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Best Laser Eye Surgery Treatments, Clinics & Surgeons
Best Laser Eye Surgery Treatments, Clinics & Surgeons
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Laser eye surgery has come a long way since it was first introduced in the UK in 1990. These days, laser eye surgery makes up around 75% of all surgical procedures carried out in the UK. The technology behind laser eye surgery is constantly being developed and improved to make it even better, safer and more affordable.
Given the sheer number of laser eye surgery clinics and plethora of reviews, the question of which surgeon and clinic to go to can be really daunting. It is still imperative that you do your own research as prices, treatments and aftercare vary significantly. The guide below will hopefully help you determine if laser eye surgery is even right for you and if so, which clinic is likely to be a good fit for you so you can have some degree of confidence in your decision before you part with your hard earned cash. This article will focus in clinics and surgeons, but we’ve also written a guide on the best laser eye surgery treatments.
Best Laser Eye Surgery Clinics (Nationwide Locations)
The following companies have multiple clinics throughout the UK and tend to be relatively cheaper than the single site clinics due to economies of scale.
121 Clinics
They have 121 clinics throughout the UK (45 in Scotland, 42 in Southern England, 30 in Northern England, 2 in Wales and 2 in Northern Ireland). Reviews of Optical Express tend to be good but there are some patients who have had a negative experience which they have shared on review sites and facebook. Negative reviews are expected given the tens of thousands of patients they treat each year so it is important to look at the ratio of positive to negative reviews and also try and ascertain which are genuine and impartial.
25 Surgeons
They have 25 experienced surgeons listed on their website.
Technology
They use VISX STAR S4 IR lasers which are highly rated by surgeons worldwide (For what its worth, the clinics that treated Tiger Woods and Cindy Crawford used a VISX laser).
They use a IntraLase iFS 150 femtosecond laser to create a protective flap at the beginning of every LASIK treatment they offer.
Patients also have the option of using iDesign for LASIK and LASEK Treatments. This captures over 1,200 micro readings of patient's prescription which is five times more than Wavefront technology. This allows them to correct refractive errors with a higher degree of accuracy than glasses or contact lenses as well as enabling them to treat more complex cases than was previously possible.
Aftercare
Their aftercare programme (included in the price) includes a visit to the surgeon or optometrist the day after your surgery to check your recovery is progressing without any issues. All patients are also invited to appointments 1 and 3 months from the date of their treatment. They also offer an out-of-hours medical helpline giving access to 24-hour clinical advice.
Prices
Laser Eye Surgery Prices Per Eye
- LASEK: £595*
- LASIK: £1,195
- LASIK or LASEK with iDesign: £1,495
Lens Replacement Surgery Per Eye
- Monofocal RLE: £1,995 *
- Multifocal RLE: £3,195
- Phatic IOL: £3,395
Cataract Surgery Per Eye
- Cataract Monofocal RLE: £1,995 *
- Cataract Multifocal RLE: £3,195
- Cataract Phatic IOL: £3,395
Other Surgery Prices
- Dry Eye: £395 per eye
- YAG laser treatment: £695 per eye
- Corneal cross-linking: £1,995
Treatments Offered / Areas of Expertise
Optical Express started in Edinburgh in 2001 as store selling contact lenses and grew through the purchase of various other brands. One year layer it started offering refractive eye surgery when it acquired The Health Clinic. Two years after that it purchased the ophthalmic treatment assets of Boots Group plc from nine sites in the UK. Since then it has expanded to over 120 branches across the UK and now offers:
- LASIK / LASEK surgery (with iDesign option)
- Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)
- Phakic IOL
- Cataract Surgery
- YAG Laser Capsulotomy
- Corneal Cross-Linking
- Dry Eye Treatment
* Ultralase was purchased by Optimax’s founder and CEO Russell Ambrose in 2013. Although they continue to have different websites and the brands have not been merged, they share the same locations, surgeons, treatments and prices.
