The first Ultralase clinic was opened in January 1991 at the Clatterbridge Hospital near Chester. At the time, all treatments performed were Photorefractive Keratotomy, or PRK, until the Lasik procedure was introduced in 1995.
With the introduction of Lasik, and the clear advantages it demonstrated for certain patients, Ultralase went through a period of dramatic growth through 2002.
2003 Ultralase introduced the revolutionary UltraPlus treatment with Wavefront technology, giving patients visual outcomes far surpassing those of standard laser treatments. Ultralase became the first provider to have all treatment outcomes verified by independent audit.
In March 2009, the commitment to clinical excellence led Ultralase to become the first UK provider to have all Great Britain surgeons certified in Laser Refractive Surgery by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth).
Ultralase Prices
Ultralase comes in second place in our list of the best laser eye surgery clinics in the UK for price, just after Optical Express. That’s because this clinic offers the full shebang: transparent prices, 0% finance options, free consultations, and competitive prices.
The cost of eye surgery at Ultralase ranges between £1,1695 and £2,995 (per eye), depending on the treatment type that you agree upon in discussion with a surgeon. These prices are in line with the average cost of eye surgery, but not quite as low as Optical Express.
Treatments Offered
You can count on Ultralase for the main laser eye and lens replacement surgery procedures. These include: LASIK and LASEK with Wavefront options, as well as refractive lens exchange (RLE), implantable contact lenses, and cataract surgery.
Is Ultralase Right for You?
With nearly 3,000 overall positive reviews from independent customers in the UK, Ultralase is one of the best-rated laser eye surgery clinics by patients. People value this clinic for its:
- Friendly prices – Fixed and reasonable prices help you know what to expect.
- Nationwide clinics – Ultralase has 20 clinics in the UK, including in London, Reading and St Albans.
- Decent aftercare – Ultralase provides free aftercare – one check-up and drops for the first three months.
Despite glowing reviews, however, it’s worth reading the fine print if you do choose Ultralase. In 2015, BBC’s Watchdog exposed the problems countless laser eye surgery patients have experienced accessing their lifelong aftercare.
Most user reviews on Lasik Eyes show happy experiences, but then again most people never need to take advantage of their lifetime guarantee. If you would like to find out whether Ultralase is the top-rated laser eye surgery clinic near you, we’re here to help.
Still, Ultralase features in several of Lasik Eyes’ lists of top-rated eye surgery:
Find Your Perfect Match
The only way to find out is to see if you’re eligible for 20/20 vision or your money back, and to get a tailored quote. That’s why we make it easy to pop in for a free consultation, have free eye tests (worth £800), and talk through your options with an eye expert.
Next steps: Our simple tool helps our readers every day get closer to going glasses free:
- Find the top clinic in seconds: Answer three questions to be matched to the leading eye clinic in your area
- Check you’re eligible in minutes: Receive a quick call to check you can get surgery (we will never share your number with anyone else)
- Book a free consultation: Talk to an expert at a clinic you can trust for a free eye test and personalised quote (with no obligation)
☛ Click here to find the top-rated clinic near you, and get a tailored quote.
Ultralase Reviews
Julie Oakley
Totally professional in every way. Best decision I ever made. Complete value for money. I would recommend to all my friends who ask me how it was.
Laura Probert
Ultralase staff are excellent. Made me feel at ease. Results are amazing considering my poor prescription. However a month on my vision is excellent.
