1. Review of Advanced Vision Care
Advanced Vision Care (AVC) is an independent surgeon-led clinic founded in 2003 by Mr Pillai on Harley Street, London. With no affiliation with any manufacturers, you should be able to count on treatment that’s best suited to your needs.
AVC’s Medical Director and lead surgeon, Mr Pillai, has nearly three decades of ophthalmic experience and is one of the few surgeons to have fellowships for both refractive laser surgery and cornea treatment. Patients even enjoy the benefit of speaking to Mr Pillai during the initial consultation, and can look forward to a stress-free aftercare plan, including any retreatment if necessary.
What makes AVC different? This clinic prides itself on being able to treat any eye prescription using a wide mix of treatments, meaning it may just be able to help you, even if other clinics have turned your down. Its patients also give this clinic the thumbs up, leaving hundreds of positive reviews on our site over the years.
- AVC tailors treatments to its customers’ specific visual needs.
- You can receive eye care from a small team of eye experts, each with 25 years of experience.
- Laser and non-laser treatments sit under one roof, for customer convenience.
Is there anything else I should know? As you’d expect, cutting-edge eye surgery on Harley Street comes at a price, and this time it’s higher on average than you’ll find at some of the other top-rated eye clinics dotted around the UK. And unless you happen to live in central London, there may not be a clinic near you.
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2. Treatments
Advanced Vision Care specialises in laser as well as non-laser vision correction treatments, including all the usual suspects: LASIK, LASEK, implantable contact lenses (ICL surgery), lens replacement surgery, cataract surgery and keratoconus treatment.
- Advanced Wavefront LASIK / LASEK – Highly accurate laser surgery for those with thin eye surfaces or active lifestyles.
- Phototherapeutic Keratectomy (PTK) – Therapy for treating long-term eye conditions.
- Implantable Contact Lens (EVO Visian ICL) – Suitable for patients with complex eye prescriptions, thin corneas or dry eyes.
- Lens Replacement (Refractive Lens Exchange) – Eye surgery for those over 40 with a reading prescription.
- Cataract Surgery – Removes cloudy lenses, and replaces them with artificial clear ones.
- Corneal Implants – Reshape irregular eye shapes to make contact lenses more comfortable.
As is standard with eye surgery clinics, all AVC treatments come with a 12 month aftercare package, which includes: regular check-ups, 24-hour eye expert support line, and post-op medication for the first month.
In the unlikely event that you require eye surgery enhancement, any laser fine tuning or YAG laser capsule thickening removal (following cataract treatment) is available at no extra cost.
3. Technology
Advanced Vision Care was the first clinic in the UK to house the complete Alcon Refractive Suite, which it claims is the safest non-laser technology in the country. It creates a personalised treatment plan that starts with a Verion Image Guided system in your first consultation, and continues throughout the surgery with devices that ensure superior visualisation.
The laser eye surgery treatment is also advanced. The femtosecond Intralase 5F Laser works blade-free by using pulses of harmless light to create a corneal flap, and the Bausch Teneo 317 Excimer Laser takes just 3 to 5 seconds to correct your vision.
What’s more, the highly accurate Advanced Wavefront technology is included in all laser treatments as standard, and an Eye Tracking System tracks eye movements, so you don’t need to worry about blinking during the procedure.
4. Advanced Vision Care Prices
AVC has some of the most reasonable payment options out there. It’s not the cheapest – high street clinics such as Optical Express and Ultralase take the crown for cost – but the free consultation, fixed prices, and flexible interest free finances all help their treatments work around you.
Is it worth paying more? Of course, that’s for you to decide. But to give you an idea of the prices, laser eye surgery at AVC costs £2,100 (per eye), compared to well-reviewed alternatives such as Optical Express and AccuVision which come in at around half that on average.
| Eye Surgery Procedure | Price (per eye) | Finance Options (per month) |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Wavefront LASIK | £2,100 | £66.67 (24 months, 0% APR) |
| Phototherapeutic Keratectomy (PTK) | £2,100 | £66.67 (24 months, 0% APR) |
| ICL Surgery (Simple Lens) | £3,450 – £3,750 | £122.22 – £138.89 (18 months, 0% APR) |
| ICL Surgery (Specialist Lens) | £4,150 | £161.11 (18 months, 0% APR) |
| Monofocal lens surgery | £3,150 – £3,450 | £105.56 – 122.22 (18 months, 0% APR) |
| Multifocal lens surgery | £3,750 – £4,050 | £138.89 – £155.56 (18 months, 0% APR) |
| Keratoconus Treatment | £2,150 – £2,450 | £91.67 – £108.33 (18 months, 0% APR) |
Are there finance options?
Yes, AVC has partnered with Hitachi Finance to offer flexible payment plans, meaning you can pay the full cost of eye surgery in bite-size monthly installments.
For example, you could pay for laser eye surgery in chunks of £66.67 a month for two years interest free, or £33.59 for 60 months at 9.9% APR. That’s generous – most clinics require 11% APR, and only the first year at 0% interest.
Does medical insurance cover the surgery costs at AVC?
