I would recommend anyone looking at laser companies to seriously take note!! Im one of those, if i want it i'll get it done stright away kinda people, rather than going through the motions which are tedious and drawn out, but after a recent experience with optimax i would defintaely slow down!!

Dont go for the cheapest company, even if you have to get a lone from the bank to cover the extra ends then do it. So far ive been to Ultralase and Optimax for consultations, the U was free and the O cost me £60. When going to Ultralase i found the service second to none, the people are normal relaxed human beings not scared to take their time with you and the tests. They'll answer any quetsions in full and they repeated certain tests 3 times to make sure they had accurate recordings of my eyes. They explained the costs, down to the after effects and everything expected of me and what i could expect from them. Everey surgery isn't 100% is what they all tell and once you've decided that the risk is worth it, its all about picking the company and the people that you feel comfortable with.

About my consultation with Optimax, i got there bang on 10 o'clock for my appt, and i didn't get seen for the initial corneal measurements etc. until 10.30. I might sound petty for saying that, but if they know how long each test will take and how many people they will be seeing that morning i dont see the problem!! Ultralase the appt was the appt time pretty much. When called into the test room, the staff looked like they were there for the money, rushing and not really giving me that customer care i wanted or expected, having had a consultation elsewhere. Plus they only did the tests once, it felt rushed and they didn't even ask me for any recent prescriptions. That annoyed me considering i had gone to all the hassle of ringing round old opticians to get them. My glasses prescription is older than my current prescription, so it would seem from my glasses that i am better than i actually am if you follow me.

Anyways, i went upstairs to have my eyesight checked and to be fair the optomatrist (not sure of spelling) did seem better equipped to answer a couple of questions, my eyesight was checked and he said based on the results so far and the eye charts from downstairs i would be suitable, but the surgeon would explain further. Having gone into the surgeon's room, he seemed quite uninterested, he was paper pushing and walking to and fro from a different office. I mean, if a person walks into your building and puts their care in you hands, you want to feel they'r upbeat and feel more comfortable with them, which i think by now you know wasn't the case. He pointed to a eye diagram and told me what he would be doing, nothing in detail about what to expect in terms of pain and the actual surgery, and when i asked him how suitable my eyes were, it was something like they seem ok!!

Obviously by now, im dying to jump in the chair and have it done, i got home and read up the forums on other companies on this site and they seem to offer a lot more, both in terms of customer service, making you feel relaxed about the whole process and value. Looking at the reviews of how companies have scored does help. To be honest i didnt even look at this site until after that consultation and im glad i have, because there was a case where somebody was recommended lasek treatment by Dr Patel, Finchley Road, and told by another company, not at all were they suitable. If you pay extra you haven't been conned for peace of mind.

I wouldn't touch Optimax with a barge pole.