Stephanie Seville
I was extremely nervous about the risks involved but Ultralase impressed me with their openness and honesty. I felt able to make my decision to go ahead without any pressure. The treatment was incredible – fast, minimal discomfort and with brilliant results. One week on and my vision is excellent. I would recommend Ultralase to everyone. Thank you
richard
UltraLase said they could correct my eyesight so I would not have to ear glasses for reading or working. What they did do was ruin my life because now I have to wear 3 pairs of glasses and they have caused glare in my left eye which makes it impossible to drive at night without anti glare glasses which is not what I was told and expected and paid hard earnt money for! They said they told me the dangers of what could happen, it was not written down and they have every avenue covered with what they say they’ve told you. Be warned you are not covered if you try to claim on your own insurance as once you sign that request that you consent to go ahead you are left legless and perhaps visually impaired. Ultra Lase have offered me some money towards a pair of variofocale glasses which is what I was using before UltraLase ruined my eyesight. I have had to make this stand to let you know what they say they can do and what they what can do is not always the case. Look around the waiting room and look at the photos of people and their stories, is there any with a complaint? No. I asked for my story and my photo to be displayed but was told no, I wonder why?
Ellen
At the Ultralase consultation both the optician and the sales girl were very knowledgeable and I was impressed with the fact Ultralase had the cutting edge technology to offer "Ultra" treatment which gives you very sharp peripheral vision. I decided just to go for wavefront (which corrects an 8.5mm diameter area for good night vision) because the "Ultra" treatment was £600 more. I was also had a history of problems with anaesthetic and Ultralase were happy to talk about different options although it turned out the normal local anaesthetic was fine. I went with Ultralase not because I had heard anything bad about the other clinics (in fact I was very tempted by Optical express who offered the Wavefront treatment for £2,500) but because they felt more like a clinic than a shop and I had more access to the optician who could answer my technical questions than the sales person. I had astigmatism of -2 and -1 and a prescription of +3.5 and +3.75. Having read all the other review here I just have a few things to add about the procedure itself. To my mind the risks breakdown in to things they do wrong eg the technology/surgen and things I do wrong eg sensitive eyes, not using the drops and getting an infection. For the first I believe there are very few risks with the technology but the one area of human intervention was when they put the suction on my eye to hold it still for the cutting of the flap. For my left eye it hurt and for my right eye it didn't. If I'd had my wits about me I would have immediately said something because in retrospect the surgeon had probably not position the sucker correctly so more suction was needed to hold the eye in place. The result was it hurt at the time and my left eye was significantly more blood shot and uncomfortable for a week after. Having said that I'm am now fine. The other thing I would say is after the anaesthetic wore off I would describe the "discomfort" as like when I have been swimming under water with my eyes open and got chlorine in my eyes and they sting - for 3 hours. I can't recommend audio books enough for the recovery period because it was an excellent distraction and I could lie in a dark room with my eyes shut.
Marie Chown
All aspects of the treatment went very well and I am so please with the results. The Ultralase staff were extremely helpful and everything was explained to me throughout. I would recommend Ultralase to everyone.
Suzanne Moloney
From the moment I entered the clinic I felt at ease. The staff were exceptionally helpful and informative. All my questions were answered and I felt reassured and confident throughout the whole experience. I was surprised at how pain free the procedure was. The nurse and surgeon were patient and caring. I felt completely at ease and in comfortable hands. The aftercare was second to none. Both receptionists were extremely helpful when arranging aftercare. Best of all 4 weeks after my treatment I went on holidays and wore designer sunglasses.
Tony
Had treatment at Ultralase cardiff yesterday Surgeon - Haralabos Eleftheriadis Left eye -5.25 Right Eye -5.0 Everything went well and all staff were superb! Suction ring part was a bit uncomfortable but not painful, however this has left my eye quite badly bloodshot/bruised. Everything else went great Eyes today are still bloodshot/bruised and are quite gritty but i have slightly better than 20/20 vision (so far so good) Would highly recommend the surgeon and staff!
Paul Hughes
Consultation was helpful and informative. The drama of a faulty laser on the day of the operation was quickly and efficiently dealt with by arrangements made for a trip to Bristol being made. The results are better then I expected with 20/20 vision and then some. If you can, then just do it. You won’t even want to remember the hassle of glasses and lenses!
Gareth Price
I was treated seven months ago and now I have 20/20 vision with no astigmatism! The treatment I received from Ultralase was superb; everything was explained to me in detail throughout the procedure and it didn’t hurt! It’s a cliché to say I wish I had done it years ago – but I do.
