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
al kirk
great clinic
Jill
Wonderful service, wonderful staff, wonderful surgeon and lovely, clear, wonderful world. Well worth every penny! Mr Pillai is so warm and fills you with confidence and is willing to be there for you no matter what time of day or night!
Wendy Beynon.
Since having LASEK treatment two weeks ago each day has been so exciting – seeing everything in detail, from waking up in the morning, to looking up to a clear, crisp night sky! After a considerable degree of myopia and contact lenses for over 40 years, the change is fantastic. The freedom, particularly for outside activities, will be wonderful and I thank Mr Pillai and his team for making it possible. After much research and visits to other clinics I felt that Advance VisionCare was right for me. My first impression of AVC was of a relaxed atmosphere of professional expertise and competence, combined with a friendly welcome. I felt at ease and immediately confident that I was making the right decision. I also felt that, should any complications arise, Mr Pillai had the qualifications and vast experience to deal with them. The surgery itself was completely painless, quite fascinating to experience and I can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute of it. Nor did I have any discomfort at all afterwards, and I was able to enjoy my stay in London, sightseeing (!) until the bandage lenses were taken out after 4 days. I was driving again, bare-eyed, on the 6th day and at my 10 day aftercare check in Liverpool my vision was getting near to 20/20. It is very helpful, too, that AVC enables patients to have aftercare appointments at designated centres nearer to home, if they so wish. So I am delighted with my treatment and wholeheartedly recommend anyone who would benefit from laser surgery to consult Mr Pillai, and to come to Advance VisionCare for their treatment.
David Ko
The happiest moment of my life is regaining my perfect eyesight. As soon as I opened my eyes after laser surgery, I knew instantly I’ve made the right decision and I grinned all the way back home. Undoubtedly this is an important decision that we all have to consider carefully and the thought of it may sound daunting to some people. But only Advance VisionCare and Mr Pillai and his staff could give me 100% comfort that I felt at total ease even in the surgery bed. I would definitely recommend this to other people!
Danielle Game
Having worn glasses for 26 years with prescription standing at -7 with astigmatism in both eyes I wasn’t hoping for perfection just the driving standard would have made me happy. However with the surgery I had an assessment 4 weeks later I was told that my vision was 20/20! 100% perfect vision. Absolutely incredible. The consultations were very thorough, everything was explained in “laymens” terms & I just felt reassured at every step. I couldn’t be happier! Avery big Thank You!
Maria Callaghan
I had contacted a number of clinics researching for my laser eye correction (as you do) and I was very disappointed at the lack of customer care from these large clinics at this initial point. I felt like I had contacted the BT call centre with everyone seemimg to follow the same question and answer sheets. When I called back to ask another question they seemed to pass me from pillar to post and I never spoke to the same person twice. At this point I decided to wait. At least 2 years later I contacted Advance VisionCare after reading an article in the Daily Express about the personaliised care they offered. From the first call to the treatment date I was impressed with the care and attention that all staff members showed me throughout my patient journey. I never thought of travelling to a clinic before as I always looked for local clinics (in the Liverpool and surrounding areas) who had good marketing campaigns. But I'm pleased I made the journey to London as Advance VisionCare provided very comfortable hotel accomodation, which was a very welcome touch and gave me confidence that my needs were being considered and provided for right from the start. When I arrived at the clinic it certainly lived up to what I was expecting from a Harley Street establishment and a great deal of care and attention is made to put the client at ease. The treatment itself was completely painless and I felt very comfortable throughout the whole process. After treatment I was expecting to have to wait a while for my eyesight to improve, however the results were instantaneous. As soon as i sat up and put some drops in I could see just fine, and this was a wonderful feeling. Now, in my work as a psychotherapist, I no longer have to juggle with different glasses for different tasks (which was quite a strain, and very tiring). Now I have much more energy for my work and I feel like it's taken 10 years off me, both in the way I feel and the way I look. I now know that I made the right choice in choosing Advance VisionCare because from my initial contact through to the superb aftercare they delivered everything they promised and more. I'd like to say a big thank you to Mr Pillai and his excellent team.
Mrs Shane Swift
Have been so impressed with CK the results. Would recommend to anyone, the staff were very helpful and informative and the Doctor fantastic. Try it the results are amazing!
Mark
I had Lasek surgery on 14th December after many years of contemplation. I have reviewed the comments on this website and others for a long time and then decided that I cannot learn anything more than I have and that it was time to Act, so, I did, and, I'm glad I did. The surgery truly is painless and even the speculum wasn't to uncomfortable. When the surgeon told me that he had finished the left eye, I couldnt believe it and wanted to ask if he had left something out but he might have thought that a touch insulting. After the surgery I had light sensativity for about 6 hours but no pain and that was a relief because I had expected a lot of pain with this procedure but there was none. I was told I had driving standard by the 4 day check up. My vision is a little blurry at times but I can still read small print and it is still slowly improving. I took advantage of the pay nothing till Easter which was really handy. I thought the price of £2800 in total was a little high but I was not prepared to compromise with my vision and wanted someone with experience and a good track record, Dr Pillai AVC. In the long term the price is still cost effective if you calculate contact lens + Cleaners + spectacles + test. It really is wonderful not to have to wear spectacles or contacts, although I still habitualy keep reaching for them. My advice to anyone thinking about having it done is research until you personally are satisfied you know enough about the surgeon, the company, the risks, beneifts and drawbacks of the surgery. Ask to speak with people who have had the surgery, I have had a lot of support from this website. Speak with the surgeon about realistic expectations and outcomes. Do not go for the cheapest option, although for most of us money is a factor. Think more about the track record of the surgeon, sucesses and also the quality of after care. Although most reviews about laser surgery are positive, this treatment does come with risk because it is still surgery. I am still hoping for a little more improvement in the quality of my vision, a it has only been about 3 weeks. So far, I am satisfied with my procedure and am glad I had it done. I would reccommend Advance Vision Care and Dr Pillai and his team.
Pam Barfield
Delighted with the service I received and would recommend having the procedure. With both eyes operated on I now have clear vision as well as a near vision. Expect the eyes to settle down after 9 weeks and from the start throw away your reading glasses
John Early
From start to finish Advance VisionCare were very professional and helpful every step of the way. P.S. - I would like to wish all the staff at Advance VisionCare a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year.
Nicholas Deakin
The treatment was straight forward and over before I knew it. Post operative discomfort was minimal. I had expected it to be several days before I could see anything but the results have immediately apparent. My vision steadily improved over the weeks until I reached virtually 20/20. To achieve this level of acuity after being very short sighted for twenty years was nothing short of amazing. Being freed from of spectacles has defiantly improved my quality of life.
