Laser Eye Surgery Cost Cutting Tips

Former_MSE_Andrea

Hi

Optical Express has asked to provide a response. MSE doesn't endorse anything a company says on the Forum.

Hi scoobiedoober,

Thanks for your feedback and for sharing your experience.

As I am sure you can appreciate, it is very hard for us to be able to comment on your specific experience without knowing more details. We would like to understand the nature of your individual situation and take steps to resolve it. Could you please contact me at customerfeedback@opticalexpress.com with your relevant details and I can investigate your complaint further?

Thanks

Lynsey Shaw
Optical Express – Head of Customer Care

1CLK

Just a quick update on my experience with Optical Express - they now claim they investigated the issues regarding my complaint for the incorrect info at time of consultation re my large pupils and my success rate, and they claim they've found no wrong doing. It seems to be the optician who did the consultation has lied over what info they supplied, as I have a witness as to what was said, but they want me to take it up with the optician involved, even though I complained to head office and they should do something about it in my opinion. My mum still hasn't received her referral cheque two and a half months after my surgery. Yes, the surgery seems to have gone well which is good, but the only good service is on the day from their surgery team. Pre and post service is shocking. Don't expect putting a complaint in will solve the issue - I did it and they don't seem to care one bit. I am utterly fed up of arguing with them as you just go around in circles. Also, they are supposed to call you for a three month check up, but a member of staff claimed they don't have the means to do this.

mooglei

Went to have my check up today - got quoted for £1600 per eye (£3200) for Wavefront LASIK.

Went to Optical Express in Glasgow & my prescription is -3.5, does this seem fair and also seen some bad stories about Optical Express lately on this thread - do these claims hold weight? Should I stay away from them.. ?

techno12

Does nobody offer PRK anymore?

I had mine done with Optimax back in '99 for £495 per eye, which seemed to be the standard/fixed price at the time (ie there was no mention of costs ballooning to several £k)

Still very pleased with results, though one eye has degraded ever so slightly over the past couple of years.

Maybe this is the sort of thing that just won't come down in price (unlike TVs etc), or maybe the new treatments such as LASIK and that Wavefront thingy are inherently more expensive, but at the time the hype was that laser treatment would be routine, glasses would become largely obsolete, and cheap for all..

My sister had hers done a couple of years later and paid the same price, and her eyes were worse than mine (though I had astigmatism in one).

Oh, my 'consultation' with Optimax was me left in a room with a laminate sheet and tape recording detailing the procedure, then an eye test (ie not seeing a specialist until the day of treatment). Not sure if that's how it's done nowadays ;-)

Brandmar

Ultralase has closed

After reading people's opinion on here, I tried Ultralase but learned that they've effectively been shutdown (officially merged with Optimax). Harley St clinic now has been scaled down (no eye surgery there).
I found out after booking a consultation via treamentsaver as they haven't disabled the web bookings.

I now wonder what happens with their "Lifetime Gaurantee" which people seemed happy to pay a premium price for. (would have been one of my questions to them had they kept the appointment).

The sale happenned on 4.December

Claiming that Ultralase "has been unprofitable for many years", Optimax chairman and CEO Russell Ambrose confirmed that 14 Ultralase clinics would not be affected by the purchase, while the remaining 16 would or have already closed. It is believed that the closures have taken place where there is already an Optimax in the same location.

optometry.co.uk I can't post the link

What opinions do people here have on Optimax for laser eye surgery?

1CLK

mooglei wrote: »

Went to have my check up today - got quoted for £1600 per eye (£3200) for Wavefront LASIK.

Went to Optical Express in Glasgow & my prescription is -3.5, does this seem fair and also seen some bad stories about Optical Express lately on this thread - do these claims hold weight? Should I stay away from them.. ?

I personally would say I've had no issue with the treatment - I'm very happy with the results currently 3 mths on, although I do still use drops maybe twice a day but not a big issue given not having to use glasses or contacts. I just find the information given in consultations to be pretty poor. If you are quite a straightforward case, I cannot really see why there would be any issues with incorrect info given in the consultation, but if you have anything other than normal, such as large pupils, slightly thinner than normal corneas, etc then I'd be prepared to be told one thing in consultation to get you to book, and something different from the surgeon just before surgery. Of course there are always risks with surgery. I now personally know of someone who was told they could have one type of treatment, only to be told on the day of surgery that they had to have another which would have been more time off work/recovery. They have access to the same info and scans, etc, so unsure why they say one thing at consultation and the surgeon says another (unless I just have a bad branch). They don't really deal with complaints very well either, but like I say I'm happy with the results.

Re price, OE appear to be the only main laser eye company who charge on a scale of prescription, not just treatment. My initial quote for Lasik Intralase Wavefront ( 1 x astigmatism) at -5.50/-6 prescription was around £3700. It's £100 for the astigmatism, so presuming you don't have it there's just £400 diff in our quotes which given I'm almost double your prescription doesn't seem much. I also received a discount off this price, so I'd work on them with that.

IloveaScotsman

Hi, I won a laser eye surgery with Ultralase in October. I had the consulation and was booked in to have my surgery at the end of this month.
Since the consultation I have had a phone call from Ultralase to say they have been bought out by Optimax, who will now be doing my surgery in a clinic nearer to me on the same date. They also confirmed that I won't pay a penny as they will honor the prize.

