Optimax / Ultralase consultation comparison

I want to make it clear that this is merely my personal experience of consultations at the Ipswich Optimax clinic and Chelmsford Ultralase clinics. If you’re trying to choose a laser eye treatment provider I strongly urge you to do your own research and go and have a few consultations with different providers.

(Ultralase = U. Optimax = O.)

Location:
O – Central Ipswich, no parking but car park is 5 minute walk and access for cars to pick up following surgery.
U – Central Chelmsford. Again no parking, but 2 min walk to car park and cars could mount pavement to collect after surgery.

Reception area:
O – Room full of cream leather chairs that remind me of airplane chairs (they look like they fold back for sleeping). Not unpleasant but not a place I’d like to spend too much time. Drink machines provided.
U – Modern, well maintained. TV, magazines and drink machines provided. Reception desk as soon as you enter the room.

Staff:
O – Receptionist who also did the tests on the machines, surgeon who does the consultation (and will also do the surgery). Both seemed a bit bored (it was 5.30pm on a Monday night) and not too enthusiastic. Surgeon did not seem interested in answering my questions – he could tell I’d researched and so didn’t bother explaining things too thorougly or checking what I'd heard.
U – Receptionist / Personal advisor, Ophthalmologist who does the tests. Answered all questions and Ophthalmologist made sure that what I’d researched was correct.

Equipment:
O – I noticed some condensation in some of the lenses used when checking my prescription. The testing machines weren't connected to a computer.
U – Seems brand new or else very well maintained. Some of the machines were plugged into a computer so the Ophthalmologist knew instantly whether to re-do the test.

Tests:
O – Completed and then had to wait to see if needed doing it again. I needed to go back at the end of my consultation to have one test repeated as it hadn’t come out clear. Receptionist was not too communicative about what was happening.
U – Did each test a few times so that there was an average result achieved. Ophthalmologist chatted to me throughout, telling me when to blink and what the results were each time.

Advice:
O – Surgeon asked what laser eye surgery I was interested in as I was apparently suitable for either LASEK or LASIK. In a split second I asked myself if I trusted this man with a microkeratome (hand held cutting device) and my cornea. The answer was no, so I said I was interested in LASEK. He advised me this was safer. He wasn’t too concerned about me working with a VDU all day.
U – The Ophthalmologist informed me that I have ‘steep eyes’ so actually Intralase or LASEK would be the most sensible options as with steep eyes the risks of flap complications are greatly increased. He advised me that using a PC all day would make LASEK the sensible option. Overall the Ophthalmologist was great at giving me advice, which was based on both his own experience of laser eye surgery, and his experience with patients.

Price:
O – Cheap. For Epi-LASEK I would be paying under £800 for both eyes.
U – Expensive. For Ultralasekplus I would be paying £2990 for both eyes.

Results:
The only appealing factor about choosing laser eye surgery with Optimax is the price. For everything else – staff, equipment, level of advice provided and my confidence in the company – Ultralase is in a completely different league.

If this was a car getting me from A to B then sure I’d choose the cheaper, old banger, option. But this is my eyesight, the quality of my vision, the quality of my life we’re talking about here.

It’s going to be Ultralase, because I’m worth it (swish of the hair).