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
Steven Ackroyd
All the staff were very helpful and exhibited a wide knowledge of the procedure. All questions asked were answered in great detail and i never felt rushed or presurred during my consultations. The surgery itself was quick and painless and I had the utmost confidence in the surgeon, Mr. Pilail. For such a potentially distressing procedure, I felt as though I was in very safe hands.
Tony O’Donnell
i had my eyes done a couple of weeks ago and am very happy with the results. i had -1.75 in both eyes and now have better than 20/20 in both. I would recommend advance vision care to anyone that is considering the surgery. The procedure and possible complications were explained thoroughly and while i was very nervous about the operation it was no problem having it done.
Catherine Priddey
I'd been wearing glasses since I was 7 and never been able to get used to lenses. I always hated glasses - apart from the vanity aspect(!), I found sport a real problem and had practically given up swimming because I hated not being able to see properly in the pool. Even with glasses, my night vision was poor and borderline for driving. I had been thinking about laser eye treatment for about a year and looked at all the research and info on a number of clinics. After reading a 'Which' report I decided not to go to one of the high street clinics and discovered Advance Visioncare. I went for the initial assessment and was very impressed with the professionalism, the thoroughness, the individual attention I received and the feeling that I was, to them, a valued individual as well as a client for whom they were providing a service, rather than just a wallet on legs! I was found to be suitable - and was amazed that they believed they could correct my astigmatism and poor night vision as well as my short-sightedness. They have an excellent counsellor to go through the whole procedure with you and provided me with as much information as I could have needed, including a CV for Mr Pillai which showed his excellent record. They were also at the end of the phone afterwards if I had any further queries. I was not put under any pressure to make an appointment for the treatment and took my time going through all the iinformation. I then decided to go ahead and had the surgery 3 weeks ago. The treatment was exactly as I had expected as it had been very thoroughly explained. I didn't even feel the need to take the valium beforehand because I was feeling quite calm! I didn't feel any real discomfort at all - the worst bit was having to wear a protective lens in each eye for 24 hours afterwards! The staff, including Mr Pillai, were all wonderful - very attentive and couldn't have done more for me. I had as much time as I needed to recover afterwards before leaving the clinic. On the way home, I was astounded at what I could see - pretty much everything! Atthe week check-up I had 20:20 vision - and my night vision is amazing! I find reading very small print is still a little difficult but it's improving every day. The fact that I can type this sitting 2-3 feet from my screen is fab! I feel like a new woman! I would strongly recomment Advance Visioncare. It's worth paying a bit more than some of the high street clinics to get that level of care and service. I think they are excellent.
Lisa Walton
As an optometrist I am probably more discerning about my eyesight than others, so when my best friend Sam (also an optom.) referred me to Mr Pillai I was a little apprehensive. However, as Sam noted she had seen much of Mr Pillai's work and it was always spot on. She was right - almost 2 weeks after my surgery (originally -2.75 R&L) I can see 6/4 unaided. My mum came with me to the surgery and watched (too much Your Life in Their Hands in the 80's) and I had lots of support from family and friends. Sam came to the 1 day check-up with me and she gave the thumbs up straight away. The staff have been fantastic - all extremely professional and friendly and I would recommend the clinic and wavefront Zyoptik to my friends, colleagues and patients.
Fiona Nolan
I've considered eye laser surgery for 10-15 years, my vision being -7.75 in both eyes. I have always had reservations regarding eye laser surgery and was confused by the amount of laser clinics stating that they were better than the next, and just put the whole thing to the back of my mind. This was until a recent visit to my optician Brian Tompkins of Tompkins Knight & Son in Northampton, who recommended AVC. As the information was given to me by someone whom I know and trust, I thought it must be worth following it up. At my consultation visit with the AVC team in Harley Street, it was found that I would be suitable for the most recent treatment, 'wavefront' technology. During my visit I was impressed to actually meet the surgeon, Mr Pillai who further put my mind at ease. The professional, friendly and yet personal attitude towards the whole surgery process left me feeling 100% confident that I could trust AVC with my eyes. On the day, the surgery only took minutes to complete each eye. There were no surprises as everything had already been discussed. I was amazed to notice a massive improvement almost instantly. I have been back to AVC for my 1 day & 1 week check up, everything is great 20/20 vision and all that! I am now looking forward to having my 6 week check up with my optician and being able to read the letters on his chart!!!! Would I recommend AVC, of course I would. Firstly you can be referred by your own optician (and if you can't, tell them about it!), secondly the professional advice was made very clear and consise, all questions regarding eye laser surgery were answered. The pre / post surgery and on-going after care service was second to none. If you are thinking of eye laser surgery, consider giving Advanced VisionCare a call.
