Optical Express

Optical Express: eye surgery and optical care in the UK

Optical Express is a British eye surgery and optical services chain that presents itself as the UK's number one provider of laser eye surgery. Its activity combines refractive surgery with conventional optical care: eye tests, contact lenses, glasses and prescription sunglasses. The company states that it has clinics throughout the country and its own clinical teams of surgeons and optometrists.

Vision correction treatments

The core of the offering is three surgical lines. Laser eye surgery aims to reduce dependence on glasses and contact lenses; within this, techniques such as LASIK and LASEK are detailed, with information on suitability criteria, recovery and aftercare. Lens replacement can correct both distance and near vision, and includes refractive lens replacement and presbyopia surgery. Cataract surgery is offered as a private service, with the possibility of accessing the UK's National Health Service (NHS) pathway, and shares with the other lines the YAG laser capsulotomy technique.

Pre-assessment and follow-up

The company structures the process around a free consultation in which the clinical team evaluates the patient's eyes, lifestyle and prescription to determine which treatment may be most appropriate. The site indicates that 85.2% of patients seen in consultations between 2017 and 2017 were considered suitable for a refractive procedure, a figure the company presents as a suitability reference. The programme also includes aftercare and follow-up after the intervention.

Surgeons, technology and facilities

According to its own presentation, Optical Express surgeons have performed more than two million procedures worldwide. The company states that it has invested more than £500 million in its clinics and in diagnostic and surgical technology, and mentions the publication of clinical papers and the existence of quality and governance bodies. The track record it claims goes back almost 35 years since the opening of its first optician's.

Optics and eye health

Beyond surgery, the chain maintains a full optical activity: eye tests, dry eye treatments, information on eye conditions and on understanding your prescription, as well as a selection of glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses. It also has a corporate eye care service and its own magazine and news publication.

Prices, finance and advertised guarantees

The site showed laser eye surgery from £549 per eye, with the clarification that the price depends on the prescription and the type of treatment. The company offers finance options, including a ten-month interest-free option, and a money-back guarantee if 20/20 vision is not achieved, a result that according to its data 99% of patients achieve. It also states that 99% of respondents would recommend the clinic to family and friends, based on a survey of 320,659 patients.

International presence

Alongside its network of clinics in the UK, the company operates in Ireland, Germany and Croatia, according to the links on its national sites.

Location and contact

200 St Vincent Street, G2 5SG