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Optical Express has grown to become one of Europe’s leading providers of laser eye surgery. It operates over 200 clinics, of which 100 are specifically designated laser consultation clinics and 54 are laser treatment clinics.
With locations throughout the UK, Holland, Germany, Ireland, France and Croatia, Optical Express has carried out over one million laser eye surgery procedures worldwide. What’s more, over 99% of patients would recommend Optical Express to their friends and family.
Pros: Value for money, caring surgeons, 128 UK clinics, latest technology, dedicated aftercare
Cons: No fixed prices (talk to them for a quote)
☝ Compare clinics: See if there are any other top-rated clinics near you, and use our simple tool to receive a personalised quote.
- Optical Express Laser Eye Surgery Review
- Prices
- Treatments
- The Verdict
- Surgeon Reviews
- 1,806 Patient Reviews
1. Optical Express Laser Eye Surgery Review
I’m very happy with my laser treatment. There’s nothing to worry about – there’s no pain, and I would recommend it to anybody. The aftercare at Optical Express is also very good. I just wish i had done it years ago. – Philip Lavelle
Optical Express uses world leading technology, and their laser platform – the VISX S4IR – delivers safe, accurate and precise results. Fun fact: Optical Express is the only vision correction provider to invest in the iFS150 intraLASE in each of its clinics – the same technology that led to NASA backing laser eye surgery for astronauts in 2007.
Over 99% of Optical Express patients achieved 20/20 vision or better following treatment, according to a study carried out in June 2017.
With over 25 years’ experience in eye care, Optical Express boasts excellent surgical outcomes, and has invested £400 million in technology to offer advanced methods for vision correction.
Optical Express has 128 clinics in the UK alone – far more than any other eye surgery provider. Its locations include London, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Dublin, with many more situated in all corners of the country.
Here is how nearly 2,000 real customers rate Optical Express for its clinic, cost, treatments and surgeons:
| Optical Express Rating Overall | Clinic Rating | Cost Rating | Surgeon Rating | Treatments Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (4.6 out of 5) | (4.5 out of 5) | (4.8 out of 5) | (4.5 out of 5) | (4.7 out of 5) |
CQC Rating: Good
- Treating people with respect and involving them in their care
- Providing care, treatment and support that meets people’s needs
- Caring for people’s safely and protecting them from harm
- Staffing
- Quality and suitability of management
2. Optical Express Laser Eye Surgery Cost
True, it was an expensive operation, but I spent £500 a year on contact lenses and optician appointments – I see it as an investment! – Dave Reyner
(4.8 out of 5)
Laser eye surgery at Optical Express costs from just £595, or from £1,995 for lens replacement surgery. Of course, these prices depend on the treatment you choose, as well as your prescription, so you’ll want to pop in for a free consultation to get a tailored quote.
Optical Express is one of the cheapest laser eye surgery clinics in the UK. Its prices are well below average, compared to over 70 leading eye clinics and hospitals nationwide.
There are also a range of pay monthly finance options, so you can benefit from eye surgery for less than £50 a month – and it’s 0% finance for 10 month contracts.
Are there any hidden costs? No, the consultation is free, and you even get free eye tests worth £800. The only downside is not having fixed prices like at Optegra and Optimax, but at least the costs are lower at the end of the day.
Here are the prices of some of Optical Express’ popular lens and laser surgery options:
| Eye Surgery Procedure | Price (per eye) | Finance Options (per month) |
|---|---|---|
| LASEK | From £595 | £49.50 (10 months on 0% APR, £100 deposit) |
| LASIK | From £1,195 | £42.02 (for 18 months on 11.5% APR, £500 deposit) |
| LASEK (with iDesign) | From £1,495 | £41.69 (for 24 months on 11.5% APR, £500 deposit) |
| LASIK (with iDesign) | From £1,495 | £46.35 (for 24 months on 11.5% APR, £500 deposit) |
| Monofocal lens surgery | From £1,995 | £48.89 (for 36 months on 11.5% APR, £500 deposit) |
| Multifocal lens surgery | From £3,195 | £47.39 (for 72 months on 11.5% APR, £500 deposit) |
| Phakic IOL | From £3,395 | £47.39 (for 72 months on 11.5% APR, £500 deposit) |
| YAG | From £595 | N/A |
☛ Want a tailored quote? The only way to compare exact quotes is to see an eye expert for a check-up. These can cost up to £250, but with our simple tool, you can find out how much laser or lens surgery will cost you at Optical Express for free.
