointment takes about 45 minutes and is with Ms Jiang herself, not a delegate.
- A discussion of your symptoms, your general health and what you want from your vision
- A full examination, including measurements of the eye and its focusing power
- Dilating drops, which blur your vision for a few hours
- A frank conversation about the options, including doing nothing
- A written summary sent to you and, with your consent, to your GP
Because of the dilating drops, you should not plan to drive yourself home.
Do I need a referral from my GP?
Not for a self-funded consultation — you can book directly. If you are claiming on private medical insurance, most insurers require a GP or optometrist referral before they will authorise the appointment, so check with your insurer first.
Do you accept private medical insurance?
Note that refractive lens exchange carried out to reduce dependence on glasses is generally not covered by insurance, as it is considered elective. Cataract surgery usually is.
Can I come for a second opinion?
Yes, and you are welcome to. Bring any measurements, scans or correspondence you already have. Ms Jiang is happy to review a plan made elsewhere and tell you whether she agrees with it.
Arrange a consultation
Enquiries are answered within one working day by Ms Jiang’s secretary.
Considering treatment, and based in Southam?
Send Ms Jiang’s practice a message and we will come back to you within one working day.