Deposit Refunds

Dear Sasha,

I initially attended a refractive consultation at the Oxford clinic on 21 February 2024, as I was interested in laser eye surgery. My prescription is -0.75 in both eyes. During this consultation, I was advised (Abha Devani) that lens replacement surgery would be more suitable than laser eye surgery and was reassured that this was a routine and safe procedure. Following this appointment, I paid a £500 deposit.

I then attended further scans in Milton Keynes on 23 February 2024 to confirm suitability for surgery. However, during a pre-surgery video consultation on 6 March 2024, the surgeon (Igor Occhipinti) explained that lens replacement surgery carries greater risks than laser eye surgery and appeared to question whether surgery was necessary in my case. This conflicted with the earlier reassurance I had received and caused me significant concern, particularly as the surgery was scheduled for 23 March 2024.

Additionally, an abnormality was identified during my scans, requiring further investigation. I subsequently attended the Oxford Eye Hospital on 25 March 2024, with a follow-up appointment on 12 August 2024. I was diagnosed with a choroidal naevus in my left eye and was advised to attend monitoring appointments every 1–2 years. Following these consultations, I made the decision that I no longer wished to proceed with surgery.

I informed Optical Express of my decision to cancel. I was later asked to attend the Oxford clinic again on 12 March 2025 for further tests, despite having clearly stated that I wished to cancel and request a refund. I attended as requested. I was then asked to provide a copy of the letter from the Oxford Eye Hospital, which I supplied on 13 March 2025. I was informed that this would be forwarded to head office to initiate the cancellation and refund process.

Since then, despite following up, I have only been told that the matter is being “looked into,” and I have received no further communication or confirmation regarding my refund.

Please could you help or advise on what my next steps could be?

Regards,
Iain
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admin:  Igor Occhipinti has a number of legal claims from his patients in process, so I’m pleased to hear that he gave you the advice that he did!
Optical Express are withholding your £500 illegally, and you are entitled to a full refund - plus interest.
Also, I believe OE’s actions as you’ve described, warrant a complaint to the General Optical Council. I will advise you on this.
Please send your phone number 👀
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

Hi Sasha 

I went to Optical Express (Harley Street) in July 2025 for a consultation based on an ad promising amazing results.

My prescription was -1.25 in my left eye, and -0.25 in my right, so I just wear glasses for distance. Based on this they said they would only need to operate on my left eye. They initially offered me £2250 for the one eye, which I said was quite a bit above what I was expecting based on their website and having a very simple prescription. They agreed to do it for £1500 if I signed and put the deposit that day. My deposit was agreed to be lowered to £300 based on my financial situation. I felt pressured to sign up that day based on the discount they offered. 

A long story short, I was given very limited information, and as it was approaching my surgery date I felt incredibly stressed, realising the risks compared to my mild prescription. I was literally in transit, 30 minutes away from my 6 January appointment, planning to express my concerns and ask for more information, when Optical Express called me to cancel, because apparently they needed a GP form filled out due to one of my medical issues. They said they had given me this form at the initial consultation, but I don’t remember and they never followed up. 

Aside from the obvious unprofessionalism of giving me a form in July and then calling me 6 months later, only minutes before my surgery appointment to see if I filled it out, the whole thing is making me incredibly stressed. After reading so many complaints online about this company I realised I don't have the financial support to manage if my eye is damaged and affects my ability to work. I was not informed of the actual risks of this surgery and t's too big of a gamble for me to take. 

My surgery date was Jan 6th at London Harley Street. My original surgery date for September was set with Dr Mohammad Ayoubi, but I don't know if it was going to be him as the pre surgery call I had from Optical Express was so long ago and so short.

They have offered me new dates but I no longer want to go forward. Is there anything I can do here? 

