The first Ultralase clinic was opened in January 1991 at the Clatterbridge Hospital near Chester. At the time, all treatments performed were Photorefractive Keratotomy, or PRK, until the Lasik procedure was introduced in 1995.
With the introduction of Lasik, and the clear advantages it demonstrated for certain patients, Ultralase went through a period of dramatic growth through 2002.
2003 Ultralase introduced the revolutionary UltraPlus treatment with Wavefront technology, giving patients visual outcomes far surpassing those of standard laser treatments. Ultralase became the first provider to have all treatment outcomes verified by independent audit.
In March 2009, the commitment to clinical excellence led Ultralase to become the first UK provider to have all Great Britain surgeons certified in Laser Refractive Surgery by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth).
Ultralase Prices
Ultralase comes in second place in our list of the best laser eye surgery clinics in the UK for price, just after Optical Express. That’s because this clinic offers the full shebang: transparent prices, 0% finance options, free consultations, and competitive prices.
The cost of eye surgery at Ultralase ranges between £1,1695 and £2,995 (per eye), depending on the treatment type that you agree upon in discussion with a surgeon. These prices are in line with the average cost of eye surgery, but not quite as low as Optical Express.
Treatments Offered
You can count on Ultralase for the main laser eye and lens replacement surgery procedures. These include: LASIK and LASEK with Wavefront options, as well as refractive lens exchange (RLE), implantable contact lenses, and cataract surgery.
Is Ultralase Right for You?
With nearly 3,000 overall positive reviews from independent customers in the UK, Ultralase is one of the best-rated laser eye surgery clinics by patients. People value this clinic for its:
- Friendly prices – Fixed and reasonable prices help you know what to expect.
- Nationwide clinics – Ultralase has 20 clinics in the UK, including in London, Reading and St Albans.
- Decent aftercare – Ultralase provides free aftercare – one check-up and drops for the first three months.
Despite glowing reviews, however, it’s worth reading the fine print if you do choose Ultralase. In 2015, BBC’s Watchdog exposed the problems countless laser eye surgery patients have experienced accessing their lifelong aftercare.
Most user reviews on Lasik Eyes show happy experiences, but then again most people never need to take advantage of their lifetime guarantee. If you would like to find out whether Ultralase is the top-rated laser eye surgery clinic near you, we’re here to help.
Still, Ultralase features in several of Lasik Eyes’ lists of top-rated eye surgery:
Find Your Perfect Match
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 our readers every day get closer to going glasses free:
- Find the top clinic in seconds: Answer three questions to be matched to the leading eye clinic in your area
- Check you’re eligible in minutes: Receive a quick call to check you can get surgery (we will never 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 and personalised quote (with no obligation)
☛ Click here to find the top-rated clinic near you, and get a tailored quote.
Ultralase Reviews
Simon Hayward
Had my Op on the 27th August which went really well. Personally did not feel any pain and thought the whole set up and procedure was done very Professionally. Initial irritable pain after about an hour, for about 2 hours. Would highly recommend going to sleep at this point as is a lot better after. No pain, discomfort or anything on the following day, which i spent reading every number plate and sign i could (Sad i know, but so will you. My post op on this day was proved to be succesfull as i had 6/6 (20/20) in my right and 5/6 (Better) in my left, extremely pleased (started out at -2.75 & -2.5). Would and will highly recommend Ultralase (Guildford) and Mr V Gupta to anyone as so far am without problem.
Chris O’Leary
Had consultation early August. Told my prescription was very high because of my astigmatism so they could not guarantee results. Also warned me there was a 5% chance that after surgery I would not be able to drive even WITH new glasses/contacts. Who's going to take that risk? After consultation I was passed to a so called "counsellor" who was supposed to talk through the issues with me but she just said "well, you're not having the treatment, bye" or words to that effect.
Angela Stevens
I went for my consultation at the LCRS a couple of weeks ago. D. Jory, the surgeon who I spoke to, was very knowledgeable and took time to answer all my questions fully. Having been turned down in the past by other clinics for LASIK, due to my large pupils and thin corneas, I decided to look into microsurgery, which has a much longer safety record than LASIK. David explained the procedure, and told me my end result would be a -1. I am definitely going to have microsurgery, so all that remains is for me to take a deep breath, pick up the phone, and book an appointment.