My question is, is Optimax as well respected as Ultralase? I have read mixed reviews online and am unsure whether to take the prize or not!

andyjstu

I have booked my consultation with Optical Express on Sat. Are there still any concerns with the company going into administration? I have also looked at Ultralase but I think Optical Express will be cheaper since they are offering 40% off just now.

smithkuh

Blanca wrote: »

Hi,
I have a couple of £250 discount vouchers for Optical Express. If you are interested let me know. I did my laser eye surgery in 2010, was -10 and have perfect vision now. I did LASIK, ultralase with wavefront.
You can email me to blankilopez @ hotmail . com if you are interested and I can email you the voucher.
Blanca

Hi Blanca, you did your laser eye surgery have been 3 years. How does it feel? Does it have any side effects?

incaannica

incaannica wrote: »

Hi,

After reading a lot around the laser eye surgery I finally decided to go ahead and thought I share my thoughts on it too.

I booked my consultation with Optimax at Liverpool Street (end of June) and I thought that the staff were really helpful and answered all my questions. After a few eye test they recommended LASIK treatment for me which would have cost £395 per eye (as advertised). My presciption for both eyes was -1.25. Also, the consultant recommended wawefront treatment, which put the price up from £795 to £1580. I had noticed leaflets on the counter about getting £500 off if you know someone who had undergone the surgery so I told the lady that I have a friend of a friend who has done that - later I did an internet search for the vouchers, but on the treatment day no one asked me any details (and by the time I had forgotten it too!). That dropped the price down to £1080, which I think is ok for my budget. They also told me that if I would select the blade free treatment that would increase the price for another £1000 (without the voucher £2580 and with it £2080), I didn't opt for this (interlase) as I thought it is beyond my budget.

I had my surgery done at optimax (finchley rd) and I was slightly nervous, especially when they were running late and told me that I will be the last customer as the machine ('blade cutter') that is used for my surgery takes longer to calibrate (?!). All the other patients had gone for the full treatment with lasor so I started to doubt this a little. They operated a bit like McDonald's drive in... There were 6 of us receiving surgery that day and whilst you were getting your advise, someone was consulted by the doctor or filling out the forms. Then at the operation one was waiting for the anasthetic eye drops to work whilst the other one was getting their surgery (you can hear the machines and everything). I had to wait over an hour after my scheduled time so they were running considerably late...

Putting all the organisational things a side, the actual treatment was over in 10 minutes... It was quick, pain free (besides slight discomfort with the tapes placed around your eye). The doctor used blade to open up the flap which did not hurt at all, pulled the flap aside and then applied the laser. I think, I was more curios to 'see' what happens during the surgery so the whole experience felt like watching a sky full of stars and then staring at the red haze... The most painful for me was to get the tapes out of your face (LOL) they really stick to your skin and hairs so it feels like hair removal with waxing

My eyes did not hurt afterwards and, although my vision was blurry, I managed to phone a cab using my mobile and walk out of the surgery. Later in the evening I used the pain drops, took a couple of pain killers and put on the antibiotic drops and went to sleep with the horrendous eye shields that need to be taped on your face (!). I woke up the next morning and I was able to see perfectly. Again I had the problem removing the tape off my face... it really does stick!

My vision was 20:20 the next day and I am only wearing sunglasses to protect them - not because of the light.

My friend had her surgery done few weeks before me with another company and it ended up costing her £4K with Lasik, wavefront and intralase - after she reported that her eyes were extremely light sensitive and sore. I am not sure was this due to the fact that the flap was removed with a laser - it seemed like everyone booked for the day my treatment and who had flap removed by the laser had to be in a darkened room for 15 minutes afterwards. They seemed to be extremely light sensitive. So not sure if that had anything to do with it, but I didn't have to go through it...

The annoying thing is that I have to put antibiotic etc. eyedrops on every 4 hours (with 15 minute break between the 2 types) and then refresher drops (to prevent dry eyes) at least 4 times a day, but I feel like putting them on every 2 hours... Also, I cannot wear make-up for 2 weeks or go to the gym for one week

Other than that I am laughing :rotfl:I can finally see everything clearly without the glasses or contacts. It was definitely worth the £1000!

If anyone else is considering this treatment please feel free to contact me and I will tell you more. I also received the £500 money off vouchers so I am happy to send them to those who need them.

Hope this helped someone.

incaannica wrote: »

Hi again!

I just wanted to update on the progress I have made since my surgery.

I ended up using the medical drops for 1 month as advised by Optimax ("Use them until the bottles finishes") and also applying the refresher drops. Since then I really haven't needed any drops on my eyes and I have been able to see perfectly and finally managed to get rid off the habit of looking for my glasses every time I watch the telly or go out

I have had no complications and my eyesight is now perfect - better than 20:20!

I would definitely recommend the treatment and if you wish I can register you to receive £500 off from laser surgery with Wavefront and intralase. This registration is immediate and you do not need to wait for a vouchers to arrive by post or do anything else other than PM me to find out how :T

It has now been nearly 3 years of my surgery. Things are good and I have no problems at all :cool: I believe Optimax is still going strong so let me know if you need to be referred.