Focus is a well renowned, prestigious specialist laser eye clinic based in the London Harley Street medical enclave. It has a reputation for treating celebrities, and claims to have a 99.7% success rate (excluding very high prescriptions).
What makes it different? This is a consultant led clinic, meaning UK-trained eye surgeons combine their advanced surgical skills with the specially selected laser systems that are 100% committed to achieving 20/20 vision.
Is there anything to look out for? Yes, check what you are comfortable paying. Focus is one of the pricier options for vision correction, and the success rate barely differs from clinics that charge half the price.
1. Focus Eye Surgery Treatments
Focus has often led the way in terms of technology advancement over the years. It was the first clinic to correct reading vision using Conductive Keratoplasty (CK) radio waves, which uses radio waves rather than lasers to reshape the eye surface (cornea). The chief surgeon, Mr David Allamby, has performed more CK procedures than any other surgeon in the world.
Mr Allamby is also the first surgeon in the U.K to pioneer and perform the first Z-Lasik Blended Vision (another treatment for reading glasses). He remains at the forefront of specialist surgeons for presbyopia in the UK, and has provided surgical training to visiting surgeons worldwide.
So what’s on offer? The standard procedures at Focus include: Z-LASIK, LASEK and PRK (all with Wavefront technology). The clinic additionally specialises in these popular lens replacement surgeries: refractive lens exchange (RLE), implantable collamer lens (ICL), cataract surgery.
2. Focus Costs
Focus is one of the most expensive places in the UK for laser eye and lens replacement surgery, along with its friends on Harley Street: the London Vision Clinic and Moorfields Private (just around the corner).
Nearly 200 patients told us they paid on average £6,200 for laser eye surgery and £6,700 for lens replacement surgery at Focus. These prices are among the highest out there, and around double what you can pay elsewhere in the UK.
Laser eye surgery costs (both eyes):
- LASIK cost: £6,500
- LASIK specialist cost: £6,000
- LASIK blended vision: £5,400
Lens and cataract surgery costs (both eyes):
- Refractive lens exchange cost: £6,500
- Cataract surgery cost: £6,500 (standard lens) – £7,500 (premium lens)
- ICL surgery cost: £7,500
Then there’s the VIP Package for £12,000, all in. Focus doesn’t reveal what’s involved in this eye-watering price tag, so we’ll go out on a limb and say you may not find great value for money here.
Are there any hidden costs?
You’ll be please to learn that the quotes above are fixed prices, meaning you should avoid some nasty surprises. These costs include a generous 10-year guarantee, and initial consultations are free.
Interest-free finance options are also available, from £179.17 per eye per month, with a £500 deposit. Other clinics, however, offer monthly payment plans for around a quarter of the price.
So is it worth paying more?
Well, it may be if you are looking for: the most up-to-date ophthalmic tech, some of the UK’s most experienced surgeons, and being treated like a king in general. Plus, all procedures use Wavefront technology as standard: a slightly pricier add-on that improves the accuracy of the laser by measuring the eye’s exact measurements.
But don’t feel pressured into paying more than you feel comfortable with. Laser eye surgery is considered a safe procedure, with over 95% of people being satisfied or very satisfied with results, according to NICE. Optical Express, for example, is so confident of achieving 20/20 vision, it has a moneyback offer if you don’t. And prices there are half what they are at Focus Clinics on average.
3. Focus Review: The Verdict
FOCUS Clinics features as one of the best places for laser eye surgery in the UK. Plus, with friendly staff and a “Good” CQC rating, it also makes its way onto the list of the 10 best laser eye surgery clinics in London.
But is it right for you? Focus Clinics does offer plenty of excellent perks for the higher price tags: cutting-edge lasers, pioneering eye surgeons, and hard-to-fault customer service. That said, your money will also fund perks no one really needs: things like the prime Harley Street location, spa-like rooms, and VIP treatment.
Anyone looking to bag a bargain eye surgery should keep looking. Well-reviewed high street clinics such as Optical Express, Ultralase and Optimax might be a better fit if that’s the case.
☝ Ask the eye experts: To see if there is a better rated laser eye surgery provider near you, just click here to use our simple quote tool, and get a tailored quote from a clinic you can trust.
Surgeons
Focus Clinics Reviews
Alejandro
I’m extremely satisfied with the treatment I received at Focus. All the staff were very helpful and attentive and made sure I was 100% confident with the procedure. The treatment itself is completely pain-free.
I cannot expresss how much life changed since I had the treatment and stopped wearing glasses and contact lenses. Even though it’s almost 2 months since I had the treatment, I still wake up every morning with the feeling that I have to put my glasses on only to remember that I don’t need them anymore. It’s priceless.
I totally recommend this clinic.
Thank you Mr David Allamby, Emma Delgado and everyone at Focus Clinic for helping me improve my life.
Angela
Very happy with my treatment at Focus 4 weeks ago. They treat their patients as individuals and there is no pressure to go ahead unless you are 100% happy. I had a slightly complicated prescription and needed to feel confident about the outcomes before going ahead, so avoided the high street chains.
Christine Fazio
Dr. Barsam did my surgery while working in the United States along side with Dr. Donnenfeld. He did an excellent job and made me feel comfortable the whole time. My vision is excellent now and I am so grateful for having gone through with the surgery. It changes your life for the better. I definitely recommend Dr. Barsam for anyone looking for a great doctor.
