"From £395 per eye" to £595 per in ONE FELL SWOOP!

Competence - a term that can be used widely and I suppose includes all facets of care provision. It is not necessarily the knowledge and ability (components of competence) but the overall manner of care provision. Sadly profit is the main driver and becomes the all consuming issue and to provide care at discounted prices means cutting corners.

Let's be clear, this is not an inexpensive service to provide - doing it well and individualising care which is what all patients deserve...

In reply to InthebusinessnotOE. What you are saying in fact, is that there are businesses/clinics optoms and surgeons involved in performing surgery on peoples eyes that are clearly not competent to be doing so. This is borne out by the huge number of damaged patients that have suffered at the hands of "the industry".

Advertised prices "From £395" (now £595) is a marketing ploy and available to only a small pecentage

OE work on tight margins relying on turnover, hence their disregard for damaged patients who don't generate further income.

I believe that the adverse publicity is obviously hitting turnover and there are only two ways of maintaining bottom line profit

a) Increase margin on sales
and/or
b) cut costs.

As costs are already cut to the bone further reductions can only have a significant impact on "patient care".

The increased "From £595" does nothing to shake off OEs cut price conveyor belt image, especially as at the same time they advertise 50% off surgery.

How can you slash 50% and still maintain safety standards?

I did not decide on OE because it was the cheapest as I'd not made any price comparisons and went for a consultation with the intention of finding out more, but by the end of it I had booked surgery.

With hindsight I now realise that I was subjected to a hard sell and a 'pincer movement' with exaggerated claims from the counsellor and flippant dismissal of risks whilst the optometrist dismissed my dry eye problems.

We are talking life changing surgery here and rightly expect these people are acting with professional integrity, so never for one minute did I consider these two would have anything but my best interests at heart.

Others are absolutely right. It is just not possible to do safe laser eye surgery at £595 per eye and make a "margin" no matter how high you pile them up, take whatever shortcuts, use old technology, use optoms etc. etc.

Unfortunately bait and switch is what is in reality happening. If you do get it at this absurd price: you get what you pay for...

First class surgery with first class planning and attention to detail is not inexpensive. Surely you all want the best for your eyes - why compromise ? Better not to have it at all if good surgery is felt to be unaffordable.

"Bait-and-switch is a form of fraud used in retail sales"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bait-and-switch

That was the carrot that hooked me unfortunately! If they'd advertised "From £1500 per eye" it's unlikely I'd have contacted them.

That base price is only offered for prescription of minus 1 if I remember correctly. But once the sales patter starts offering big discount "for today only", interest free credit over 2 years etc... you're hooked
:blink:

The £595 per eye figure is still misleading, or more accurately totally false, as no-one would, in reality, be having a so-called standard procedure performed on their eyes at that price.
It's like a car maker saying you can buy one of their models from, say, £3000, but this is without essential/compulsory spec' upgrades like an engine and wheels.

Optical Express TV ad now advertising surgery from £595 per eye.

That's £200 = 33% increase in the space of a few days!

Either
a. OE are trying to shake off their CUT PRICE image
or
b. Turnover has dropped through the floor and they're trying to improve margins.:lol: