Laser Eye Surgery - Independent Clinic Comparisons
Companies often like to say they are "the
best". Some Laser Eye Surgery providers even claim 99-100% success
rates. It is important to remember:
- All leading Laser Eye Surgery clinics
produce very good results.
- Claims of 99-100% success rates often
only apply to very strict data criteria e.g. results from
younger patients or small prescriptions. This
can rule out a large number of patients.
Independent and impartial government and consumer watchdog
bodies have compared the high street Laser
Eye Surgery providers. Find out how they are performing
by checking the reports below.
Care Quality Commission 2009/10 Reports
All Laser Eye Surgery clinics need to be registered with the
Care Quality Commission and comply with the Care Standards Act
2000 and associated regulations. The Care Quality Commission produces
independent reports and quality ratings for all registered
healthcare services against a set of National Minimum
Standards.
Compare the latest inspection results for the top 3
Laser Eye Surgery clinics in the UK:
|
Clinics
|
No. Clinics
Inspected
|
No. Areas
Inspected
|
Standards
Met
or Almost
Met
|
|
Optimax
|
7
|
66
|
100%
|
|
Ultralase
|
4
|
47
|
81%
|
|
Optical Express
|
4
|
35
|
97%
|
BBC Watchdog - Laser Eye Surgery Consultations
Watchdog reports on Laser Eye Surgery consultations at Optical
Express, watch here.
Which? - Report Ratings for Laser Eye Surgery
Consultations
Expert Which? researchers
rated Laser Eye Surgery consultations standards at a range of
providers. This is how the consultations were rated, read research notes here.
Independent Guidance
You may wish to check the following independent websites for
advice on Laser Eye Surgery from impartial
organisations and bodies:
It is important to remember:
- All leading Laser Eye Surgery providers produce very
good results.
-
- Although no serious complications have arisen from Laser Eye
Surgery over 21 years, no surgical procedure is entirely
risk-free.
-
- Claims of 99-100% success rates often only apply to strict
data criteria, e.g. results from younger patients or those
with small prescriptions. This can be misleading as
can rule out a large number of patients, which may lead
to unrealistic expectations of surgery.
-
- Companies often like to say they are the "best". No Laser Eye
Surgery provider can make this statement factually, however, as
they do not have access to the private medical data needed to make
an objective and accurate comparison.
-
- The Royal College of Ophthalmologists
recommends considering how many treatments your surgeon
has performed, particularly for patients with a similar
prescription to you.
-
- You will receive a factual,
real-time results report during your consultation at
Optimax, drawn from patients with a
similar age and prescription to you. This will
give you an idea of the results that people who are similar to
you achieved at Optimax.
-
- All our doctors are highly qualified and
experienced eye surgeons, who, after many years have treated
thousands of patients.
Remember to consider:
- Your individual optical characteristics e.g. pupil size. This can affect
which Laser Eye Surgery treatment/procedure is right for you. This can
be confirmed on your consultation.
-
- Your expectations for vision and a
realistic improvement for you. Consider risks vs.
benefits.
FAQs About Laser Eye Surgery Clinics
Q. Is there any difference in the Lifetime Aftercare
Guarantees between companies?
There can be quite significant differences and
clauses that can void aftercare agreements. You should request and
examine the terms and conditions from each provider you are
considering.
Optimax Aftercare has the following
advantages:
All
necessary aftercare, free, for as long as you need it, even after
you are discharged.
Surgeon's emergency contact number (for the
night following your treatment).
Remedial treatment provided, free, until you reach a
satisfactory result.
Q. Are your surgeons registered? As
another provider has suggested that they may not be, or may not
have passed the specialist examinations.
All Laser Eye surgeons in the UK
must be registered with the
GMC,
(General Medical Council) and be fully trained ophthalmologists
with additional qualifications and training in Laser Eye Surgery,
in order to be able to practice.
All Eye Surgeons at
Optimax:
GMC registered.
Qualified from the Royal
College of Ophthalmologists.
Fellows or Members of the Royal College of
Ophthalmologists.
Highly experienced.
Optimax has performed over
350,000 treatment since
1992.
The Royal College of
Ophthalmologists have recently developed a certificate of
competence; an assessment which the majority of our doctors
have already sat.
View our surgeons and check their
qualifications.
Q. You claim to have done over
350,000 treatments, whereas
another company claim 700,000 and are chosen by more
people?
Important to
Consider:
Unlike other providers, we only claim the
treatments that are performed in our clinics. Over
350,000 treatments have been
performed by Optimax, since 1992.
Many eye surgeons now working independently or with
other laser companies in the UK, trained at Optimax when they were Fellows
(doctors in training).
You should consider the number of treatments your
surgeon has performed.
Q. I feel I have been pressured
into having treatment by another clinic.
You will never be pressured, or ‘sold to’ at
Optimax.
An independent report from BBC Watchdog highlights that this is not
always the case with some providers. Overhyping the
benefits is unprofessional and inappropriate.
The choice is yours and we leave it to you to book
your treatment.
You should consider seeing more than one provider
and go wherever you feel most comfortable, as the company you
choose will be looking after you for life.