K Kwang
If you ever decide to have laser eye surgery, Focus Clinic is the place to have it!
First of all, I am not paid to write this review. I only decided to pen down my experience having seen some less distinguished practices elsewhere. Naturally I understand the results of taking un-calculated risks especially that my work entails risk management in a large bank. I had been to two other consultations elsewhere, one who supposedly housed a top Lasik surgeon but I found the connectedness lacking. Risks were dismissed altogether in the other clinic.
My consultations with Focus Clinic brought a different dimension to this. I chose Focus for a variety of reasons, chief of them were:
1. Good size set up which means there is more connectedness with patient, unlike larger franchises. I had 3 per-operative consultations (and 4 sets of scans) because I want to understand more about Lasik risks and the staff and surgeon were very accommodating. Even judging from post-operative care, they couldn’t have done much better- a good acid test of whether Focus was more interested in customer care above simply closing a sale.
2. Great surgeon. To sum up my thoughts about him- has a wealth of experience in Lasik, answers questions with depth and foremost has an unshakeable faith in helping you assess whether Lasik is best for you.
3. Provides me ample time to read through the consent form and encouraged to ask as many questions as I wish which were then either answered by the optometrist who attended to me and by Dr Allamby himself.
4. Very thorough consultations which live up to their promise of treating good candidates only. Depending on how you view it, I find this a good measure of risk mitigation.
5. There is no persuasion whatsoever to close out your sale. There is not one single mention in my pre-operative consultations that I should go ahead with the surgery or urged to book my surgery as soon as possible. Focus appears to be neutral whether I decide to go ahead with Lasik and with them or not which can only mean that they do consider the well being of patients first, unlike other commercial set ups or franchises.
5. Lifetime aftercare guarantee. Although I hope never to need this, but it does bring a peace of mind. This distinguished Focus from the entity housing my previous consultation with a top Lasik surgeon where aftercare is only limited to 12 months.
6. £30 of every treatment goes to a charity foundation.
In brief, I was served well by a great team of staff lead by Dr Allamby. Many thanks to Malisa, a brilliant patient care coordinator who had always attended to my calling and who is my first contact person for Focus. Both Caroline and Ritu did an excellent job examining my precious set of eyes pre and post-surgery.
If you are reading this, please do not take this review as a guide that Lasik is best for everyone. After that, it is an elective surgery. But based on my experience, if you ever decide to go for Lasik, then Focus Clinic is highly recommended!
Sofia
Having had Z-Lasik has been one of the best decisions of my life! The whole experience has been like being born again! I must admit I was skeptical about having it done, so I did my research. Having it done at Focus gave me the courage (we only have one pair of eyes!). Everyone was so friendly and explained things well. The day of the treatment was a mixture of excitement and anxiety! But again, the staff at Focus made me quite comfortable and provided the reassurance I needed. Waking up the next day was A M A Z I N G! Since then I have experienced the freedom of swimming, driving, walking in the rain, amongst other things, without the worry of contact lenses or glasses! A BIG THANK YOU to all at Focus and an extra special THANK YOU to Mr D Allamby for this life changing experience!!! I highly recommend the Clinic!
Megan
I would highly recommend focus for laser eye surgery as my experience has been great, wonderful staff and surgeon which have given me fantastic vision. I cannot believe I never have to wear glasses again, from day 2 my eyes have felt great. Thank you focus!
Katja
I didn't expect my -8 to turn into 20/20 vision but it did, thanks to laser focus vision. The whole team is very professional and I never regretted my decision to go there. Great service before, during and after the laser treatment. I can only recommend them.
Chris
I’m extremely happy with the consultation, operation and post-operative care I’ve have from the staff at Focus Eye Clinics. Thirty three years of -7 short sight were corrected in a couple of minutes of surgery. The staff and surgeons at Focus care and expertise is superb and I have been recommending them to friends of mine who wear glasses.
Robert
I have just come in for my 24 hour post surgery check-up. Yesterday was very stressful as I was very nervous beforehand as laser eye surgery was something I had wanted to have done for several years but hadn't had the nerve to do until now. I did a bit of research beforehand including asking friends of their experiences and I have to say that I definitely chose the right place. From the moment that I arrived for the initial consultation until today the team at Focus have been so friendly, reassuring and thoroughly professional. My surgeon David Allamby gave me absolutely no doubt that he was about to do the best job possible and thus far the results are proving this to be true as my vision is amazing. Thank you!
Brian
As I write, 24hrs after treatment, I can only say good things about this clinic, their staff and Mr Dave Allamby in particular. All my research into this procedure and choice of Focus feels supported now by my own experience. The key factors for me were the honesty of the clinics (website 100% accurate), competency of staff - surgeon especially, technology - best in UK. My case was a mid range myopia, -4.00 each eye with differing astigmatism to boot. They were happy to boast the Uk's only 100% 20/20 or better record since their latest technology investment in 2011. By my calculations, this has to be about 1000 treatments by now. So now for me, with my own 20/20 only 24hrs in, I am confident of further improvement to come. I remain confident that all their aftercare promises will be met - all has be to the high standard I expected thus far. For this Focus charge a fair premium, but are far from the most expensive around. If like me you want the very best for your eyes, then all things remaining equal, Focus would be an excellent choice for you too.
