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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
Has anyone else had the same problem as me? I didnt think my eyes were that bad but after a visit to optical express I feel absolutely devastated. Im short sighted with astigmatisim with a prescription of -3.25 r -1.25cyl and -2.00 -1.50cyl. Ive come away after being told that I not only have large pupils(?), thin cornea and night vision problems ( something again I didnt know I had) I like many others have seen the advertising for from £395. per eye. I have realistic expectations and didnt think Id be near that (probably around £700) but I have been quoted £1295.00 per eye!!! (this is the equivalent quote to Moorfields eye hospital!) Does anyone know a more affordable clinic within Hampshire or Sussex area. I went to Optical express in Southampton. The staff were very nice and I cant fault them. But I feel so dissapointed with their pricing. I think there is room to be a bit more honest in their brochures about pricing. I picked them out as I was on a budget and they gave the impression that they offered cheap laser correction. If there is anyone with a similar prescription can you offer any advice?? thanks
I had Lasik eye surgery with Wavefront…
Wow, I only wish I had it done sooner
The staff were all very helpful and informative.
Thankyou very much
Woody-Bournemouth
The surgery seems to have been a complete success. The care i have recieved from all the Bournemouth staff has been very good before and after surgery. Thank you- Bournemouth
Surgeon: Osama Giledi
Surgery: Lasik Wavefront
Location: Shaftesbury Ave
Date: 14 Oct
I had a prescription of: +3.5 Longsighted and -2.5 astigmatism in both eyes. Optimax and AVC wouldn’t touch me with this prescription, Ultralase dithered over whether I should have Lasik or Lasek (something to do with my eye socket structure for cutting the flap). Optical Express said they could do it no problem.
I’ll summarise my findings first: Optical Express’s admin seems to be organised chaos, the surgeon Osama Giledi is a top bloke who did a great job, and the results after 10 days are encouraging but not spectacular as yet.
Having already had admin issues with the Reading branch while attempting to pay for the treatment, arriving at Shaftesbury Avenue for my surgery last Saturday was not the most calming experience. The waiting room was packed with many people sitting on the floor and stairs because there were no available chairs. This seemed to be due to many people having consultations and bringing all their extended family along for a day out. Once the pre-op checks started, things calmed down, well at least I did.
I very nearly didn’t proceed with the op. They couldn’t stabilise my prescription (although they knew what it was) as the pre-op WaveScan system was giving mixed results. This is common with longsighted/astigmatism allegedly as the eyes compensate for each other. Dr Giledi the surgeon made it clear that he would not operate unless 100% satisfied. After 10 attempts, I got there.
The operation itself was a nightmare – not being dramatic, but that’s the way I felt. I’m a big bloke who’s had lots of pain before on a rugby field, but the eye clamps were horrendous. Due to my prescription, I had a longer than usual ‘burn time’ under the laser.. 100 seconds. And while the flap cutting and laser were painless, the clamps were anything but. Dr Giledi and his assistants were great as they constantly told me what was happening (shouting over the noise of the laser).
Result: Initially there was no WOW factor. My eyesite was very blurry for a few days and I couldn’t focus on anything further than 3 feet away. Over the last week, my eyesite has improved greatly. My right eye is now better than 20-20, but my left eye is not there yet. My short vision (looking at a PC) is excellent, my medium vision is OK and improving, but my long distance vision is not good at present. I’m told this is normal and will improve over the next month or 2. (Interestingly although I’m 20-20 in my right eye, my right eye can still not see long distance so these theoretical measures can be misleading….)
My advice. Get it done, but be realistic. Try and discard a lot of the euphoria in these reviews (much of it understandable), and be prepared to be patient, especially if you have a complex prescription such as mine. Do not brush over or discard the potential pitfalls and pay attention to the healing process. It may take longer than you think, or are told. Any questions, feel free to email me.
I had my eyes done yesterday, I must say the the clamping of the eyes open for the procedure hurt a bit but it only felt like the operation took two minutes max.
I didn't feel any pain or discomfort on the eyeball whatsoever and only once had a brief and faint smell of burning.
While my eyelid felt like lead for the rest of the day the discomfort was minimal, I would liken it to wearing your contact lenses for too long and they are irritating you.
Twenty four hours later my eyesight is great, i have no discomfort whatsoever so much is the improvement I must remind myself that it is only a day since the op and I need to carry on taking my eye drops.
The staff at the York shop are ever so friendly and are ready to laugh with you, I am a cheeky chap, the people at the Leeds clinc while kind and courteous are not so ready to laugh with you, come on people relax, chill a bit, would I recomend others having laser eye surgary, most definately, just remember, every ones body reacts differenty to pain and the recovary rate will also be different from other tough i would not think that different.
now looking forward to my second aftercare visit to york.
my advise for anyone who is considering eye surgery is go for it,