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
Julia Dawkins
lens replacement went well. Following that I needed remediation treatment on one eye – lazer treatment. I was asked back a total of 8 times to review my eyes but was not explained anything about what or why I should have dry eyes. treat ment for that was hardly explained and I returned many ties without any further treatment scheduled, nor with any explanation of how they would proceed. after a year almost to the day I was given lazer remediation treatment. On the day all the proper tests were carried out before the treatment. However I overheard that my data had crashed to computer which instructed the lazer what to do. Finally after 3 and a half hours someone came to me and said they had solved their”little ” problem and work would now commence. I was really scared by the time I sat in the chair for my eye to be lazered (!) and had to say to the doctor that I just had to trust his expertise that he would not proceed if anything was wrong.
Terrible after care service and lack of information. I wrote complaining to them on March1st (I think) and still have had only an acknowledgement, but no reply to my complaiint. Outrageous! Would not reccommend to anyone.
Alan Hills
Hi All, Had some progess on what to do if you're stuck for aftercare but I think it would be inappropriate for me to post it here. Please get in touch with me via the email above and I can let you know what resolution I've managed to get and hopefully help out a little. Cheers, Alan
Steve Humberstone
Lasik at Optimax Bristol. Staff excellent and helpful. Had Lasik for Myopia and Astigmatism. Combined minus 5.5D. Early results very good. Op and post op was free apart from a mild grittiness. Keep putting the drops in! Post op follow ups very professionally handled. Only issue is that Astig correction hasn't settled quite as it should have done which proabably means another lasik adjustment to correct (FOC). I will say that this is down to me and my healing not the clinic! Having been though the procedure once I'm happy and confident that the tweak will do the job. I will add further comments here as and when :)
Annie Dale
Lasik treatment really has revolutionised my life. The best money Ive ever spent. My treatment was arranged very quickly, carried out efficiently and is unbelievably successful. 20/20 vision - amazing
Katrina Staples
I had Epi-Lasik at the Manchester clinic in June-05. Both my eye's were approx -4.0. All the eyes test etc given before the treatment were quick and easy. I was in the treatment room for less than 10 minutes and that included the time to clamp and prepare both eyes and the laser treatment (about 15 seconds for each eye). There was NO PAIN at all during the treatment. After the treatment I was told that within 30 minutes my eyes would begin to feel heavy (as though I wanted to close them and go to sleep) and so was advised to stay in a dark room. And that’s exactly what happened. I was very fortunate that I DIDN’T HAVE ANY PAIN for the first 48 hours like most people do. Not sure if this was something to do with me previously having worn 30 day extended wear contact lens, so I was used to sleeping in lens. I had an aftercare appointment after 3 days where the ‘bandage’ lenses were removed (again NO PAIN). My eye sight was as good as with my contact lenses with a week and a half and continued to get sharper by the day. And now 5 weeks since the treatment my eye sight is perfect. Included in the cost of treatment were all the aftercare appointments, which I’ve always managed to get an appointment for a Saturday (even had the treatment on a Saturday). It’s the best thing I’ve done – should have had the treatment years ago!
Paul Morgan
I had Epi Lasik surgery at the Optimax clinic in Bristol. Being in the forces and quite sporty the constant battle trying to keep glasses in good nick and the annoyance of having to take them off for sport (leaving me blind!) was enough for me to take the risk of surgery...and to be honest the worry of "what if I'm left blind?" is not to be underestimated. The booking process and staff at Bristol are excellent and I even shared emails with Russell the boss...now where do you know where the boss has the time or inclination to talk to the customers?? The op took only a few minutes and was totally painless, the recovery period mildly uncomfortable for a couple of days but after that every day just got better. I flew back to work on day four and had better than 20/20 vision on day five. My quality of life cannot be measured to before I had the op... quite simply this is the best money I have EVER spent!! I would with hindsight go for the Lasik (under the surface) treatment only because there is virtually no recovery period required and as stated the first couple of days are uncomfortable. My advice is don't just think about it, do it! :)
janine payne
I had epi-lasek at the Birmingham clinic just under a week ago (19/6/05). I had prepared myself for the worst, and imagined dreadful pain, both during and afterwards. I can honestly say, it was fine. The actual procedure is over very quickly, and really doesn't hurt...just a slight feeling of pressure. Within half an hour, my eyes were very sore, but nowhere near as bad as I had imagined. My eyelids became quite swollen, and being in a bright room was uncomfortable, so I took two sleeping tablets (provided) and went to bed. By the next morning, most of the swelling had gone down and the soreness had eased. I just felt like I usually do when I've had my contact lenses in too long. I didn't need to take the ibuprofen (also provided) after the first night. Two days later I had the bandage lenses removed (no pain during or after) and was told that I was already legal to drive. Apart from a little occasional blurring, I would guess that my sight is as good as it was with my glasses, and I'm looking forward to my next aftercare appointment to find out for sure. I would advise anyone planning on epi-lasek to allow themselves at least five days to recover...I found my eyes felt tired quickly, and wouldn't have wanted to be by a computer screen or having to do lots of reading/writing. It also helps if there is someone around to put the eyedrops in after...not easy to do yourself in the first few hours! I can't believe how much more confident I feel now that I don't need my glasses, and wish I hadn't put it off for so long! It is a big decision to take, but I did a lot of background reading beforehand, and my surgeon answered all my questions clearly. It was also comforting to know that there was a 24hr help line, although I didn't need it. All the best to anyone about to have surgery.
Lee Parker
Had eye surgery at Croydon after wearing glasses for the past 12 years. I saw an offer from Optimax on ebay and out of curiosity went for it. I paid an amazing £810 for both eyes and the process was so simple and quick. It was difficult for the first 2 days and the vision was getting better for the first week. Now have perfect eye sight, wearing sunglasses when I want to, going swimming etc. Basically doing all the things I couldn't do before. If I'd known about this 12 years ago I would have signed up then!
sally whittle
Excellent. Had surgery at Leeds clinic. My eyes were -1.75 and -2.50 and now have 20/20 vision. It was painful the first few hours, however, my husband does say I am a baby! Staff were very help and I would absolutely recommend Optimax to everyone, in fact I do. Wish I'd had it done years ago! Thank you.
Michelle Tuohey
I had epi-Lasek early April 2005. Before this my prescription was -4.00 in both eyes. I could see that my eyesight had improved drastically straight after the procedure and over the next 7 days everything became much sharper, a pleasure that I had not enjoyed without the aid of glasses/contact lenses in 20 years. Now after 2 aftercare appointments I have been told that my vision is 20/20 and that I am even reading the line below the 20/20 grading! The staff at Optimax Birmingham were excellent before and after surgery and my Eye Surgeon was very friendly,thorough and honest. This was the best decision that I had ever made. I cannot tell you how happy I am being given my eyesight back. I am on holiday at the moment and am able to swim, something I have not enjoyed since my teenage years. I would recomend this to anyone thinking about having it done, the reward is simply the best.
Colin Howe
I had both my eyes lasered much more than ten years ago (please let me know!) at the Finchley clinic. The technology then did not permit both to be done at the same time so I had mine done about six months apart. I experienced pain and discomfort for a few days after each operation and it was several weeks before achieving perfect sight but the benefits massively outweigh the inconvenience of contact lenses and spectacles. My sight is still perfect and with the advances in technology, I would thoroughly recommend this procedure to anyone thinking about treatment - get on and do it!