22 Clinics
They currently have 22 clinics in the UK (3 in London, 8 in the South outside London, 3 in the Midlands, 4 in the North, 2 in Scotland, 1 in Wales and 1 in Northern Ireland)
15 Surgeons
Their medical team includes 15 specialist ophthalmic surgeons and 60 ophthalmic opticians.
Technology
They use the IntraLase® laser to prepare the LASIK corneal flap by using a femtosecond laser. They have also introduced Schwind laser technology in a number of of their clinics.
Aftercare
For LASIK patients, aftercare appointments usually take place the day after surgery. A second follow up appointment is normally made after another week and then 6-8 weeks later. If all is well after this, no other appointments will be required. For LASEK patients, an appointment will be made to remove any bandage contact lenses used 3-4 days after the surgery. The next aftercare appointment will be 7-10 days after the surgery and then 6-8 weeks later. If all is well after this check up, no other appointments will be required. Optimax can arrange further aftercare appointment with a local Optician which will normally be charged at £15-£20 (payable to the Optician). The optician will forward your results to Optimax. As well as the 2 follow up appointments outlined above, ICL patients would also be required to attend an Endothelial Cell Count test at regular intervals. This is to ensure that the lens hasn't moved and that no cell damage has occurred. You have the option of doing these tests with your local Ophthalmologist or at Optimax's London, Birmingham, Peterborough, Manchester, Newton Abbot or Glasgow clinics at a cost of £50. All patients receive a Lifetime Aftercare Guarantee that entitles them to one free laser retreatment for distance only correction.
Prices
Laser Eye Surgery Prices Per Eye
- Wavefront LASEK: £1,795
- Wavefront IntraLase® LASIK: £1,795
Cataract / Lens Replacement Surgery Per Eye
- ICL treatment: £2,295
- Cataract/RLE/CLE treatment: £3,245
9 Locations
They operate out of 7 hospitals and 2 clinics in England only (2 in London, 2 in the South, 1 in the Midlands and 4 in the North).
79 Surgeons
The have 79 surgeons working for them across all their locations (many also work for other clinics which is why they have so many across only 9 locations). All are NHS trained and Fellows of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCO).
Technology
They use Femtosecond Lasers for LASIK surgery. The Ziemer LDV is available at the Surrey Yorkshire, Hampshire and North London hospitals. The IntraLase™ iFS™ is another advanced technology femtosecond laser used at their Manchester, Birmingham, London Hospitals.
They also have access to the Zeiss Visumax® laser in their London hospital which they use for all-laser LASIK as well as ReLEx® SMILE.
They also have the Wavelight Allegretto Excimer and Schwind Amaris® 500e Excimer Lasers available.
Aftercare
A follow up appointment will be made within a few days of your treatment.
Prices
Laser Eye Surgery Prices Per Eye
- LASIK / LASEK: £1,795 *
- ReLEx SMILE: £2,495
Cataract / Lens Replacement Surgery Per Eye
- Presbyond: £2,495
- Lens Replacement: £3,495 *
- ICL treatment £3,495 *
- Cataract/RLE treatment: £3,245
Treatments Offered / Areas of Expertise
As well as laser eye surgery and lens replacement surgery they also offer other treatments for patients suffering from AMD, glaucoma or floaters. All their treatments are below:
- LASIK / LASEK
- ReLEx SMILE
- Clarivu / IOL / RLE
- Cataract Surgery
- Phakic ICL
- PRK
- Corneal Graft
- Selective Laser
- Trabeculoplasty
- Corneal Cross-Linking (CCL)
- Anti-VEGF Injections
- iStent
- Scleral Buckling
- Vitrectomy
- IMT
- IOL-VIP
- Cosmetic Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
Best Laser Eye Clinics In London
Whilst Optical Express, Optimax and Optegra all have clinics in London, the following four clinics are based in London only and differentiate themselves with the quality of their surgeons and clinics. They are more expensive than the national clinics. The fifth clinic, Centre for Sight, has 2 other clinics outside of London in the South East but has been included in this list as it’s similar in type and quality.