Amy Renshaw
I had wavefront lasik surgery with Mr Pillai at AVC a week ago, and I am absolutely delighted with the results so far. My eyes were -7 and -6.5, and I'd worn glasses since I was 7 and contacts since I was 13. I'd always worn my contacts 15 hours a day 365 days a year, and had been warned repeatedly by optometerists that I needed to cut down my lense wear to avoid damaging my eyes, but as someone who felt really uncomfortable in glasses it was easier said than done! Eventually about six weeks ago my optometerist said she was reluctant to prescribe any more soft contacts for me, and said I would have to look at gas permeable lenses which I wasn't keen on. So I did some research into laser treatment and decided on Advance Vision Care because of their aftercare provisions, their reputation and Mr Pillai's track record. I found it really difficult to wear my glasses for the week before my consultation but thought it would be worth it if I never had to wear them again! My first consultation was incredibly thorough, it took two and a half hours, and by the end of it I had absolute confidence that these guys knew what they were doing. I booked in for surgery the following week, and although I was really nervous it was all over very quickly and I didn't feel any pain at all. I went for my one-week check up today and my eyesight is 6/6. I couldn't reccomend the team at AVC highly enough.
Kerri Atkins
For the record I am the bosses wife. I’ve thought about having my eyes ‘done’ long before my husband joined Advance VisionCare and I imagine for many of the usual reasons. Nick, originally an optician, had fitted me with a variety of contact lenses over the years, but my tolerance to my gas permeable lenses had declined and I didn’t want to go back to glasses full time. Only one solution then… Nick was particularly unhelpful in my quest for information and understanding of the process and procedure! He felt that I should get the independent opinion of the clinical team at Harley Street, in the same way as ‘ordinary’ patients and make my mind up for myself. So that is exactly what I did and seeing the fantastic laser suite he had worked so hard to get set-up and discussed things with the people behind the names I knew, I must admit I felt much better and quite proud of what my old man had achieved. Well the good news was I have thick corneas and there would be no problems and the lovely Mr. Pillai (the surgeon) advised me that with the Zyoptix ‘wavefront’ technology I may well actually see better than I did with glasses or contact lenses which all sounded very promising. So I booked in for surgery, which in case you are wondering, I did have to pay for. I was very nervous but the team took great care of me (Angela, the Senior Counsellor, actually held my hand all the way through, bless her) and I couldn’t believe how quickly I could see even immediately after surgery - absolutely amazing. Nick always said that Mr. Pillai was one of the best in the world and was an unbeatable combination with Zyoptix. I just thought ‘well he would say that’, but how wrong I was, every word is true. This was backed up by Helen, my optometrist at Portsea Island Opticians in Portsmouth: she was almost as amazed as I was at just how well I was seeing the day after my surgery when she saw me for my 24 hour check-up. By my 1 week check she said I was seeing 6/4 in each eye (I’m told 6/6, is the same as 20/20 vision) which I can confirm is much better than normal, as I can now see things more clearly than I’ve ever been able too. Would I recommend Advance VisionCare? Well of course, but for all the right reasons; the staff is expert and caring with it, the clinic is a wonderfully calm and relaxing place, the technology is state-of-the-art and Mr. Pillai is one of the most modest and unassuming consultants I have ever met, as well as clearly (excuse the pun!) being the very best.
Sue Grosvenor
I had my eyes lasered by AdvanceVisionCare approx. 6 weeks ago (my sight was -3.25 /- 3.75). I cannot recommend them enough. My sight now is fantastic, better in both eyes than when I wore my glasses. Right from when I went for my first check up, I found them professional, friendly and reassuring. The operation and pre/post care service have all been excellent - highly recommended.
B
Had surgery on 6/8 - everything went really well. Initial Consultion - Took place at Eyesite (Reading). Each test done was explained to me in depth. Also met Angela (Senior Cousellor at AVC), she explained the surgerical procedure and ALL the risks involved. Suitability Consultation - Took place at AVC (London). Dr Jenkins did further tests, and explained everything. She made me feel very comfortable about the surgery. Also met the surgeon - Mr Pillai. Stayed at a hotel that evening - which was paid for by AVC - very nice!! Surgery - Was slightly nervous. The surgery itself took about 20 minutes, and it felt like being at the dentist. The only discomfort I felt was the pressure being applied to the ring on the eye. The cutting of the flap (which sounds like the worse part) couldn't be felt and took about 2 seconds. Aftercare & Recovery - My slight has got clearer and clearer as time as gone on. Used the eyes drops and the eye shields at night, as prescribed. Had my one week checkup today - my eyes are healing well and I now have 20/20 vision!! I would recommend Advance Visioncare without any hesitation. If you want a company who spents time with you, explain's everything, gives you the personal touch and makes you feel totally at ease - then go to Advance Visioncare!!
Nicholas Saul Claridge
I am really over the moon with the eye-surgary that I had. All of the staff Mr Pillai, and Dr Regina were really friendly and helpful and made me feel very relaxed. The operation it's self was totally painless and very fast, and I had total confidance in the staff. I had the operation at 4pm and was at home by 6pm, Initially there was a bit of pain and discomfort. But after taking a pain killer and relaxing in a room for a couple of hours I was feeling fine. I even saw a bit of a film that evening, that had sub titles and had no trouble with reading them,"amazing". I would recommend this surgary to anyone with out hesitation.
