Optical Express

When I went to Laservision for my initial assessment I had the pleasure of being in the waiting room with one of Mr Williams many celebrity patients Cheryl Baker. I also had the honour of having my appointment half an hour late because Ms Baker hadn’t turned up on time and took my slot. It was also interesting that despite me having to wait and there being two other ‘normal’ people in the waiting room, the only people who were given a cup of coffee were Ms Baker and her friend.

My prescription was –1.25 in both eyes but at the assessment the optometrist found –1 in both. I asked her if this was a problem and she just said no. I was worried about the difference so I phoned ahead and asked if they could just show me the difference between the two lenses when I got there for treatment. Well I got there on time, reminded the receptionist about my concerns and then I was left to wait for 45 minutes in the waiting room before Mr Williams came to do his pre op bit. I raised my concern with Mr W and asked that they double check. The wee lad didn’t make much of an effort to conceal his annoyance. It was obviously not important to him that I feel comfortable about what was going to happen. It took no more than two minutes to double check and could easily have been done before shorty had to be involved. I hadn’t been worried before but that changed now I was going under Mr Angrys’ needle. I don’t think this would have been a problem if I was one of Mr W’s cherished celebs.

I’m not amazed with the results either. I can see without glasses but the target sight has not been achieved. This could be because Mr W was going to use ‘waveguide’ but then decided not to but we will never know now.

So if you’re a celeb I highly recommend Laservision. If you are a lesser human like me, I’d go to Maxivision where you’ll pay less and be treated as well as everybody else.

Well, went back to Maxivision Monday evening and surgeon cannot really explain why my eyesight has deteriorated since surgery (three and half weeks ago!), the only thing he thinks may have done this is the severe dryness, even though I put them drops in like there was no tomorrow!!! I am not too happy as I am having to wear contact lenses until I go back in Jan 2003 for check up (which I have had to pay for!!!) plus solution, plus petrol costs and parking fees going back and forth to clinic. But at this moment in time the cost is not important, I just want my prescription back to 0 like it was the day after surgery. So today I am only giving MaxiVision 2 stars because of the inconvenience, but the staff are ace and very patient so I am not getting at them at all. Feel free to email me. x x x

Thought I would add an update as I had PRK on my right eye only back in April 2002. However, I'm now back to wearing glasses as the improvement in my vision is very minor- I've gone from -1.5 to -.75 - so legally I can drive without glasses which means it's a 'success' - but I can't read road signs until I've gone past them- can't see the t.v. clearly and stuff like that. The surgery was an absolute doddle - but was has alarmed me has been the after care- they were in capable of getting my prescription correct- I needed to have my glasses amended as I needed them for driving. They came out with some story about how the eye that hadn't been operated on had actually changed it's prescription since the operation- I had my glasses made up with them twice and in the end gave up and went back to my own optician for an eye test - and the result's were very different to what they said I had. One thing I've noticed with the PRK is that the operated eye is sensitive to pressure- for example when I'm taking my eye make up off I have to be very gentle - and my optician ( not the the Eye Clinic) has said that off course it will be becuase PRK is basically making the surface of your eye thinner. The consequence of this is that standard tests for glaucoma cannot be done on eye's which have had PRK. Anyway- hope it's not too much of a rant- and maybe I've just been unlucky- it hasn't put me off eye surgery and in a few years time I'm sure I would have my other eye done - just not at the Eye Clinic!

Had consultation for LASIK in 2002 and booked to have eyes done in London in April. Paid all money yet Friday 21/2 had a call looking to reschedule app due tp surgeon being unavailable- when pressed it chged from trying to get another surgeon to all surgeons at American conference - as the comments on websties do seem to rec not going straight back to work - 3 days seems common throughout the diff clinics the chg means altering my time off - + partners as you have to take someone with you. Highly inconvenient when spending this money less than 2 mths before app due - and here is me thinking conferences so large as to be held over in America takes mths to arrange - not 2 months. Am awaiting update re the dates but have been considering alternative clinics and would apreciate feedback

They cancelled at short notice, just after organising a week off work and arraning for my wife to have time off to accompany me. Very frustrating.

I've been researching for the last year or so, as I've wanted to get my eyes done for the longest time. I decided to go to three different places offering laser eye treatment, as part of my research. First on my list was Optical Express on Shaftesbury Avenue in London, I went there last Thursday 9th June 2005. And I'm afraid I didn't have a very good experience. They were very pushy about finances and even though the literature says otherwise, they said they couldn't help me. I'm long-sighted with a prescription of +5, turns out they only do up to +4, even though the treatment is available for +6 (and even above). As soon as they realised they wouldn't be getting money out of me, I was more or less pushed out the door. And told to come back in five years when the technology would have improved!! Which is total and utter bullsh*t, as I have an appointment next Monday with Accuvision, where they treat up to a +9, and then at Moorfields hospital where I have been told they will be happy to treat me. My time was completely wasted with Optical Express, and the literature is misleading. Those of you out there with a higher prescription, take heart as there IS a solution for you :-)

I have been left with good vision in the day...but my night vision is screwed. I have starbursts in both eyes, bigger in the left than the right. Learnt to drive over a year ago but never went out at night as I didn't dare, starburst obscure too much. I started off approx -4 in both eyes and pupils measured at 5.5mm. On day of op for second eye pupil was remeasured at 6.5mm, Keith Williams decided to operate with a 5.5mm optical zone and a transition out to 6.9mm, saying it would be fine. It wasn't. Told them repeatedly about night problems, usual response was "wait and see" (no pun intended). It's now been ~5 years. Steer clear.

I went for LASIK surgery on the 24th November, and after being pursuaded by the surgeon, had LASEK. BIG MISTAKE!! I told the surgeon that I had just started a new job, and couldn't afford to take any time off - in the end, I had to take a week off. He also scared me with horror stories with LASIK. Everyone in the waiting room with me wanted LASIK, and everyone ended up having LASEK! It's now a month after surgery. I still can't read number plates and road signs, and have awful dry eye. I use a computer, which is blurry, and end up with headaches most days. I've also been told it can take up to 3 months for my vision to be perfect. I wasn't told about any of this before surgery. The only good thing about Optical Express in Birmingham is the staff - they are very helpful and thorough. Shame I can't say the same for the surgeon, who I feel bullied me into something that wasn't suitable for me. It's a shame when you spend £1390, and don't get the results you are promised.

At the moment, my views on optical express at Southampton are not very impressive... I have twice now had my surgery cancelled and re-scheduled for a month later from each original appointment due to air conditioning unit failures. You build yourself up to having the treatment, let alone go through the nightmare of not being able to wear contact lenses for at least a week before hand, only for them the cancel the treatment the day before. I have now got to wait another month for my appointment and go through this all again... Not a happy person at the moment. Has this happened to anyone else?

I am -6.00 in my left eye with astigmatism and -6.50 in my right eye, I am due to have wavefront lasik with Wayne Crewe-Brown at Bluewater on the 13th June however I had an allergic reaction to the eye drops used for the eye exam, staff have not been very re-assuring and just told me to go to the GP, I am now having second thoughts about the surgery and would appreciate any feedback from anyone that has had sugery with Mr Crewe-Brown or at Bluewater, I did try to cancel the surgery due to my concerns but am being given the "hard-sell" from the staff who rather than cancelling it want to "discuss the matter further"! I would appreciate any comments asap as my 7 day cancellation period is nearly up!.