1. Optimax Laser Eye Surgery Review
Optimax is a UK specialist in laser eye treatment, lens replacement surgery, and cataract surgery. Founded in 1991, this clinic has performed over 430,000 vision corrections. It currently has 28 clinics nationwide, including London, Bristol, Birmingham and Belfast.
Here is how nearly 1,000 real customers rate Optimax for its clinic, cost, treatments and surgeons:
Optimax Rating Overall | Clinic Rating | Cost Rating | Surgeon Rating | Treatments Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
(3.9 out of 5) | (3.6 out of 5) | (3.5 out of 5) | (5 out of 5) | (4.1 out of 5) |
These ratings boil down to:
Pros: Fixed prices, free consultation, Wavefront technology, locations nationwide, NHS-trained surgeons
Cons: Poor customer service, lacking communication from surgeons, frequent delays
☝ Compare clinics: See if there are any other top-rated clinics near you, and use our simple tool to receive a personalised quote – as well as free eye tests worth £800!
2. Optimax Laser Eye Surgery Cost
“I would do this surgery again tomorrow knowing the results I have got. It was worth every penny – the best money I ever spent.” – Stephen Gerrard
(3.5 out of 5)
Laser eye surgery at Optimax costs £1,695 (per eye) for Wavefront LASEK or Wavefront IntraLase LASIK. Cataract surgery costs £2,995 (per eye), while implantable contact lenses will set you back £2,495 (per eye).
These are average prices for eye surgery in the UK – not as cheap as other high street clinics like Optical Express, but less expensive than eye hospitals like Moorfields Private.
Are there any hidden costs? No – Optimax offers free consultations, and transparent prices. Plus, there are finance options, meaning you can pay under £50 for 36 months for laser surgery, or under £70 a month for lens surgery.
Here are the prices of some of Optimax’ popular lens and laser surgery options:
Eye Surgery Procedure | Price (per eye) | Finance Options (per month) |
---|---|---|
Wavefront LASEK | £1,695 | £42.38 (36 months, 0% APR, £169.50 deposit) |
Wavefront IntraLase LASIK | £1,695 | £42.38 (36 months, 0% APR, £169.50 deposit) |
Cataract / RLE / CLE Treatment | £2,995 | £64.40 (36 months, 0% APR, £299.50 deposit) |
ICL Treatment | £2,495 | £51.49 (36 months, 0% APR, £249.50 deposit) |
☛ Want a tailored quote? The only way to compare exact quotes is to see an eye expert for a check-up. These can cost up to £250, but with our simple tool you can find out how much laser or lens surgery will cost you for free.
3. Optimax Treatments
“I am delighted that the procedure was pain-free, and I didn’t even need any painkillers afterwards. At the weekly check-up, I was amazed to learn I had 20/20 vision – much better than predicted.” – Joan Hassell
(4.1 out of 5)
As well as traditional laser eye surgery, Optimax also offers a range of lens surgery options. Here is the full list:
- LASIK
- LASEK
- Wavefront / IntraLase®Femtosecond
- Cataract or refractive lens exchange (RLE) surgery
- ICL surgery or keratoconus treatment
Aftercare
Optimax provides a free and comprehensive aftercare program to regularly check and monitor your vision at each stage of the recovery process. All aftercare costs are included in the cost of your eye surgery.
Optimax locations
Optimax offers a range of clinics nationwide. It also hosts open days, where patients are able to have a free assessment, take a tour of the clinic, and speak to specialist consultants. Optimax’s main locations are: London, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, and Manchester.
4. The Verdict
I am really happy with the results. Apart from the machine not working and the long wait, the staff at this Optimax were really nice, friendly and helpful, as was Dr Patel. I would recommend this Optimax. – Tina Gibson
(3.9 out of 5)
Optimax has an average overall rating due to hit-and-miss patient care, based on nearly 9,000 independent reviews on Lasik Eyes since 2002.
Most patients we spoke to were happy with the service. However, the long waiting times and poor communication mean this clinic misses the top spots on the list of the best laser eye surgery clinics in the UK. Still, Optimax makes it into these top lists:
But is Optimax right for you? The only way to find out is to see if you’re eligible for 20/20 vision or your money back, and to get a tailored quote. That’s why we make it easy to pop in for a free consultation, have free eye tests (worth £800), and talk through your options with an eye expert.
