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.
☝ Compare clinics: See if there are any other top-rated clinics near you, and use our simple tool to receive a personalised quote.
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
Sam Beetham
The service from Advance Visioncare, Mr Pillai and Dr Helgasson and the team has been fantastic! I had severe short sight in my right eye(-8.95) and moderate in my left(-6.95) as well as astigmatism, sloping corneas and big pupils so was probably quite a complex case! I have has laser in my left eye and an implant contact lens in the right. 1 month on my tested vision is better than the best corrected vision I got with glasses and contact lenses. I only have slight blurriness and less vision out of the corners of my eyes which I am told with time will improve as my eyes heal. I am very happy with the results, have given my glasses to charity and feel like a normal person!
Sara Bignell
After much research (and I read everything!) I decided to opt for Advance Vision Care for two main reasons; the surgeon and the customer service. Every query I had before the consultation was responded to within a couple of hours at most and I was not kept waiting at all when I arrived for the initial consultation and the day of the treatment. The environment was welcoming and of a high standard; the tests were comprehensive and well explained to me. Mr Pillai is a lovely gentleman and put me at ease straight away; he also has an infectious laugh which still makes me giggle! I was put under no pressure at all to sign 'there and then'; the counsellor went through the details, what to expect etc and gave me a comprehensive pack to take away and read. I received nothing that resembled a sales pitch whatsoever. On the day of the treatment I was very nervous and felt quite sick but the valieum calmed me down a little bit. I won't go into vast details as there is enough information on other reviews apart from to say that I felt no pain at all. I was told to breathe normally which helped me stay calm. The anesthetic drops were great; the only pressure I felt was when the suction ring went on but it was not painful at all. You can't see any ominous items 'coming towards your eye' and the lights are bright and a mixture of green and red merging together with what looked like lots of children's swiggley doodling. They count down the time which I found reassuring as it was over so quickly; I was also given words of encouragement and the nurses were very calming. To avoid any odours which I'd read about I breathed through my mouth so I didn't smell a thing! Luckily I didn't suffer from much light sensitivity but my eyes watered quite a lot. My vision was still blurry and I didn't experience the 'miracle' of perfect vision that I've read about which worried me a bit but I was reassured this was quite normal. The hotel they had booked me into as part of the package (as I live outside the M25) was lovely, very quiet and convenient. The room had wooden shutters on the window which blocked 99% of the light out which was good when I had a sleep. I felt minor discomfort and stinging in my right eye. The clinic called me to check everything was ok. The next morning my vision was still blurred and I worried something was wrong but this was because the eye drops had 'clouded' the clear protective lens so if this happens to you don't panic as it's quite normal. When they were removed my vision instantly cleared and had practically reached driving standard. There were a couple of visiting opticians who also examined my eyes and they were clearly impressed. 4 days on and things are still improving. I am religious about my eye drops and the eye goggles for sleeping are quite comfortable which is good. I couldn't have wished for a better service from everyone from the receptionist to Mr Pillai himself. Anyone considering eye surgery should have a consultation here at the very least. Even with hindsight I wouldn't of chosen anyone else to perform this treatment - he is fantastic.
Sean Reid
Setting my expectations was done very well. One of the key reasons I chose surgery by Mr Pillai was the availability of statistics on the outcomes of all his operations performed over the past few years.
Maureen Jones
Very impressed with every aspect from start to finish. Do not need glasses for anything-which at my age is a miracle.
Linsey Reynolds
Excellent to meet the Surgeon beforehand. Important to have them talk you through the op whilst it was happening. Appreciated the countdown. Great to have the Surgeons mobile number to call afterwards if I need it.
Tabitha Cheyne
The reason I choose Advance VisionCare over going somewhere cheaper was its commitment to providing comprehensive after-care. I had LASEK-Wavefront and experienced problems following the procedure due to having a persistent defect with the healing of my left eye. I re-visited the clinic many times during this period and was given appointments at late notice and real attention was given to me and my problem. Mr Pillai suggested a different course of drops for my eyes, which together with time, solved the problem. My sight is now perfect only 1 month on. I am extremely pleased to have found Advance VisionCare and would recommend it to anyone. The care and attention I received was exceptional and worth every penny.
Husminda Pattni
I always thought about laser treatment but didn’t think I could afford it. When I went to Advance VisionCare and they examined my eyes and explained all the different treatments available and also easy payments scheme. I had the laser done a few weeks later and am so happy that I did. I would recommend Advance VisionCare to anyone who si thinking of having laser treatment done. The staff were all friendly. Most of all Mr Pillai is a excellent at what he does.
Rob Hazel
Very friendly staff who never appeared to be “processing” me, given that the do this every day. I was very well treated throughout and this resulted in me being 100% confident when I went in for the treatment. One month later my distance vision has exceeded 20/20 and the results are superb. I am really pleased with Advance VisionCare, Mr Pillai and all the team.
Paul Askew
Mr Pillai and his staff were friendly and helpful from the very first telephone call, when I made the appointment. When making my choice if clinic I felt results were important and just like and medical procedure I wanted to be able to talk to the Surgeon performing it. The fact that Mr Pillai published his results and sees all his patients at the clinic persuaded me to choose AVC. The treatment was no were near as difficult as I anticipated and I was reassured and well looked after throughout.
leo66
I had laser eye treatment with AVC (Lasik Wavefront) about two weeks ago and am incredibly happy with them. Being a rather sceptical person, I was wondering whether the 5/5 score AVC has been consistently getting was really based on genuine reviews. Now I am convinced it is. Not only was I very pleased with both pre-consultation and treatment itself, I also talked to a few other patients in the waiting room who had a similar feedback. I chose AVC over Ultralase mostly because AVC was giving me a chance to meet the surgeon, Dr Pillai, who is excellent. In addition, AVC made me feel substantially more comfortable as a patient than Ultralase. The whole treatment was really painless. I could already see pretty well straight after surgery, light sensitivity lasted about one day. My eyes were slightly red, probably due to the pressure from the device used to keep them open during the procedure – this is now almost gone. Dr Pillai managed my expectations due to a complicated prescription, saying that the goal in my case would be to meet driving standards. The next day I was already above that, and my vision now keeps improving. I have experienced some fluctuations in vision, especially when getting tired or after too much time spent in front of the computer, but have never had any severe headache or really blurred vision. A part from that it is a fabulous feeling to see well again, to read, work, exercise, go out etc. without glasses or contact lenses. Thanks to AVC for their excellent and friendly service. I recommend them highly.