Founded in 2002 by the chief surgeon David Allamby, Focus Clinic has continued to generate excellent reviews and says it has a 100% success rate for 20/20 vision. One particular selling point is the 10 year guarantee they offer (most clinics offer just twelve months). They have had plenty of celebs trust them with their laser eye surgery including Denise Van Outen, Mary Portas, David Gandy and Sue Barker.
- 1 Clinic
- London
- 2 Surgeons
- LASIK / LASEK / PRK
- Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)
- Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL)
- Cataract Surgery
- Fixed Published Prices
- ReLEx SMILE
Prices for both eyes
Founded in 1805, Moorfields Eye Hospital is the oldest it is the oldest and largest centre for ophthalmic treatment, teaching and research in Europe together with its next door neighbour, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology.
It’s private Eye Hospital is well respected with consistently good reviews. They offer laser lens replacement surgery (ICL, RLE) as well as laser eye surgery (PRK, LASEK, and TransPRK) to paying customers or those claiming via insurance. Unfortunately, they do not publish prices on their website.
- 1 Clinic
- London
- 12 Surgeons
- LASIK / LASEK / PRK
- Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)
- Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL)
- Cataract Surgery
- ReLEx SMILE
- Fixed Published Prices
Prices for both eyes
London Vision Clinic is a highly respected clinic on Halrey Street founded and led by Professor Reinstein. Their prices are more expensive than most but they claim to have a 100% success rate and offer a more personal approach. 96% of their patients have ReLEx SMILE or LASIK surgery.
- 1 Clinic
- London
- 4 Surgeons
- LASIK / LASEK / PRK
- Cataract Surgery
- ReLEx SMILE
- Fixed Published Prices
- Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL)
- Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)
Prices for both eyes
Founded in 2003 by refractive specialist Dr Pillai, Advanced Vision Care based in Harley Street offers Laser Eye Surgery, Implantable Contact Lens Surgery, Cataracts Surgery and Keratoconus Surgery. They use Bausch & Lomb’s third generation excimer laser and have a full Alcon Refractive Suite for non-laser procedures (the first one in the UK to have one).
- 1 Clinic
- London
- 3 Surgeons
- LASIK / LASEK / PRK
- Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)
- Implantable Contact Lens (ICL)
- Cataract Surgery
- Keratoconus Surgery
- Fixed Published Prices
- ReLEx SMILE
Prices for both eyes
Center for Sight have been offering LASIK eye surgery since 1996 which is longer than any other UK clinic. They currently offer LASIK / IntraLASIK Laser Eye Surgery, Lens Replacement, Cataract surgery, Corneal Grafts, Stem Cell Transplants and Lens Implants including the ICL.
- 3 Clinics
- London, Oxshott, East Grinstead
- 6 Surgeons
- LASIK / LASEK / PRK
- Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)
- Implantable Contact Lens (ICL)
- Cataract Surgery
- Keratoconus Surgery
- Yag Laser Capsulotomy
- Retinal Detachment Surgery
- Vitrectomy
- Dry Eye Treatments
- Fixed Published Prices
- ReLEx SMILE
Prices for both eyes
What Is The Best Laser Eye Surgery Clinic Near Me?
If you are looking to compare clinics near you would recommend using our comparison form to get current prices from reputable clinics in your area. To compare local clinic prices enter your postcode in the form on this page.
If you compare laser eye surgery prices published on the clinic’s own website make sure you check if the advertised prices are fixed for all patients or dependent on prescriptions. If the price starts with ‘From’, it is a teaser rate and likely will only to be available to a small percentage of patients with low prescriptions. Also, make sure you are comparing like for like in terms of the treatments offered (different clinics will use different names for the same treatment).
Who Are The Best Laser Eye Surgeons?