Yes, AVC is an accredited provider of ophthalmic surgery for many of the UK’s leading insurance companies, including:
- Allianz
- AVIVA
- AXA PPP
- BUPA and BUPA International
- Cigna
- Simply Health
As always, you’ll need to confirm how you would like to pay before booking your surgery, both with your chosen clinic and your medical insurer.
Read more: Laser eye surgery costs explained
5. AVC Review: The Verdict
Advanced Vision Care consistently receives a five-star rating from hundreds of patients, which is why this clinic makes it to our list of the best laser eye surgery clinics in the UK.
With in-depth consultations providing an honest assessment of whether eye surgery is right for you, Advanced Vision Care also takes the prize for being one of the top places for laser eye surgery in London.
☝ Is Advanced Vision Care for you? To see if there is a better reviewed laser eye surgery clinic near you, just hit here to use our simple quote tool, and get a tailored quote from a clinic you can trust.
Surgeons
Advanced Vision Care Reviews
R Preston
This operation has changed my life. I am and will continue to recommend the treatment. Many of my friends have told me how much they dislike wearing glasses and contact lenses. This treatment is well worth the money. I can now enjoy water sports and horse riding to the full where before my glasses or contact lenses irritated me. Thank you to all the staff at Harley Street.
Silvia Imbernon
I would like to recommend you to anyone who us thinking of having eye surgery. You made me feel very comfortable through the whole process. Thank you for giving my vision back.
Claire
I have wanted to write everyday since my surgery as it has been a journey of unbelievable joy, but I thought it would wait until my two week check and my first night out with my husband. Mr Bradley (my optician) has been very pleased with the progress and says I am healing fast with every day my sight improving. My near distance has returned slowly and now I can see quite well considering it has only just two weeks, but know that I will probably need glasses for reading. Saying that technology is moving remarkably fast and It may be something you will be able to correct later on. Since those early days 12 years ago, and “National Health Specs” – thick plastic trim glasses, to be being called four eyes at school. And struggling with sport, my one wish was not to have to wear glasses. It’s taken me a while to save the money as with two growing children they have taken my spare pennies, but there at 45 years old I am top of the world thanks to you. I was never worried or scared of the surgery as you and your team are just so lovely and caring and the support given has been 150%. I think I have sent many of my friends off into thinking about coming to see you-I hope so. Regards, Claire (now feeling @ 40 years old !!!)
Jon Saxby
So far all my experience with Advance VisionCare have been excellent and I have felt cared after all the way through my treatment.
Shaun Gillman
It has now been almost a month since I had laser eye surgery at your Harley Street practice and the results are outstanding, the surgery has made my life so much easier and more pleasurable that I can not thank you enough, I, as do all of the rest of your patients I’m sure, wish I had the procedure years ago! I HAD MY FIRST WEEK CHECK UP ON THE 5TH June 2008 at Eyesite (my local centre) where they said the results after only one week were fantastic and I already have 20/20 vision which will improve over the next six weeks when I will have my next check up. I would like to thank you and your team once gain for such a professional and excellent service which has made such a difference to my life, I have also recommended you to various friends who are considering the same procedure and I have told them I do not believe you could find a better or more efficient and friendly team to carry out such a procedure. One again many, many thanks!
Happy Customer
Mr Pillai and his team were superb on the day of the surgery. I was put at ease prior and during surgery. I would thoroughly recommend Advance VisionCare, it may be slightly more expensive than the “supermarket” type places but my eyesight deserved to be treated by the best in the business.
Paula Berry
All aspects of the service I received was excellent.Everyone at the clinic was really helpful and friendly so when it came to the day of my surgery I was not nervous at all.The results are amazing, I wish I had gone for it years ago. It's like having a new lease of life, I am so much more confident now. Thanks Mr Pillai and everyone at AVC.
Teresa Budge
I had an excellent service, the only thing I can think of that may have been an improvement was a sheet telling you what you should expect during the first few weeks after surgery ie, sight variation,discomfort etc.. I rang up the first week as I was unsure as to the discomfort and whether this was normal, I was much happier once they had explained what was normal and what was not,not really a complaint more an observation
Heinz Kobler
Extremely professional and reassuring at every stage of the treatment process and after-care.Am extremely pleased with the results-no more glasses required after 40 years of wearing them! Have recommended AVC to several people.
Riti Patel
I am a medical student who was considering laser eye surgery for some time and having some previous knowledge about the procedure, I was keen to find the best place possible for my surgery. I researched Dr Pillai after being referred by a friend and was extremely impressed by his work and statistics generated. I therefore booked a suitability consultation and this undoubtedly gave me the confidence and satisfaction of undergoing LASEK. After 6 days post op, I achieved driving standard and the results have further improved thereafter. I would like to thank all the staff at Advance VisionCare for a top service and feel that each of them deserve credit for the service provided. Although other clinics/organisations offer a number of laser eye procedures at lower prices, they do have hidden cost and I feel Advance VisionCare is great value for money considering the excellent service from start to finish. Finally, Mr Pillai is a fantastic surgeon and an extremely kind man and I would recommend anybody considering the procedure to visit the clinic for a consultation. I have been given the gift of sight at Advance VisionCare and would like to thank them greatly for this! Riti Patel.