3. Laser Eye Surgery Treatments
Fantastic! I am so pleased I has the treatment – playing sports is so much easier! All the staff were very helpful, reassuring, and happy answering my questions. I’ll definitely be recommending Optical Express to everyone, their service is excellent! – Stephanie Yeadon
(4.7 out of 5)
Laser Eye Surgery
Laser eye surgery is a simple procedure that can correct your vision in a matter of minutes. Optical Express offers the most popular types: LASIK and LASEK (if you are not suitable for the surgical LASIK).
In both treatments, a cool beam advanced laser reshapes the cornea (the surface of your eye). Optical Express uses a technology called iDesign, which is based on Wavefront technology and takes thousands of eye measurements to produce the best results.
Lens Replacement
Optical Express has 20 years’ experience in lens replacement surgery. This surgery is a popular treatment for people with long distance vision, short distance vision, and even cataracts.
An eye consultant can help you decide which surgery best suits your needs:
- Refractive lens exchange (RLE) – This surgery replaces the natural lens with a synthetic intraocular lens (IOL) implant.
- Phakic IOL – This type of IOL is an alternative to laser eye surgery for patients with strong prescriptions.
- YAG laser treatment – YAG laser capsulotomy is a non-invasive procedure used to treat refractive former lens exchange patients whose vision starts to fade over the years.
Cataract Surgery
Optical Express performs the highest number of cataract surgeries – after the NHS, according to its website.
Cataracts are small, blurry patches on your eyes, giving you cloudy vision. Cataract surgery involves removing your damaged lens, and replacing it with a premium synthetic one for sharper near and distance vision.
Aftercare
Optical Express custom-fits its aftercare plan to every patient. This plan includes any medication that will aid the healing process, optometrist-led follow-up appointments, and an out-of-hours medical helpline.
Patients receive 12 months’ continued care as standard, and Optical Express recommends annual examinations to maintain your eye health.
Safety Record
All surgical procedures carry a degree of risk. However, laser eye surgery has an impressive success rate, and is the most popular elective surgery in the world.
99.2% of patients achieved at least 20|20 vision following surgery at Optical Express, based on a study of 190,231 Optical Express patients with the most common prescriptions. That’s why this eye clinic promises 20|20 vision or your money back.
Just be aware that the risks increase the more complicated the surgery. Optical Express will provide a screening service to check whether you are suitable for surgical treatment.
4. The Verdict
I can highly recommend Optical Express. They are very professional, and the procedure was pain free. The best thing now is I can see very well without glasses – and it was only done 3 weeks ago. – Elaine Gibson
(4.6 out of 5)
Optical Express is the best voted place for laser and lens replacement surgery, based on nearly 9,000 independent reviews on Lasik Eyes since 2002. With hard-to-beat prices, leading technology, and fully qualified surgeons, this clinic tops the list of best laser eye surgery clinics in the UK, as well as taking the crown for:
- Best eye surgery in London
- Best eye surgery in Scotland
- Best eye surgery in Manchester
- Best eye surgery in Bristol
But is it right for you? 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 thousands of readers a day get one step closer to 20/20 sight:
- Find the top clinic in seconds: Answer three questions to be matched with the leading eye clinic in your area
- Check you’re eligible in minutes: Receive a quick call to check you can get surgery (we don’t 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 (worth £800) and personalised quote (with no obligation)
☛ Click here to find the best clinic near you, and receive a tailored quote.
Our Testimonials
PLEASE BE WARNED IF YOU SUFFER FROM DRY EYES.
Optical Express – BLUEWATER.
Had a complete disaster. My friend previously had surgery here. She was happy with surgery but didn't think customer service was up to scratch but I decided to give it a go. From first impressions, customer service was pretty awful. Staff were like robots, just reading a script. No personal service whatsoever. Next I met the optometrist. Now I'm aware I suffer from quite severe dry eyes and have done so for years. I wanted to be sure the surgery would be suitable for me. I made sure I asked about the dry eyes part but just literally got, “it'll be fine”. I wasn't happy with the brief response so prodded a bit more and was just told that as I already had dry eyes, I'd have them still after, which wasn't of course a huge revelation to me. So I asked one last thing, if the dry eyes would get worse, she said no, it'd be fine.
