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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
1,553 reviews written between 2002 and 2021. Sorted by newest first.
Treatments are as each reviewer wrote them. Reviews that don't mention laser or lens surgery only show under All treatments.
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The staff made me totally at ease. The procedure and aftercare was described in detail. Throughout the procedure the surgeon described what was happening and I can honestly say the procedure was totally painless. In the 4 to 5 hours following surgery I did feel a little discomfort, however, I rested my eyes during this time and didn’t even feel the need to take any painkillers.
It is very true when people say why didn’t I have this done years ago.
Thank you
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Myself and my brother both had the above procedure done at Optical Express, Princes Street, Edinburgh by Dr Mantry on 7th and 14th August. The staff there were most helpful, friendly and reassuring. Donna-Marie looked after us on both days and couldn’t do enough to put us at ease. Dr Mantry was a true gentleman and the surgery he performed was totally pain free. We were amazed at the results and wished like everyone we have spoken to that we had this done years ago.
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My right eye was done on Friday 7th August and the left eye done on Friday 14th August 2009. Both procedures were absolutely pain free and I have experienced no discomfort afterwards at all. My vision the morning after the second eye was done was 20/20 and is becoming more clear as the days go by. I can’t praise enough all the staff at Optical Express in Edinburgh for the first class treatment I received with particular mention to Dr Mantry who performed the surgery and Donna marie who personally looked after me during my visits. I am amazed at how easy the whole experience was and delighted at my excellent vision without contact lenses or glasses. I only wished I’d known about this operation before now so I could have enjoyed the benefits even earlier.
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I had my surgery just 3 days ago and am very happy with the results. Prior to the surgery I had read lots of reviews on-line and in fact probably researched it a bit too much to point that I had really freaked myself out. Now my advice to anyone considering laser eye treatment would be – Don’t make the same mistake as me and read horror stories on the internet as it will only add to your anxiety. As long as you are a suitable candidate, go to a reputable clinic and want to have the surgery then JUST GO FOR IT!
Although I was happy with my initial consultation, the surgeon on the day (Manek Patel at Harley street), and the aftercare so far, I have really had a bad experience with customer services at Optical Express. After my initial consultation I had received an email from head office offering £200 off eye surgery, so I contacted customer services the next day to enquire whether I could use the voucher even though I had been given a corporate discount and had already booked a date for surgery. They advised me that I was still eligible to get a further £200 off and that I just had to contact the store to amend the direct debit details. When I phoned the store they said that I could not be given any further discounts. Following this there were several calls made between customer services, the store and myself to try to resolve this. At the end we managed to locate the person I had spoken to and he then denied agreeing the discount with me on the phone. This really put me off the company as a member of customer services lied and made me look like a fool. Instead, if he had apologized and explained that he had made a mistake then I would have totally understood!
Furthermore, after I had arranged to take a day off work, sorted out childcare and a lift for my surgery day, Optical Express phoned me a few days before the surgery to say that they had to cancel all surgeries for that day. I was therefore offered different dates. As I had already made all the arrangements I insisted that I wanted to be seen on the same day. I was then offered an appointment at a different surgery with a different surgeon that I knew nothing about. This only added to my anxieties prior to the surgery. This also meant that I had to spend a lot extra to get to the clinic in Harley Street (including parking, congestion charger etc). Optical Express were not even apologetic about this and said that I should be grateful that I was given another appointment for the same day.
I have made a formal complaint to customer services about my experiences and although they had promised to get back to me within 24 hours, I am still waiting to hear from them – it’s now been over a week. I have also tried calling them and have left messages for the person dealing with my complaint but she has not yet returned my calls.
Overall, I would say that if you do not have to deal with Head Office or customer services, then you will probably be fine using Optical Express. If you however have a problem or complaint, don’t expect it to be resolved! I have now given up any hope of hearing back from them and am just glad that the surgery went well.
Having said all this, if any of you are planning to book a consultation with Optical Express, I have a £50 off voucher towards laser surgery – just let me know. Also if any of you want to contact me about any of my experiences then feel free to email me by clicking on the link associated with this posting.
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Well – I finally did it at nearly 60 – and it is the best thing I have ever done in my life
One very small criticism – the surgeon did try to persuade me on my first visit for my surgery to go to Bristol to have the implants (because of my age) and then I would not have to have reading glasses – but it was a lot more expensive and they can only do 1 eye at a time (I had my treatment in Cardiff)
But I am thrilled and wearing reading glasses means nothing to me after wearing glasses all day every day for the last 52 years!!