REFRACTIVE LENS EXCHANGE aka RLE/NLR +IOLs

Rodney your problems are shared by thousands. These evil organisations and individuals have robbed people of perfectly healthy eyes for monetary gain. I wish I could pay them ten times the £4000 I gave them to return my eyesight as it was before RLE.

I pray these evil folk are brought to justice soon and no one further is inflicted by the loss and pain so many of us have. As mentioned time after time, the salespeople and their surgeons wear glasses, they will never have their natural lens replaced. One wonders why?!

I have major problems since undergoing RLE at Optical Express in 2013 performed by Dimitris Kazakos.

I have permanently tired dry eyes and need to apply drops frequently every day.

I have severe glare and difficulty seeing in bright lights and sunshine. I can no longer drive at night because of the glare and starbursts.

Reading and focusing on news print, computer, reading books etc... is not what I was told to expect after RLE. I had no issues when using bifocals and was able to see clearly with none of the problems I have now.

I was misled at my “free" examination/consultation yet Optical Express do not accept any responsibility.

It gets worse!

Because of the glare since having these lenses fitted I had a very bad accident a few months ago while on holiday when sun reflected off a car and I had to raise my left hand to shield my eyes. I lost control of the bike and hit a concrete post breaking my back and left hand. I was hospitalised and then had assisted travel back to UK. I’m now undergoing medical treatment in London.

I went to Optical Express Harley St clinic on Friday to politely ask for a refund for the failed RLE operation I underwent in 2012.

I walked in with a smile and told the girls on the front desk that I was asking for a refund and that I was not angry or hostile towards them, and please could they call Head Office.

The receptionist offered me a cup of tea and I sat down to wait .

Imagine my surprise when after hearing the sound of wailing sirens, five Met police officers burst through the door to get me out of the place!!

It seems Head Office had instructed the manager to dial 999! I'm sure the Met officers were really pleased to have come in force just to find me sitting quietly on a sofa waiting for my phone call.

I was told that it’s a private clinic and I was not wanted there. I did point out that it was the same private clinic who took my thousands of pounds and ruined my sight and think I am entitled to ask for a refund.

I would imagine that had this been an elderly lady who’d gone in to ask for a refund being thrown out by the police would have been quite traumatic for her. However I was only slightly traumatised, so I decided to go to Westfield Shopping Centre, where I'd had my op, to see if they would give me a refund. But guess what - security were called to eject me again, although they didn't succeed as I refused to leave until I'd spoken with Head Office.

The self proclaimed largest eye surgery chain in the country has no one who is willing to sit down with me in London and discuss my ongoing problem (they have refused point blank to meet with me), for them the way forward is to have me thrown out by the police.

Let this be a warning to anyone thinking about surgery with Optical Express!

Alfar wrote: BTW can you see and read better now without glasses than before the surgery. If you exclude the nuisance of glare and floaters.

You have obviously not had surgery or problems, because that is such an ignorant question to ask.

I can read print without glasses, but as Dimitri Kazakos (my OE surgeon) said to me after my first op " I told you there was a trade off"

So if i exclude the small nuisance of massive star bursts, halos, a blurred right eye at distance, a right eye that constantly waters, and waking up reaching for my eye drops every morning, then hey - great job!

Thank you Optical Express .

Oh and I nearly forgot, having Stephen Hannan tell me time and time again that my eyesight is 20/20 and much better than before I had surgery...

Interested wrote: Did your sister in law receive a payment for you undergoing surgery do you know? Sorry to ask. This is another dubious practice- "refer a friend"!

Yes, she did. I think it was £100. I know this actually because I was receiving vouchers to give out at the very same time as I was telling them of the problems I had. I actually wrote and told them that this was madness: to ask me to recommend something that was causing me so much distress!!

Alfar, I have now been in a great deal of pain for over 7 years, and will never see properly again; I cannot trade in my eyes for the latest model, and most people in my situation would not benefit from further treatment, and in many cases could end up even more damaged. Please don't compare our eyes to a mobile phone or computer, because you insult us!

I am sadly not an observer but a victim of this barbaric surgery that was sold to me with high pressure marketing techniques as a magical solution to do away with wearing reading glasses and have perfect vision for the rest of my life. I was 48 at the time and 6 years later suffer dreadful visual problems which have completely ruined the quality of my life.

Alfar wrote: Would anyone want to wait for the perfect Mobile phone or Computer before buying one.

You don't seem to have any concept of the problems people like me are suffering because our eyes have been treated as commodities and you certainly have no compassion as you refer to 'market economics’!

Eyes cannot be compared to a mobile phone that can be upgraded when a better model comes on the market. Quite honestly? I think you are a madman, and a dangerous one if you are involved in this industry!

I like to think I am a realistic, pragmatist who believes in Market Economics. In a free world sound technology will survive and benefit us all, including myself. Wouldn't any Joe like their next pint at a discount if the tipple is the same.
Incidentally, I am an observer too.

Alfar wrote: I hear Morrisons are now competing with Aldi/Lidl. That has to be good.

Fee-fi-fo-fum!

I'm more of a watcher, but on this occasion must ask, are you perchance a purveyor and therefore beneficiary of this unnecessary procedure?

If this is true, then please be honest enough to declare your interest.

Alfar wrote: BTW can you see and read better now without glasses than before the surgery. If you exclude the nuisance of glare and floaters.

If only