The UK has quite an impressive number of surgeons with great credentials and extensive experience in laser eye procedures. As long as you do your research you should be able to find a highly professional laser eye surgeon in good clinic which will provide you with the treatment and aftercare that you require. Here are a sample of some of the best laser eye surgeons in the UK today.
Paul Rosen
BSc(Hons), MB ChB, FRCS, FRCOphth, MBA
Mr Paul Rosen first performed laser refractive eye surgery in 1991 and he carries out more than 1000 cataract and refractive surgical procedures each year between his NHS and private practices. He is currently listed as a Consultant Ophthalmic surgeon at Optegra.
Valerie Saw
MB BS (Hons I) FRANZCO FRCOphth PhD
Ms Valerie Saw specialises in laser refractive surgery, cataract and implant surgery, dry eye, contact lens problems and corneal transplantation. She joined Moorfields Eye Hospital as a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon in 2004.
Ali Mearza
MB BS FRCOphth
Ali Mearza runs his private practice in Harley Street (London) whilst also working as a consultant ophthalmic surgeon and Iin July 2016 he was appointed as the Clinical Director of ophthalmology of Ophthalmology Services at the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in West London.
Allon Barsam
MB BS MA FRCOphth
Mr Allon Barsam is an internationally recognised consultant laser eye surgeon. He is founding Partner and Director of Ophthalmic Consultants of London – a multi-location team of leasing eye vision correction and cataract surgeons.
Professor Dan Reinstein
MD MA(Cantab) FRCSC DABO FRCOphth FEBO
Professor Dan Reinstein is well-known not just as a pioneering surgeon but also as an academic. He heads the team of surgeons at London Vision Clinic.
Mr C T Pillai
MD DO, FRCS (Edin), FRCOpth (UK)
Mr C T Pillai Founder and Medical Director of Harley Street laser eye surgery clinic Advanced Vision Care. He has who has performed over 20,000 successful laser eye procedures to date.
Ms Marcela Espinosa-Lagana
MD
Ms Marcela Espinosa-Lagana is an internationally recognised consultant laser eye surgeon. He is founding Partner and Director of Ophthalmic Consultants of London – a multi-location team of leasing eye vision correction and cataract surgeons.
David Garty
MD DSc(hon) FRCS FRCOphth DO FCOptom
Mr David Garty is is one of the world’s leading authorities on laser eye surgery and is the senior accredited NHS Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital (appointed in July 1995).
Mr David Allamby
FRCS (Ed), FRCOpth
Mr David Allamby is the founder and medical director of Focus in central London. He works as a full-time laser eye surgeon and was the first surgeon to perform laser blended vision surgery in the UK to treat presbyopia, a degenerative sight problem brought on by ageing.
Finding Honest Impartial Reviews of Laser Eye Surgery Clinics
Read impartial reviews from people who have had the same laser eye treatment in the clinic you are considering using. It’s best to use independent review sites like Trustpilot rather than read testimonials and celebrity endorsements on the clinic’s own website, as these will have been selected to present the best possible impression. However, even Trustpilot, Review.io etc can be skewed to give a more positive impression – if companies pay to manage their profiles they have more control on what reviews get published and therefore the average score.
The inspection reports published on the Quality Care Commission site are totally independent so it is well worth reading the specific QCC review of any clinics you are considering. They go into depth about their findings and publish inspection reports for individual laser eye surgery clinics around the UK.
Do take care to consider factors that will have affected the previous patients’ reviews and don’t be put off straight away if you find a small number of negative reviews. The nationwide clinics like Optimax and Optical Express treat thousands of patients each year so are going to have at least some unhappy customers.
Also, you should take in account that some ex-patients give negative reviews because they experienced complications that may not have been avoidable no matter what clinic they used. Surgery results will depend not just on how good the surgeon is, but also on the patient’s sight problem and prescription, as well as the type of procedure used.
Laser Eye Surgery Hub
Spaces, 9 Greyfriars Rd, Reading, RG1 1NU