Mr Pillai is the Medical Director at Advance Vision Care (AVC), which he founded back in 2003. Today, he is considered one of UK’s most respected, highly trained and experienced Consultant Refractive Surgeons.
With over 25 years’ experience under his belt, Mr Pillai has personally performed over 30,000 eye surgeries – more than many other ophthalmologists. He is also licenced to practice both in the UK and the USA, after having worked for years with the NHS, and in Indian eye hospitals.
As one of the first eye surgeons in the country to conduct bilateral LASIK (bladeless eye surgery on both eyes), Mr Pillai still performs all laser procedures at AVC.
1. Qualifications
Today, Mr Pillai is a Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCO), as well as the Royal College of Surgeons, and is registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). Membership of these bodies signals a stamp of approval within the ophthalmology industry.
Mr Pillai’s Formal Qualifications:
- 1990: Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists
- 1989: Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
- 1988: Diploma in Ophthalmology, Royal College of Surgeons, Glasgow
- 1982: Diploma in Ophthalmology, Madras University, India
- 1980: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Madras University, India
Mr Pillai’s Professional Affiliations:
- Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCO – UK)
- Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh
- British Society of Refractive Surgery (BSRS – UK)
- British Medical Association (BMA)
- American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO – UK)
- Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO – USA)
- American Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS – USA)
- International Society of Refractive Surgery (ISRS)
- European Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ESCRS)
What’s more, Mr Pillai is one of the few eye surgeons in the UK to receive a Fellowship in both Corneal and in Refractive Surgery: one at the University of Texas in the USA; and the other at The Queen Victoria Hospital in the UK.
And – as you would expect from someone who founded his own private practice – he is helping to innovate laser eye surgery technology through collaboration with the Technolas group think tank.
2. Experience
After working as an NHS Consultant for five years, Mr Pillai founded his own private clinic, AVC, in 2003. In addition to performing laser eye surgery himself, Mr Pillai still finds the time to present at international conferences, publish in peer-reviewed journals, and help train other surgeons in the UK.
Quite a few accolades help Mr Pillai stand out. Rare among them is his pioneering of the co-management approach. He gathered a network of clinical partners (all of whom are experienced and accredited optometrists) in England to act as a referral base for initial consultation and aftercare.
As a result, patients are able to receive qualified advice on their eye conditions, from an optometrist close to home. This is part of the AVC’s focus on personalised patient care.
Area of expertise:
- Corneal neovascularization (CNV), or the growth of new blood vessels in the eye
- Amniotic membrane transplantation
- Specular microscopy in uveitis
- Excimer laser surgery (such as LASIK and LASEK)
- Dry eye conditions
3. Mr C. T. Pillai Review: The Verdict
So, is Mr Pillai the right eye surgeon for you? Of course, that all depends on where you live, and what you’re looking for.
If you’re seeking laser eye surgery in London, you’ll be pleased to know Mr Pillai operates largely in the Harley Street AVC Clinic. Plus, Lasik Eyes reviewers comment on his compassionate, personable approach.
But depending on your budget, you may like to shop around. In any case, it’s always worth trying to meet your surgeon at an initial consultation to establish a good connection before the surgery.
☝ To find a top-rated laser eye surgery clinic near you, just click here to use our simple quote tool, and receive a tailored match and quote from a clinic you can trust.
Mr C.T. Pillai Reviews
tripty
Only been a week and I can see so clearly :) I cant express how happy I feel.I also got lucky with the price as there was an offer in Groupon when I booked my surgery so got a very good deal. Thank you so much to Dr Pillai (the surgeon) and brilliant staffs at AVC. I would highly recommend this clinic.Also if anyone is thinking of having a surgery here I have £500 off vouchers, you can email me at tripty_rs@hotmail.co.uk for details
Hannah Terlingen
Really impressed, very accomodating with emergency appointment. Approachable staff. All staff were lovely. Excellent care before, during and after treatment. Such amazing results. Best thing I ever did!
Alex Wright
When you sit up after the surgery and you can make out the sign on the wall above your head it’s quite over whelming! A few days later you start to realise you should have done this years ago. The service at AVC is faultless and my vision is perfect. Having the freedom to now do sport without the fuss of contact lenses has helped me perform much better and train more frequently.
John Koerbe
Fantastic experience from start to finish! Your highly professional, extremely capable and very friendly team filled me with confidence from start to finish. After considering a number of surgeons/clinics before deciding on AVC, I’m so glad I made the choice that I did and couldn’t be happier with the way I've been treated at all times. While my left eye has a small amount of improvement to go, I'm seeing as well/better than ever before at night and my right eye is perfect, and I'm hopeful it's going to get even better with time. I'm so happy that I had the surgery and thanks for a great result!
Daniel Smith
Great experience. I was very nervous but it was over with very quickly. Staff very professional and put you at ease. I am now glasses free and would recommend Advanced Vision Care to anyone. You can’t take a risk with your eyes so you go to the best.Advanced Vision Care was recommended to me by my mother who had her eyes done about 3 and a half years ago and has always said it was the best thing she ever had done.
Daniel Smith
Great experience. I was very nervous but it was over with very quickly. Staff very professional and put you at ease. I am now glasses free and would recommend Advanced Vision Care to anyone. You can’t take a risk with your eyes so you go to the best.Advanced Vision Care was recommended to me by my mother who had her eyes done about 3 and a half years ago and has always said it was the best thing she ever had done.
Zeinegul Salimova
I always wanted to do corrective eye surgery and be able to see my daughter's cheeky smile in the morning, but I was delaying the decision for years. I chose Advanced Vision Care as my optician recommended Mr Pillai. Pawel Marcinkowski, who dealt with my appointments and assisted during the surgery, was always friendly and highly professional. He and Mr Pillai answered my questions and concerns. I made a decision to go ahead with the surgery when I was told that if the eyesight does not improve after the surgery, the clinic will do a corrective surgery free of charge and continue providing after-care. This was important for me as my eyesight was really bad (big minus and astigmatism on both eyes), therefore I needed this reassurance. The surgery was quick and painless. I could see well almost immediately. After three months Mr Pillai advised me to have a corrective surgery as my eyesight was not settled. The corrective surgery was even quicker than the first one. I am very happy with the result and recommend AVC to everyone with bad eye sight. One of my friends had his surgery done at AVC after I told him about my experience. I know that if I have any concerns about my eyesight, I can always call Pawel for advice. But I am sure, I would not have any concerns :) The happiest person is my daughter as now I can see her well without glasses.
Ian Reed
From start to finish I can’t fault the service I have received.Before coming to AVC, I had had previous consultations with both Optimax and Vision Express and neither came close to the level of care and attention to detail as AVC. I put off having treatment for five years as I wasn’t happy with the way I was treated by the other companies.After my treatment I really couldn’t be happier.Best thing I’ve ever done.
Ian Reed
From start to finish I can’t fault the service I have received.Before coming to AVC, I had had previous consultations with both Optimax and Vision Express and neither came close to the level of care and attention to detail as AVC. I put off having treatment for five years as I wasn’t happy with the way I was treated by the other companies.After my treatment I really couldn’t be happier.Best thing I’ve ever done.
Dr Sarah Frearson
I am thrilled – my eyesight is better than it has ever been, even with glasses.All the staff at AVC are/were friendly, approachable and professional.I was extremely impressed with every aspect of the treatment – including the aftercare.Thank you.