So surgery was booked for February this year, payment made. First disappointment, surgery cancelled due to surgeon falling ill which is fair enough. Surgery was rearranged. I went to meet the surgeon, Mr Wayne Crewe-Brown, just before the surgery. This was like an hour before. The first thing I said to him was about my dry eyes concern. The man was shocked that I was sitting actually there and had got that far. I found out then that dry eyes is a common side effect of laser eye surgery which I was NEVER told. You would've thought that would've been pretty important info for me. Then the surgeon went onto explain “what if”, worse case scenario which I was horrified to hear. I can't believe none of this info was presented to me til an HOUR before surgery. It was clearly a mutual agreement that Mr Wayne Crewe-Brown & myself thought that it just wasn't worth the risk for me to go ahead as I was in a vulnerable category and had I known all this info before, I would never have gone ahead. So I left hugely upset and disappointed.
I'd like to stress at this point that I couldn't fault Mr Wayne Crewe-Brown. He was completely honest and frank with me and offered me his professional opinion, which I truly value as I know he is a man with experience in the field. He was great.
So that was it basically. Just to rub more salt into the wounds, I made an official complaint to their Head Office immediately after in February. I was told I’d get a full response within 10 days. It is now nearly 2 months later and still nothing. I am SO disgusted with the whole service, it’s so unprofessional. I just want to say, especially if you suffer from dry eyes or have any other major pre-surgery concerns, don’t take it for granted they’ll give you all the information you’ll need. I actually prompted the woman to get more info but still got nothing. I’ve learnt at the end of the day, you get what you pay for. Also if it matters to you that you get people that help you feel at ease about your surgery and treat you as an individual, this is not the place. Had I also known beforehand that respectable places like Moorfields Eye Hospital carry out laser eye surgery, I would’ve gone to them.
If Optical Express can EVER be bothered to respond to my complaint, I will post back here, but don’t hold your breath.
Overall – the WORST customer experience of my life and even more so disturbing that these people seem to forget that these were my EYES they were dealing with and they didn't seem to care less that they could’ve risked damaging my eyes / vision indefinitely.
ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED.
The consultation was very thorough and extremely professional and all my questions were answered honestly and in a friendly manner. I was very nervous before my treatment but the nurse accompanied me throughout the entire process and was extremely helpful and put me at ease.
The aftercare service instills confidence in the treatment that you have had done and the predicted 1-2 days recovery time was spot on! Although the treatment itself can be quite unnerving, the results are amazing!
I had Wavefront Lasik. My treatment from intial consultation 7 months ago till signed off yesterday was fantastic. Everything was explained in detail and I was given ample opportunity to ask questions before progressing to the next stage of treatment. My only regret? The money I've wasted in the 10 years on disposable lenses and glasses.
I did feel a little disconfort during surgery but it wasn't painful. The goggles at night weren't the most attractive – think a giant fly – but would recommend everyone to do this.
I had my surgery at the Bluewater clinic on 22/03/07.
Wow!!!! I still can't quite get over the fact that I can see – after 17 years of wearing glasses full time, now I don't need them! My eyesight is still a bit blurry in the distance, but this will sort itself out in time, and driving, using the computer, watching TV, reading and so on are no problem at all.
I was very nervous when I first went to the clinic on the day of my procedure, but the team were so friendly and Mr Crewe-Brown, the surgeon, was so reassuring, that I soon got over my apprehension. The actual laser surgery literally takes minutes, and wasn't painful at all. The most uncomfortable part (and even that wasn't too bad) was the creating of the flap. The weirdest bit was when the flap was lowered again, and, because your eyes are kept open (obviously), you can see it being replaced! Very odd experience!
After care has been wonderful as well, with a lovely lady called Manjeet looking after my post-op checks. I now have 20/20 vision at the legal distance for driving, and it is getting better every day!
I'm looking forward to going swimming for the first time and being able to see – and getting my hair cut and being able to see the actual cutting – and wearing normal sunglasses in the summer – and so much more that I couldn't do before.
Laser eye surgery is the best invention in the world!
Surgeon: Mr Rodney Blumenfeld, Shaftesbury Ave.
Absolutely fantastic. It's a shame to read about poor customer service on this site, because the staff at both Peterborough and Shaftesbury Ave were nothing short of brilliant. I decided not to opt for wavefront and there was absolutely no hard sell to try and change my mind. Surgeon and nurses were extremely professional and put me very much at ease. The procedure was very fast – the flap cutting was rather unpleasant, but aside from that it was painless. Could see better immediately afterwards! Eyes were streaming for about 2 hours, and then felt completely normal. Had my check-up 18 hours later and already had 20:20 vision! Was told this should get even better as well!
Over the moon. Can't recommend Optical Express enough. Worth every penny.