Next steps: Our simple tool helps thousands of readers a day get closer to going glasses free:
- Find the top clinic in seconds: Answer three questions to be matched to the leading eye clinic in your area
- Check you’re eligible in minutes: Receive a quick call to check you can get surgery (we don’t share your number with anyone else)
- Book a free consultation: Talk to an expert at a clinic you can trust for a free eye test and personalised quote (with no obligation)
☛ Click here to find the best clinic near you, and get a tailored quote.
5. Optimax Surgeon Reviews
6. Optimax Patient Reviews
Stefy
I wouldn’t recommend Optimax to anyone, the customer service of the Bristol branch is shocking. They don’t keep to their appointment times and don’t even apologise for the delay plus they lied every time when we asked them how much longer we’d have to wait. 3 and a half hours later and according to them that was good because they can be worse!
Catherine
I got my eyes lasered in the Hove branch in February and was really pleased with the results. Six months later I have perfect vision. My eyes are still a bit dry when I wake up in the morning and at night I still have some halos around bright lights, but that is very manageable. I was a strong prescription -7 so being completely without glasses and contacts is really extraordinary. The procedure was well explained and the surgeon was really fantastic I felt in very safe hands. However I found the instructions for after-care a bit rushed. There were 4 or 5 of us getting our eyes done that day and I didn’t think it was good to explain the after-care to all of us at once. The lady in the Hove branch was patronising and confusing. That was thankfully however, the only reason I give it 4 stars rather than 5. Every other part of their customer care, and patient care has been excellent. I would definitely recommend.
Mr Richards
The worst thing I ever did. My life is completey miserable. I have had poor vision since the surgery and have been in pain every day.
The company tell lies before the surgery. They are a complete pile of bast**ds who don’t give a fu*k and just want to make money.
Shelley
This clinic was top class in everything from the personal advisor to the surgeon even the waiting room was great. I highly recommend optimax if you decide to go ahead with treatment. Dr Qazi in Belfast and all the girls thank you so much
dave barnett
i had my eyes treated this month and wow!!!! what a difference i cannot believe how much i have been missing out on. if anyone is considering have laser eye surgery then optimax would be my definate recommendation, service is great, price is cheapest on the market and if you do manage to find one cheaper they do a price match!!!!!! not to mention an interest free credit plan. at least go and have the free consultation, they do take a deposit for the appointment but if you dont want it done then they refund it to you! 10 out of 10 for service and results 🙂
Laura Collings
I was treated at the Newcastle clinic. My prescription was -8 in both eyes and although the staff were very proud of the results in their clinic, they still advised me that as I was so short-shighted, I wasn’t to be disappointed if I still required glasses for certain things. This didn’t bother me; I’ve worn glasses for 20 years and just wanted to be able to ‘get by’ without them day to day. Within 36 hours of surgery, I had 20/20 vision. My eyes stung for a few hours, as if I had been peeling onions, so I just kept them closed and had a nap. No pain whatsoever. I developed a slight inflammation (DLK) in both eyes and have had to attend regular check ups and use stronger than normal drops. This cleared within a week. I still can’t believe what Dr Jalpota and the team have done for me! For all those people worried about the negatives, I can only say the positives are well worth it. Please be aware that when the laser burns the eye tissue, you will be able to smell this. Its obvious really,but it did scare me at the time. Other than that, lie back for 20 minutes and plan what you are going to do with your new found vision!
Clare
I had Lasik at Optimax in London some five years ago. My vision was very blurry afterwards yet apparently in their eye tests I was coming out at 20/20 vision. The blurring never cleared and I had to buy another pair of glasses to enable me to drive and work. They gave me incomplete aftercare information which resulted in dry eyes, it didn’t cause the blurriness but it didn’t help either. I ended up going to Moorfields who told me the surfaces of my eyes were some of the most uneven they’d seen. I had another operation at Moorfields which fixed my eyes, I wish I had gone there in the first place.
