Optical Express

Optical Express is one of the biggest private eye care providers in the UK and Ireland. Founded in 1990, it now describes itself as the UK’s only complete eye care provider, with locations nationwide and a track record of more than 2 million procedures worldwide.

For patients, the main appeal is scale. Optical Express has broad national coverage, free consultations, clear headline pricing on its website, and financing options across laser, lens, and cataract treatments. The trade-off is that, like most large providers, quoted prices are still “from” prices, and your final quote depends on the prescription, suitability, and treatment type.

Treatments

Optical Express currently offers a broader range of treatments, including:

• LASEK
• LASIK
• LASEK iDesign
• LASIK iDesign
• Refractive lens exchange
• Phakic IOL
• Cataract surgery
• YAG laser capsulotomy

It offers LASEK, LASIK, LASEK iDesign and LASIK iDesign laser eye surgery options. For lens surgery, it offers refractive lens exchange, phakic IOL and cataract surgery, with YAG laser capsulotomy also listed within its cataract offering.

Technology

Optical Express places a strong emphasis on wavefront-guided treatment and personalised planning. They use Johnson & Johnson iDesign to take more than 1,200 measurements to create a detailed map of the eye before treatment. They also use the VISX STAR S4 IR excimer laser in its iDesign-guided treatments.

Optical Express prices

Optical Express offers a free, no-obligation consultation. Current public pricing is shown below on a per-eye basis. Final pricing depends on prescription, suitability and the treatment recommended after assessment.

Laser eye surgery prices

Lens surgery prices

Cataract surgery prices

Prices correct as of March 2026

Finance and payment options

Optical Express currently offer 0% APR for 10 months on laser, lens and cataract surgery pricing pages, with longer interest-bearing repayment terms also shown on its finance page.

Interest-bearing plans can be availed of for 12, 24 and 48 months. You can see how these prices compare to other UK clinics here.

Customer care and aftercare

Optical Express remains one of the most visible brands in the market, and its size means it can offer consultations, treatment and aftercare through a wide clinic network. The company also emphasises high treatment volumes, in-house clinical care and ongoing follow-up. That broad access is one of its main strengths, especially for patients who want a provider with multiple locations rather than a single-centre clinic.

That said, patients should still look past the headline “from” price and focus on what is actually being recommended. With Optical Express, the real comparison point is not just cost, but whether you are being quoted for standard LASEK or LASIK, wavefront-guided treatment, lens surgery or cataract treatment.

They generally receive good patient reviews, with more than 99% saying they would recommend them to their family and friends. They provide comprehensive aftercare for their patients and a 24-hour helpline.

You may also be interested in looking at other recommended clinics in our article covering the best laser eye surgery clinics & treatments in the UK.

Quick facts