Andrea
Had LASIK Monday at Cardiff (surgeon - Neil Marshall) and if I wasn't wearing the cheap clear specs you have to wear afterwards, vision would be excellent! No real pain - just mild discomfort after the op. Just one negative comment - I was the last appointment and felt as though the staff were keen to get me through as quickly as possible. The detail on aftercare just before I had treatment was rushed so I didn't really take in what was said, especially as I was nervous too. Top Tip: Wear good quality swimming goggles and showering/hair washing is no problem afterwards. ****Note*** Ultralase have advised us that they would not recommend wearing swimming goggles for showering /hair washing for two reasons. Firstly, these are elasticised - if you let them go accidentally, you could risk dislodging the corneal flap. Secondly, the seal between the goggles and the area around your eyes forms a vacuum, and this could partially detach the flap ***‘Zeus’-Webmaster ***
Gary Cook
Fantastically impressed by the whole service. I have a positive/negative astigmatism in my right eye which proved to be no problem at all. A very thorough initial check, 10 minutes of mild discomfort ( I've had haircuts that were more painful ) and then two hours of "gritty eyes". After that I've had no problems, no discomfort, no dry eyes - just fantastically clear vision. My right eye is currently 18/20, the left is 21/20. I would gladly pay ten times the price for the results - I cannot recommed Ultralase or Mr Gupta highly enough.
Robert Pearson
Been researching laser surgery for several years and after finding this site with all its useful information, I contacted the Guildford branch for a consultation. Excellent facilities,friendly and experinced staff made me book to have my eyes done on the 19/7/02. I chose Paul Cherry as along with Vinod Gupta they seemed to be the most experienced and my prescription was on the limit (r+4.50 -0.75 l+5.50 -1.25). On the day I was out of the clinic in under 2 hours, no pain ,very little discomfort and clear vision!!!! I was amazed at the result. It is now just over 2 weeks and have been back twice for the checkups and have been told that although I am now very slightly shortsighted this will correct itself in a couple of months.
I cannot praise Ultralase and its staff enough and would highly recommend them to anyone considering laser treatment.
Thanks also to this site as the comments are invaluable.
Simon Hayward
Had my first Consultation today after looking at this and other sites for ages. This was at the Guildford branch, was very impressed with the staff friendliness and attention to detail in which they were very thorough with the various tests that were carried out and explained everything as we went along.
Have booked my surgery for the 27th August with Mr Vinod Gupta with which they were more than happy to show me a copy of his credentials. I chose Mr Gupta due to the amount of praise received from postings on this site and his qualifications.
I wish to thank the site owners for setting this up as it is very useful and informative of real people and not just company literature.
I also so far would like to thank the staff of Ultralase - Guildford for taking the time to answer all and more of my questions.
Will let you know how i get on after the Op.
Pete
I am Considering UL as they are local to me, but how have they been in business for so long how come companies house shows incorporation as 1999 ? *** Answer… This is because UL used to be The Corneal Laser Centre, only changing to Ultralase after a management buyout ***'Zeus***
Tango_Charlie
I turned up to have my surgery at Chelmsford only to be told at the reception desk that there were problems with the humidifier. Not a great start! Waited 5 ½ hours and then told to go home! To their credit they did arrange a taxi to take me to Tottenham Court Road the very next morning. Tottenham Court Road was very good and professional and I can’t fault them or the surgery, in fact, the pre-surgery adviser had a lovely pair of eyes herself and I forgot to ask her if she’d had it. The surgery was carried out by Dr Gupta and appeared to go very well although my heart was banging a bit! my problem since is that it is very difficult to find someone within Chelmsford who can re-assure me. My eyes keep going blurry which may, or may not be part of the healing process. I have made several phone calls to Chelmsford and visited them but I always feel un-advised at the end. They have a very good consultation advisor but what about a post-operation advisor? Chelmsford appears very new and slightly un-professional. Hopefully they are improving all the time though.
Carol
I was treated last week in Reading by Mr Vinod Gupta. After 1 hour I could read car reg plates, before surgery I could barely make out the car. The staff were excellent and put me at ease. The proceedure was very quick but uncomfortable. I would recommend Ultralase to anyone.