Depa
Fab service st finchley road. Great team in every week.
Post care is brilliant.
Highly recommend
Jordan
Its a big risk. If it works then fine but many many people have problems afterwards and Optimax obviously keep very quiet about this. Once you’ve signed that form there’s no come back and if like me your eyes gradually deteriate and you have to wear glasses again they just don’t care. They’ve offered to re laser my eyes again even though I’ve already had one done twice but I was told they would gradually revert back again so that is pointless. Then They tried to get me to fork out for lense exchange instead which I can’t afford because I already paid three and a half thousand for laser which they won’t refund even though I wear glasses all the time again. All these people giving good reviews may have just had their eyes lasered but beware it took a few years for mine to gradually revert back so you might be paying that money for just a couple of years without glasses. Most of all don’t put your trust in them when you go for your consultation. They just want your money and will play down any worries you have. They may have many satisfied customers who they will definitely tell you about but there are also many like me who have wasted thousands of pounds for absolutely nothing
Ramsey
after wearing contact lenses for 20 yrs+ -3.50 -3.75 needing reading glasses for small print in poor light decided to have laser correction after hearing good reports from work colleagues who had been to optimax in finchley road…
initial consultation was ok .opted for intralase with wavefront seemed quite expensive ..I work for the nhs so supposedly got 25% discount..
I was quite suprised at the disclaimer I had to sign basically they dont take responsibility if you suffer with poor eyesight after the procedure..etc etc..
on the day of the procedure had a medical review that lasted 10 minutes a quick look at my notes…..after treatment went home to recover ….next day was quite excited could see reasonably well long distance could not read a thing even newspaper headline large print .went for my aftercare had an eye test spoke to the optometrist who said can you read the chart …well i could read 3 lines she replied well thats what you came in for not your reading!!!!!!!
had a stressfull week want to work next day could not read anything or use a computer could not read dials on the car sat nav vision was dreadfull from 0 -10 feet a way impossible to use a mobile phone etc prior to laser surgery could read perfectly well with prescription lense…
had my 2nd aftercare today with a different optometrist today who had no interest in my concerns .I explained that i had to wear reading glasses all the time to focus and that I buy +3 glasses to see close up…..her reply to all this was so just wear glasses then!!!!
she also told me my vision had been overcorrected and to come back in 3 months when I told her unhappy I was she replied what can i do about it ….
the aftercare at optimax is appalling it is a money making factory great advertising once you have paid your money and you have got aproblem they are not going to help you…I hope my vision will improve my night vision also is dreadfull making it difficult to drove glare halos etc…all in all I regret having it done and would have no confidence in there ability to correct it….I have had no reassurance that my vision will improve or have they made an appointment for me to discuss my fears with the surgeon who carried out the procedure…
Nick Leigh
I visited Optical Express, Ultralase and Optimax for consultations prior to going for treatment having been considering laser eye surgery for far too long. I immediately rules out Optical Express as I didn't feel they were at all professional - it just felt like a rather thorough eye test. I would have been happy to go with either of the other two but Ultralase wanted me to travel to Surrey whereas Optimax was much more local and considerably cheaper. I had treatment to both eyes last Friday (exactly 1 week ago) and the results are absolutely astounding. The treatment was painless apart from some pressure during the Intralase flap procedure but Dr Ayoubi talked me through every step of the way. Whilst in recover I started to be able to see and by the time I got home (about an hour or so after surgery) I could see quite well although my eyes were starting to get very sore and runny. I had been given some anaesthetic drops so after using those I went to bed and slept. The next morning I woke to better eyesight than I had ever had with glasses or contact lenses. I was grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat and looking out the window reading registration numbers and signs. I had a follow up appointment at 9.20am and was cleared to drive with 20:20 vision in 1 eye and 16:20 in the other - all this only 15 hours after surgery. As the week has gone on my eyesight has got better and better and today I have not really even noticed that I've had anything done. My eyes are no longer sore, not dry and only a little red still. If it wasn't for having to put drops in I'd be totally back to normal except with perfect vision. An incredible journey that I would highly recommend to anyone considering it. Don't just sit there - you're wasting your time - get on with it - it's incredible.