Optimax

I had LASIK at Aberdeen branch of Advanced Laser Eye Clinic in November 2003. Since then I have experienced many eye troubles. Half of my original prescription has come back, so I must still wear glasses. Contact lenses are out, since my eyes now get painfully dry. As soon as things started to go wrong, the Clinic's attitude to me changed - far from giving me more care, they made me feel like the fault was mine as 'all surgery contains risks' (even though I had not been fully warned of these risks before the surgery) and I got the clear impression that they saw me as a nuisance. I asked them for a payment towards new glasses, they refused to help. And even though the surgery had not achieved what I had paid for, I did not get a penny back. And, of course, they didn't give me a customer feedback form to place in their folder of happy testimonials in the waiting room - like my problems were of no interest to them, and they didn't care about learning from them so they wouldn't happen again. PLEASE, PLEASE, if you want to speak to me about this - because you've had a similar experience, or because you're contemplating using this clinic - get in touch. Sadly, this industry (I could never call it 'care provision') does not have the proper regulation that it should have, and if you have a bad experience, there's not much that can be done - that is why those of us who have complaints need to track each other down and work together, and why those who are considering laser surgery should think VERY carefully. The facts are there on the internet - don't just read the sales leaflet and DVD.

I had LASIK eye surgery on the 26 Jan. I had really looked in to procedure and really wanted to avoid wearing glasses to watch the TV and drive as I could never find them. My eyes were not so bad but I wanted to avoid glasses except for reading. I was told the pain might be bad but I was not prepared for how bad it was.i must admit that was a shock. Having been a fireman and playing active sports all my life the pain will always be remembered. I could not open my eyes from one hour after surgery - so from 7 pm om the 26th until noon on the 29th No matter how I tried I could not. On the 30th I went to my first after care and had the bandage lenses removed. I had a brief eye test but could see very little. I called Optimax daily to say there was no improvement in my vision. i was told it could take a day or 2 but I felt the eyes were worse. I went back to Optimax on the Feb 2 for a check as I could not see enough to look at words on a computer screen or even the keys on the keyboard. It could not see clearly to drive. The doctor at Optimax confirmed it was early days but agreed my vision at the time of seeing me was no better than before surgery. From the tests the doctor agreed my vision was just a blurr. No one knows what went wrong but here I am on Feb 21 and exactly the same. I cannot see to operate a computer so my daughter is typing this. I cannot drive as vision is not clear. I am really struggling with this as i can also not see to use a phone, road signs, read, call out numbers on a credit cards. see players on a pitch. This was a presnt for my 50th birthday tomorrow 22 nd Feb from all my family and friends plus my savings but here I am with much worse vision than I started with. Even the vari focal glasses had before surgery are worthless as they are not strong enough. I have an appointment with a doctor at Optimax on the 9 march. This cannot come sooner for me as I dont know what to do next.

After having Lasik and wavefront more than 6 weeks ago I have never been so disappointed. I can only say that you should speak to some of the few % of people it doesnt work for. My vision was -5 in both eyes. It is now -2 in one eye and +2 in the other eye. I have had steroid drops for 6 weeks to try and help the light sensitivity,but I am still unable to drive at night due to headlights. Working is very difficult as I use an ultrasound M/C so I am having to have my scans checked by a junior member of staff. My vision is a blur. I have been re assured that things will get better, I really hope so. I wish I had never had it done.

WREAKED MY LIFE

The best part of two years on and I am still in almost constant pain. From the moment I get up until I go to bed I am thinking about my eyes. I cannot watch television for any length of time, being at the computer is painful, reading is a strain, I struggle to concentrate, lights bother me and I can no longer go to the cinema or theatre.

My vision is so much poorer than with my glasses, the term “night and day” does not cover it. I have had to cut back on driving as I do not feel confident with my sight as well as it being a strain.

I am suffering from severe chronic dry eyes which not only causes pain but distorts the vision because of a “wrinkling” on the surface.

After a day at work, I cannot go out in the evening and often go to bed when I come home. I cannot do any of the things I used to enjoy and life is miserable.

Oh, how I miss my days with my glasses- I’d stick them on and I’d see properly and I wasn’t in pain.

My life has been wrecked by this surgery. I was never warned of the severity of the risks. They also keep quiet that 1 in 3 people still need glasses after having the procedure.

The worst thing I ever did. Optimax have completely wreaked my life. I feel I have nothing to ever look forward to again.

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…

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!

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

My first appointment with Optimax in Hove was for a brief consultation. The morning, 22nd August, of the appointment they rang and cancelled just as I was about to leave the house as the optician hadn’t turned up.

The next appointment went as planned (26 September) and then I was booked in for the full assessment on 21st October. The appointment was for 8:45 in the morning and the optician eventually rolled in at 9:30, by which time other patients (victims) had started to arrive.

I have previously had laser surgery, around twenty years ago, and also had a cataract in the right eye. It is only the right eye which needs treating.

At the end of the appointment the optician said that he would have to contact the surgeon to find out if it was going to be possible to carry out the further treatment on the eye and he would be in touch in a few days. As I was leaving I asked one of the receptionists to confirm the cost of the treatment and she said that it was £395 per eye.

After three weeks I rang to find out why I had not had any contact regarding the date of the operation. At this point the receptionist told me that if I wanted to pay the surgeon direct I could do so and not have the operation through Optimax. Amazing! This woman is sitting in Optimax, Hove, and stealing the clients away from the company as she and the surgeon have their own little scheme running.

I asked about the cost and she said that the Optimax price is £1600 per eye (so where did the £395 come from?) She also repeated that if I dealt direct with the surgeon it would be cheaper.

I am still waiting for her to ring back – 29th. November 2016!

I’ll make it clear I never had treatment…by optimax anyway. I had everything booked, however on the day of the surgeon consultation I was turned away for apparently having dry eyes, something which I have never been diagnosed with and still haven’t.

My review isn’t to criticise the actual surgery, it’s to explain how I was treated after I was turned away. I have eczema and always have, which makes my skin very dry, however it is quite controlled currently. The surgeon quickly decided not to go ahead, and stated even if he was to do it in the future it would be the version that would take much longer to heal. This was devastating to me, as someone who thought they were only a week away from life changing surgery, also with my skin only a year ago I was hospitalised and have seen my skin as something which is ruining my life, this only seemed to confirm it. The staff at Glasgow were nice in dealing with me being so upset but I was definitely made to feel like a part of a convener belt by the surgeon himself.

To add insult to injury very soon after I received an email telling me I had cancelled my surgery and suggesting I book it again. When I responded, still upset and furious for them suggesting that I cancelled something I had wanted for years it was claimed I was diagnosed as having dry eyes, which I don’t.

The happy ending is I am now 10 days post op and so happy with the results achieved by Optical Express. I mentioned several times my skin condition and was checked over a few times before my surgery and no issues were spotted. I have also had no issues with dry eyes since the surgery and although of course I have eye drops provided my healing I have been told is better than expected.

I had LASIK with Optimax (aka Ultralase) in May 2016 and they have ruined my eyes.
I was encouraged by Optimax to have this surgery and told I was an excellent candidate. I had nine weeks of blurred vision, lost my sight for five days and have been left with extremely painful eyes and poor sight. I have corneal neuralgia from damaged nerves in my eyes. This pain NEVER goes away and has changed my life. I believe that I wasn’t suitable for this surgery and that I should have been turned away. The aftercare from Optimax is appalling and they are not helping me.
Please do your research before having any surgery on your eyes as there are many many people like me. This industry is unregulated and seen as cosmetic.