Deposit Refunds

Hi I recently went to my local Optical Express to see if i qualified for laser eye surgery. I had all test etc done then they sat me in a room after filling in all my forms saying I suffer from severe anxiety and they basically booked my appointment for me with Dr Muhammad Kazmi then handed me the card machine to pay my £500 deposit without giving me any time to think. I was really flustered and felt as though if I didn’t pay it they would think I had wasted there time. They was already being very pushy at this stage and because I had been considering it I thought what’s the worst, however she had booked my surgery for a week and a half after my initial consultation meaning I only had days to think about my decision. I was told I would speak to a consultant prior to surgery which did not happen and when I asked if I could they said well your surgery is too close so now we can't organise this. I then went on to call them to ask several more questions as I was getting anxious at this stage, to be given a long list of side effects I was not made aware of before paying my £500 deposit. I asked for this back on the phone and they said that would not now be possible. I also googled the suregon and seen bad reports about him. I have also signed up to a 0% finance agreement and with surgery due tomorrow I really don’t want it and don’t know how to best proceed!
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admin: Please send your phone number
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

Update ...
i got my £500 deposit back with the help from Sasha in less then a week...
These crooks wasn't responding to any calls or emails and didn't want to refund my money ...as soon as Sasha got involved they abruptly called me and gave me a refund to my bank...
I was a bit dubious that I'd get it back... lovely to have someone dedicated to fight our corner against these disgusting crooks thank you so very much for your help

Dear Sasha iam hoping you can help with this issue, In February of this year , I decided to treat myself to lens replacement surgery so made a appointment at OE,s Leicester branch(14 Feb) after several tests i was told I was suitable for surgery. But at a cost of £7790 ,I said I could not afford that so was given a 10% discount which made the cost £7011 which I agreed to so paid £500 deposit.
On the day of the surgery (9th March) I checked into OE,s Nottingham branch. After 2hrs of tests the surgeon said she couldn't recommend surgery because of slight pitting on the lens surface, she informed me that I would receive a full refund within 28 days.... 27 days later funds were deposited into my account minus £500
So on the 5th April I contacted OE to enquire about the missing £500 when I was told that even though the surgeon said she would not recommend surgery I still could have had the procedure, so based on that I would incur a admin fee.
2 days later I received an email from OE saying it would hold a investigation which could take up 3 wks, so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you Stephen Oldfield
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admin: This is a definite complaint for the GOC!
Please send your phone number
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

Just wanted to say a massive thank you to Sasha for helping me get my full £500 deposit back. You have helped so many people and continue to do so not only in helping people get back their deposits but also helping to raise awareness of the actual risks involved in Lazer eye surgery that seem to be kept hush hush.
Thank god you're doing what you're doing keep up the great work you're an absolute star.

I went for a laser eye surgery consultation at Optical Express in Meadowhall on 1st March but was told I needed lens exchange surgery. After various tests the sales person told me she was so happy for me as I was lucky to be suitable for surgery and it would be life changing.

The optometrist said there was a freckle showing on my retina but he didn't know what it was and he'd have to refer me to see the surgeon before she operated.
I was then asked to pay £500 deposit to book surgery on 29th March at Optical Express in Nottingham with Dr Boytha.

Then the surgery date was moved to 4th April because the surgeon had a family emergency and on 1st April I saw Dr Sameena Sheriff instead, but the drops that an optometrist put in my eyes hadn’t dilated enough so she said she needed to add more. She couldn’t find any in the cupboard and went to ask the staff but there was no-one there. She came back into the room and my husband was shocked when she picked up an already opened sachet and put that in my eyes.

She said she wasn’t a retinal specialist and didn’t know what the freckle was so needed to contact someone else for an opinion before she operated and cancelled my surgery. She showed me multifocal lens and said these might not work depending on the scan result and recommended I have monofocal lens which are just for distance. My husband told her that was ridiculous as it defeated the purpose of me having surgery!

She said someone would call me on Monday 3rd April to discuss the result of the scan but no-one did.

I feel I was mislead by the sales people that this surgery would correct my eyes because it's a total gamble if it will actually improve my eyes at all and whether this treatment is even safe or suitable for me.

I sent an email asking for a refund after the surgeon cancelled and have called countless times but they’re not replying. Please can you help ?
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admin: Please send your phone number
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

Hello Sasha,

I just wanted to let you know, that I have been sent a mail from OE and also had them call me to confirm my refund has been issued despite them initially advising me that I wasn’t going to get any of of my £500 deposit back!

Thank you so much for your help and guidance, I very much appreciate it!

Cheers
Kieran

Thank you for helping me retrieve all my £500 deposit!
I’m so glad I came across your page and I’m grateful for you helping me, you’re doing amazing work.

Hi Sasha,
I was hoping you might be able to help me retrieve my £500 deposit back from optical express.
I have forwarded the email to you that I sent the Truro branch.
My initial consultation was on the Friday 17th March. I thought all was well at first but as I started to research more and more over that weekend things were coming to light.

I am so glad I came across this website before it was too late and I have now cancelled my surgery.

The icing on cake for me was my pre surgery phone call from Hannah Monteith on the 24th March. When asked how long I can expect my results to last I was told she could not guarantee any time frame or even if any correction would be possible and I may still need glasses after surgery??!
This definitely was not the information I was given on my initial appointment at the Truro branch. I was expected to hand over nearly £5000 for absolutely zero guarantee of anything.... Umm thanks but no thanks.
I started noticing many variations of information that was being fed to me and alarm bells starting ringing. Changes of information along with satisitics was not filling me with confidence one bit.
I would greatly appreciate any help in getting my full £500 deposit back.

Keep up the good work you seem to be helping so many people all in similar situations so a big thank you.
__________________________
admin:
Please send your phone number
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

Hello,

I would very much appreciate your help and assistance to obtain my £500 deposit back. I am in a similar position to many others, in so much as I attended a consultation in Cheltenham where I was told 'congratulations, you are eligible for multifocal LENS replacement surgery' and right off the bat said 'we will discount the treatment by £400'.

I went away, thought on it and after I was contacted by a customer care representative I decided to move forward and was booked into Bristol on 17th April at 9am for the surgery with Mr Manu Mathew & In order to secure this date I needed to pay £500.

Prior to the surgery, I was told I would be contacted by a 'clinician' (which I was on Monday 20th March) who asked me a few questions and he said that he was happy based on what he heard and saw to move forward with the surgery. I don't know who he was but I don't think he was a surgeon.

I was on the fence anyway, especially as I’m only 44, but then I came across this site & forum and that solidified my decision. As such I called to cancel and they said, 'you are not entitled to your deposit back, it is in the T's & C's'.

I would very much appreciate your help and assistance to obtain my £500 deposit back.

Thanks
Kieran
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admin:
Manu Mathew has a significantly high number of legal claims from his damaged patients, and you are way too young for RLE (lens exchange). A complaint needs to be made to the GOC, and possibly the GMC.
Please send your phone number
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

Hi Sasha,

I have a surgery booked for Saturday 1st April for LASIK at Optical Express Shaftesbury Avenue clinic with a surgeon whose name I was told but not given any details about him in my email confirmation. I realised I don't want it anymore after finding so many horror stories from Optical Express patients on this website and online. I wasn't told any of the risks when I paid the £500 deposit and I want it back. What should I do and can you help please?


___________________________
admin:
Please send your phone number
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk