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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
All i can say is it’s the best thing i’ve ever done! After wearing glasses for 17 years(since i was 7), i can’t believe my glasses are still in the bag that was given to me at the clinic. I keep thinking it’s dream! Did i ever wear glasses
I was able to get an appointment within a week for both my consultation and surgery, Optical express was great, the surgeon was reassuring, i would recommend them and the treatment to everyone i know. thank you optical express you’ve changed my life!
Within less than 24hr I could see better than I could ever see with my Spectacles or Contact lenses. I should have had it done sooner!!
The Refractive Counsellor at St Albans (Hament) was very polite, helpful, friendly and thourough. He explained everything and gave the telephone number if I had any questions when we got home.
The Laser Optometrist (Sharanjeet) was also very thourough in her tests and explained every little thing. She also reasurred me of the things I was nervous of. She even called me the next day to see how I was getting on.
The surgery team were excellent. They explained everything all the way. The surgeon was Rodney Blumenfeld and I would recommend him to everyone. Friendly, welcoming and explained every little detail. The procedure only took about 15 minutes!!
The St Albans practise was a great place with a very friendly and welcoming team. The Refractive counsellor was very welcoming and has always been great. If you are thinking of having Laser Eye Surgery, Optical Express St Albans is definately the place to go!!
I have 2 £50 vouchers for treatment. If you want one then send me an email with your address and I will post it to you. I think you can only use one per person. Cheers
My prescription was -5.25 in both eyes. I had my consultation at the Westfields branch and my surgery at Harey Street with Dr Blumenfield
After my first check up I was a bit dubious as I had read other reviews on here saying Optical Express gave a hard sell, and funnily enough they did recommend the most expensive treatment. So I went to a few other clinics to get a second opinion (which I would highly recommend). I was told at Accuvision that my cornea was just borderline thick enough to allow me to have Lasik treatment (500-550ish microns) and they recommended Lasek.
I then did my own research and found out that intralase treatments result in a thinner ‘flap’ and are therefore more suitable for people with thinner corneas (Accuvision only have the option of manual flap creation when undertaking lasik procedures). So I was wrong in my worry that I had been recommended the most expensive treatment as a sales technique. There is still an element of risk as it makes me less suitable for a re-treatment should something go wrong, and obviously I can’t yet advise about the long term effects. However I weighed up these risks against my preference to have the less painful treatment.
I had initially booked for lasek treatment and paid a deposit to Accuvision. However when I phoned up 2 weeks before the procedure they were very good and gave me my deposit back straight away with no fuss.
I had the treatment 24 hours ago. The treatment wasn’t painful at all, a bit weird because I knew what was going on, but not painful. The first three hours my eyelids were very heavy and I struggled to open my eyes, it was very difficult to fight the urge to scrunch up my eyes, and they felt very gritty. I kept my eyes closed for most of the evening and after about 6 hours it just felt like I had a dry/uncomfortable contact lens in.
The day of the treatment took about 2 hours (most of it hanging around waiting to have various tests done). I didn’t spend very much time with the surgeon himself. A quick check up where he asked if I had any questions (which he would have answered). However, as by this time I was committed to the payment, I had asked all my questions to the optometrists beforehand!
This morning I am fine. My vision seems the same as when I wear contact lenses. I am really looking forward to waking up in the morning (once I no longer have to wear the googles) and being able to see!
I have my one day check up in a few hours, and if any of my opinions change I will be sure to update on here.
I am disappointed that you haven’t seen fit to put my previous review on your site which seems to imply you only put those giving high ratings on. I do not feel I can give full ratings at this stage but will reveiw as the days progress. I would feel comforted to know that my experience is not unusual and that I am not the only one experiencing this slow progress, but more importantly to know it turns out right in the end.
My experience 3 weeks ago with the surgery as previously advised was great, the staff at the clinic were kind, helpful and reassuring as was the surgeon. The process albeit a little scary was quick and painless. My eyes were stinging severly by the time I got home but were much better after a couple of hours rest/sleep, however my sight still remains very blurry. Whilst I can see my distance vision is not at all clear and does not feel like it is improving. My optician assures me that it is improving but slowly. The haze effect is not helping but I understand it can take some months to go and this will help my vision when it does. At the moment I feel I want to reach for my glasses as I no longer have sharp distance vision nor can I read without glasses (the latter I was expecting). I will write again when/if things improve as I believe it is reassuring for other people going through my experience to know there is light at the end of the tunnel. It makes you feel there is something wrong when you continue to read reviews that indicate great vision almost immediately. There is nothing wrong with slow progress as long as it works at the end of the day.