Focus is a well renowned, prestigious specialist laser eye clinic based in the London Harley Street medical enclave. It has a reputation for treating celebrities, and claims to have a 99.7% success rate (excluding very high prescriptions).
What makes it different? This is a consultant led clinic, meaning UK-trained eye surgeons combine their advanced surgical skills with the specially selected laser systems that are 100% committed to achieving 20/20 vision.
Is there anything to look out for? Yes, check what you are comfortable paying. Focus is one of the pricier options for vision correction, and the success rate barely differs from clinics that charge half the price.
1. Focus Eye Surgery Treatments
Focus has often led the way in terms of technology advancement over the years. It was the first clinic to correct reading vision using Conductive Keratoplasty (CK) radio waves, which uses radio waves rather than lasers to reshape the eye surface (cornea). The chief surgeon, Mr David Allamby, has performed more CK procedures than any other surgeon in the world.
Mr Allamby is also the first surgeon in the U.K to pioneer and perform the first Z-Lasik Blended Vision (another treatment for reading glasses). He remains at the forefront of specialist surgeons for presbyopia in the UK, and has provided surgical training to visiting surgeons worldwide.
So what’s on offer? The standard procedures at Focus include: Z-LASIK, LASEK and PRK (all with Wavefront technology). The clinic additionally specialises in these popular lens replacement surgeries: refractive lens exchange (RLE), implantable collamer lens (ICL), cataract surgery.
2. Focus Costs
Focus is one of the most expensive places in the UK for laser eye and lens replacement surgery, along with its friends on Harley Street: the London Vision Clinic and Moorfields Private (just around the corner).
Nearly 200 patients told us they paid on average £6,200 for laser eye surgery and £6,700 for lens replacement surgery at Focus. These prices are among the highest out there, and around double what you can pay elsewhere in the UK.
Laser eye surgery costs (both eyes):
- LASIK cost: £6,500
- LASIK specialist cost: £6,000
- LASIK blended vision: £5,400
Lens and cataract surgery costs (both eyes):
- Refractive lens exchange cost: £6,500
- Cataract surgery cost: £6,500 (standard lens) – £7,500 (premium lens)
- ICL surgery cost: £7,500
Then there’s the VIP Package for £12,000, all in. Focus doesn’t reveal what’s involved in this eye-watering price tag, so we’ll go out on a limb and say you may not find great value for money here.
Are there any hidden costs?
You’ll be please to learn that the quotes above are fixed prices, meaning you should avoid some nasty surprises. These costs include a generous 10-year guarantee, and initial consultations are free.
Interest-free finance options are also available, from £179.17 per eye per month, with a £500 deposit. Other clinics, however, offer monthly payment plans for around a quarter of the price.
So is it worth paying more?
Well, it may be if you are looking for: the most up-to-date ophthalmic tech, some of the UK’s most experienced surgeons, and being treated like a king in general. Plus, all procedures use Wavefront technology as standard: a slightly pricier add-on that improves the accuracy of the laser by measuring the eye’s exact measurements.
But don’t feel pressured into paying more than you feel comfortable with. Laser eye surgery is considered a safe procedure, with over 95% of people being satisfied or very satisfied with results, according to NICE. Optical Express, for example, is so confident of achieving 20/20 vision, it has a moneyback offer if you don’t. And prices there are half what they are at Focus Clinics on average.
3. Focus Review: The Verdict
FOCUS Clinics features as one of the best places for laser eye surgery in the UK. Plus, with friendly staff and a “Good” CQC rating, it also makes its way onto the list of the 10 best laser eye surgery clinics in London.
But is it right for you? Focus Clinics does offer plenty of excellent perks for the higher price tags: cutting-edge lasers, pioneering eye surgeons, and hard-to-fault customer service. That said, your money will also fund perks no one really needs: things like the prime Harley Street location, spa-like rooms, and VIP treatment.
Anyone looking to bag a bargain eye surgery should keep looking. Well-reviewed high street clinics such as Optical Express, Ultralase and Optimax might be a better fit if that’s the case.
☝ Ask the eye experts: To see if there is a better rated laser eye surgery provider near you, just click here to use our simple quote tool, and get a tailored quote from a clinic you can trust.
Our Testimonials
Due to my high myopia and high astigmatism I wasn’t sure if I would qualify, but the team put me completely at ease. They did not directly say “all is good”, but told me to take Flaxseed Oil for a month and come back for a second check-up, because my eyes were a bit too dry and it would have caused me discomfort after the surgery. Wow, that it putting the customer first!
Every one of the Focus team I’ve met is warm, friendly, welcoming, always available for all questions and genuine happy for me to now live without glasses. Special thanks to David Allamby, the surgeon, Ritu Jagpal, who did all the initial check-ups, Joanne Atalay and Malisa D’Souza, my direct contacts for all questions!
