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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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i am 57 year old man I had multifocal lens replacement in both eyes, in feb and july the procedure was painless, just a bit uncomfortable for about 24 hours, the prescription wasn’t quite right for me in my right eye so that was replaced with a different brand of lens after 3 months. now my daytime eyesight is fantastic, I have great short (from about 6 inches) vision and my long vision is back to how it was when I was 16 before I had to start wearing specs. My only difficulty is at night, I get some ghosting around lights, I was warned of this and im told it should stop bothering me, but because I have different types of ghosting because I have different types of lens in each eye the problem is annoying, hopefully it will get better as time goes on
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I’m very pleased with my new eyes! I no longer need glasses even when I thread a needle or do the Sudoku in the newspaper. I do need sunglasses when the sun is bright and I have had to use drops for dry eye but these are minor inconveniences.
I am very satisfied with the treatment I received and the friendly way I was looked after by everyone before during and after my operation.
I would recommend this procedure to anyone who struggles with glasses.
Thank you. -
Both my wife & myself decided on multifocal lens replacements.
My wife had a fairly bad cataract in one eye & a smaller one in the other, I had a small one in one eye only & have been wearing varifocal glasses for several years, my wife has worn glasses or contact lenses since childhood, Contact lenses were no longer an option for her as her eyes became very dry.
I originally was going for laser surgery but because of my age they wouldn’t do that & offered lens replacement. I was hesitant to this suggestion but was assured that this would be a better option as the eyesight would remain the same (as long as there were no other eye problems developing), whereas laser could still deteriorate with the ageing process.
Our surgeon was Mr Dimitri Kazakos. He was very thorough with our consultation & emphasised the negatives as well as the positives to ensure we knew what problems could be encountered. He has a very pleasant manner & put us both completely at ease.
We went & discussed everything & decided to go with whatever suggestions & recommendations he gave us, after all, he is the expert.
Every one of the supporting staff were very professional & friendly answering any questions we had as procedures progressed.
There were no nerves on the surgery days & the procedure was totally pain free with no trauma whatsoever.
I have to say that is was with great relief when I lifted the first patch so I could peek out of the side & could see the curtains of our hotel room. When I removed the patch, the difference to my vision in that eye was amazing.
The second eye – the following day, went even easier as with the first day running seamlessly.
It is still early days as it was done less than a week ago, but already both mine & my wife’s vision is far superior to wearing glasses. One of my minor concerns was that I may have to wear glasses for reading, I can read very small writing at a distance from approximately 10″ (250 mm) so that is a real bonus, my wife is not quite as clear for reading but she still doesn’t have to wear glasses for normal sized print.
Things are improving daily & as I said, early days & your brain has to readjust to the changes in our eyes. On the tests, we were both deemed to have better than 20 20 vision.
My wife is in awe as she now sees better & clearer than she ever has her entire life as she has always been very short sighted, glasses improved her vision but not to the extent that the replacement lenses have made.
The best decision we have ever made & would like to thank Dimitri & his team for their friendly & very professional approach.
We both would highly recommend the procedure to anyone. -
I cannot say how pleased I am with the results of Dimitri’s work. Hopefully this will continue to be the case as time passes. In any event I was very happy with the level of professionalism exhibited by all concerned.
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After talking to Dimitri the surgeon, explaining to me the risks and outcomes after surgery, I felt assured to go ahead with the surgery. Before my eyesight was quite poor 5.25 & 6 00 and I had become quite contact lens dependent and was always losing my glasses, but the results are amazing I am so pleased! I have 20 / 20 vision and can read anything, before surgery I was very nervous but Dimitri and all the other staff who were very professional made me feel calm and I was quite surprised how quick and painless the process was, I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking of having it done.