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
Mags Thompson
My prescription was +8 in both eyes with moderate astigmatism. I have been looking for laser surgery desperately to get rid of my glasses, as I enjoy riding my bike, and other outdoor sports. The last couple of years, my research show that I was not suitable for laser surgery, and there were no other alternatives given to me by other clinics. When I visited Advance VisionCare, I was disappointed to learn that I was not suitable for Laser Surgery, because of my high prescription. But instead, they offered me a clear lens extraction, or lens exchange to correct my prescription. This is similar to cataract operation, but I learned it will correct my prescription, and I won’t need to wear any glasses. I was thrilled about the prospect; therefore I went for the surgery, and I was treated by one of the very well known surgeons in Europe. Then I learned that I was left a little bit long sighted in both eyes, and I had to wear soft contact lenses in both eyes. Mr Pillai assured me, that he will be able to fine tune with the laser treatment for both eyes, which I underwent last week. I am pleased to say that my vision is more than driving standard in each eye, and I come out to express my gratitude to surgeons of Advance VisionCare, and happiness. As I am a gym instructor, I am now able to do outdoor sports, ride my bike without any glasses for the first time in my life. Anybody who is not suitable for Laser Surgery – don’t give up hope - contact Advance VisionCare, and they will give you an alternative solution, like they did for me !!! Thank you Advance VisionCare team. Mags Thompson
Happy Customer 2
Absolutely great not to wear glasses anymore. Great service at AVC - they explain everything and are very attentive and careful. The operation is not the funniest thing in the world, but it's over pretty quick and I felt very safe in Mr Pillai's hands. Thanks guys.
John Abrams
Have had my consultation at this surgery - everything is done extremely thoroughly. There are up to three layers of checking first with the opthalmic consultant, then with Dr Pillai then with another surgeon. It was explained that Laser surgery wouldn't be appropriate so now I have to make my mind up about IOL surgery. The only thing that bothers me is the gap between one eye being operated on then the other (two weeks). I am investigating having a clear lens in my glasses for this short period. The other option is to have a contact lens which i don't know I could cope with for two weeks. I will ask my friends and family.
Claire Brown
Mr Pillai was extremely clear and helpful throughout. I had chosen AVC on the recommendation of a colleague as the quality of my vision after surgery was of paramount importance for my career in the Army. Mr Pillai didn't promise me any miracles, but the end result was better than I had imagined it would be. Thank You Very Much.
Stephen Fiddes
Every aspect of Advance VisionCare services has been excellent. I have recommended you to all my friends and they are all surprised by my results and simplicity of the treatment, as I have allayed a lot of their fears. I have enjoyed a sailing holiday in Antigua without the use of glasses, which I could not have done before. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!
Paula Freman
Although Advance VisionCare charge more than average for the treatment, you really do get what you pay for - high quality. I felt reassured throughout the process, and the aftercare is excellent - I have had 'lazy eye' after the operation and this has been well monitored and attended to.
Happy Customer
It took me many years to come up with the nerve to go through the procedure – why did I wait. I was told I may experience a feeling of grit in my eye and dryness-I felt no grittiness and dryness. All the staff and Mr Pillai made me so at ease even though I could not write the date on the form when I arrived- but soon fully at ease especially when the young lady before me came out smiling and over the moon. Many Thanks it has changed my life I wore glasses for 22 years now I have three months later perfect vision in my right eye and half dioptre in my left at last check I feel it is now corrected.
Lynn Simmons
Right from my initial telephone enquiry, I was very impressed by the friendliness and helpfulness of the reception and medical staff. I was made to feel at ease at all times and had complete faith in the procedure. Two days after my treatment I could clearly see the flagpole on the top of my priory church about two miles away (as the crow flies) from the bedroom window!! My vision is fantastic (reading the bottom row of letters on the opticians chart with either eye), with no night vision problems - just the need for 'magnifiers' for close up work. Only problem encountered was a great deal of light sensitivity which occurred 2 weeks in - apparently I became sensitive to the artificial tears, which I had to stop. My heartful thanks to Dr Pillai and team, and to all at Classic Eyes Bournemouth who have been excellent.
Pamela Doney
I am so pleased with the results, to be able to drive my car without the need for glasses is fantastic. I have just returned from my holiday, and, wow - the freedom from contact lenses and glasses was brilliant, not having to worry when going in and out of the pool that I would loose my contact lens. Fantastic. Seeing everything so much clearer. I just want to say a big thank you to Mr Pillai and his team. Also I think your aftercare is great. Not to just be forgotten after the treatment. Many Thanks!!!
Sally Lee
I had LASEK at AVC and I was ready for the procedure to be slightly painful (compared to Lasik), HOWEVER THERE WAS VERY MINIMUM PAIN INVOLVED. I HAVE PERFECT EYE SIGHTS NOW AND I ALMOST CANNOT REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE WHEN I HAD TO STRUGGLE WITH CONTACT LENSES/GLASSES.