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100% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. That spoke to me. From the first contact with Malisa on the telephone (who is an absolute star), it was all about “What can WE give?”, not “What can I get?” They’ve got something really special going on here and they don’t need to convince me – professional excellence and quality of conduct speaks for itself. Every one of the Focus team I’ve met has been consistently open, friendly, welcoming, accomodating and AVAILABLE. I continue to receive OVER AND ABOVE the level of care, expert advice, courtesy and consideration that I would expect from anyone. They give you full information as to who they are (and that just happens to be the OUTSTANDING EXPERTS in their field!), what they do, and how everything works. Not one decision has been made without me being included, every step of the way.
I’d had 3 dissatisfying conclusions from 3 leading providers, so I was fully prepared to pay twice the price to get THE BEST – this IS central London! But Focus were able to quote me an accurate cost of treatment – at around £200 LESS THAN ANY OTHER PROVIDER – before I even came along to see them. Plus I got a £500 discount through a special offer, and all this comes with LIFETIME AFTERCARE with the SAME SURGEON. This level of learning, expertise, research and technology doesn’t come at ‘high street’ prices, but not for one minute did I feel like these people were trying to ‘sell’ me something. Instead there was a strong and quiet assurance that they are damn good at what they do, because their heart and soul is in this work, and that they really are doing their best to make it as affordable and available as they can for us.
Mr David Allamby, the surgeon who performed my treatment, has a real gift. My prescription was R -8.00 and L -8.50 with astigmatism of R -1.5 and L -1.25. I don’t know how he did it!! No-one else could. He assured me he would make his best effort to get me as close to 20/20 as possible – I knew he meant it. He talked me through every second of the surgical procedure, I didn’t have a chance to get scared about it. Dr Allamby meets you with equanimity, congruence, and integrity. He is not only a highly-qualified medical/healthcare practitioner who is clearly fulfilling his purpose in life, he is also a gentleman. I’ve met a lot of slick, super-successful, money-grabbing ego-maniacs! Professionalism alone doesn’t reach people. This man’s kindness, humility, generosity and engaged passion for what he does are an absolute joy to be around. I can’t thank him enough for doing what he does, and perhaps why he does it – not for any self-serving aggrandisement, but for the genuine benefit of others.
The quality of the service Focus provides and dedication to the well-being of their patients is second to none. Safety is paramount, and consideration of the long-term health and happiness of each individual patient clearly comes first. I see A LOT OF HAPPY PEOPLE whenever I come to the Focus clinic. The most valuable thing you can give another human being is your time and attention – and that is what you get here. I have been held though this whole process. This is a team of authentic, honest, totally trustworthy, and genuinely LOVELY people! I would not trust anyone else with my sight – believed me, I’ve tried.
Dr Allamby has not just corrected my extremely short sight – he has changed the lens I see the world through. It’s no longer ‘me’ and this ‘world’ I’m looking out at – it’s MY WORLD and I feel FULLY ALIVE in it, and TOTALLY INSPIRED. Gratitude abounds. I am OVERJOYED at waking up and being able to SEE!; at watching the stars at night with my naked eye (& no halos!); at getting caught in the rain when I’m cycling, because it really doesn’t matter anymore!!…………
And while I’m seeing my life now with CRYSTAL CLEAR & BRIGHT, BETTER THAN 20/20 VISION new eyes, somebody in a less affluent country is probably looking at their own children for the first time in years – Focus made me a part of that. Check out their EYE FOR AN EYE CHARITY. JUST AMAZING. I’ve never had my money used so wisely by somebody else! Total respect to these guys. I wish each and every member of the Focus team all the continued success and happiness they deserve in all of their lives. 10/10. THANK YOU a million times!!!
As a result of my high myopia (R -7.00, L -7.75), astigmatism (R -1.75, L -1.50), age related presbyopia and thin corneas, I was not able to have LASIK from high street “suppliers”. I found Focus Laser Vision on the internet. They looked at me and I was offered blended laser treatment – this is not available from mainstream / conventional clinics and is therefore not discussed – which I went for. This was followed up with a PRK surface treatment for the right eye to remove a small residual astigmatism – no extra cost involved.
I was able to get everything fixed for what was quite an extreme prescription! I have been so pleased, that I arranged for my daughter to have treatment by Focus in London rather than locally (in Cambridge) and my wife is having treatment there this summer.
All members of the Focus team have been extremely helpful on our “journeys” and I recommend them to any reader of this comment.
Absolutely brilliant. David Allamby was fantastic, extremely professional and reassuring. Very relieved I chose this clinic. Would not trust anyone else with my sight!
Reading some of the reviews on the site is part of what convinced me to go have a look at Focus for a consultation and I wasn’t disappointed. Looked at 8 other places and Focus were by far the friendliest, most knowledgeable and professional. Got my treatment done about a year ago and haven’t looked back since. excellect post-op customer service, the surgeon is on call whenever you need him, they all know your name and face and treat you with utmost care. Don’t be tempted to compromise on who you go to if you think you’ve found a good deal – this is your eyesight we’re talking about. It’s worth saving up a little longer to know it’s in good hands and Allamby is one of the best in the country.