KW

   
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admin: Like most of OE surgeons - currently and historically - Mohammad Ghassan Ayoubi has been sued by a number of his patients, but of course they won’t tell you this.
Regardless of which, Optical Express are withholding your £300 illegally, and you are entitled to a full refund.
Please send your phone number 👀
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

Following Sasha's intervention with Optical Express to have my deposit refunded, I can now report that they have refunded my full £500.
It is worthy of note that the company did not even have the courtesy of informing me that they had eventually refunded the money they had wrongly withheld, it was only when I checked my account I saw it had been repaid. 
What absolutely appalling customer service not to mention their underhand and dishonest attempts to retain my money. 
Thank you Sasha 
Alison Scales

Good evening.

I have been unsuccessfully trying to have my £500 deposit refunded. I had scheduled surgery with Dr David Teenan, but when I came across your website, and read some of the horror stories I cancelled it. This was within 14 days.

I attended my initial consultation on the 19th May 2025. After a number of tests, I was asked to watch a short video presented by Dr Stephen Hannan. At the end of the video I commented to the optician that the presenter needed some skills in presentation and noted that it was so dull, just a PR exercise, that I completely zoned out.

I was then asked to sign an electronic device to confirm I had watched the video. All that was visible on this screen was the signature box. 
I was then provided with some lovely glossy brochures about the operation. It was sold to me as a virtually risk free procedure that would completely transform my life in many ways for the better.

Over the next few days, I dug deeper into the possible dangers and risks of the operation, and as a working teacher, I decided the risk was too great and much more risky than had been presented to me at my consultation.

I wrote to Optical Express on the 29th May cancelling the surgery, but was informed that, because I had not cancelled within the stated 3 day period, I was only entitled to half my deposit back. This would take 28 days to be repaid. They could offer no explanation for this delay in processing the refund. 

I asked that they inform me as to where it was stated in the brochures I was given that it was a 3 day cancellation policy. 
I was then sent this email with a screenshot of a document detailing it was a three day cancellation period with my signature at the bottom. 

 

This, presumably, was the electronic signature I gave confirming I had watched the video. When I signed the machine, no text was visible. So, I was completely duped into signing something I was made to believe was something else. 

There was more written, followed by this:
‘’You will note that our “Cancellation policy” outlines that if a patient elects to cancel a surgery booking within three (3) days of booking the surgery, Optical Express will refund 100% of the deposit that has been paid.  However, should you elect to cancel your procedure more than three (3) days after paying your deposit, £250 of your deposit would be non-refundable.

In light of the above, whilst we would not offer a refund of the retained deposit amount, as a gesture of goodwill, and in a genuine attempt to bring this matter to a close, we would be prepared to provide you with the retained £250.00 in Optical Express vouchers.
Please note these can be used towards any Optical product or service provided by Optical Express and will be valid for a period of two (2) years.  The vouchers will be posted to your home address within the ten (10) working days.

We thank you for your communication and in light of our above response, we consider that we have dealt with your enquiry in full.  
Kind regards,
Kristopher Murray 
Patient Experience Associate”

After a number of further calls, I was eventually paid £250 of my deposit. This was on the 28th August, 3 months after the date of cancellation, significantly beyond the 28 days I was promised. 

Please can you offer any advice how I get my £250 back?
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admin: I can imagine how dull it must have been listening to ‘Dr’ Stephen Hannan, who I met many times over the years - his newly purchased PhD title not to be mistaken for any medical qualification!
As for Dr David Teenan - shockingly still a real doctor, thanks to the General Medical Council’s support - he has damaged countless numbers of patients, with dozens of legal claims, many settled (always out of court) and many in process.
Meanwhile, Optical Express are withholding your £250 illegally, and you are entitled to a full refund.
Please send your phone number 👀
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk
 

Hi Sasha just to update that after i send email on 3rd October i received phone call on Monday 6th that i would receive full refund of deposit and today 15th October I've received full refund, dated 9th October

Thanks for everything Sasha

Nigel

I had a consultation for lens replacement on the 6th September at Optical Express Belfast. I was told I was suitable and on the 12 September I paid £1,000 deposit over the phone and booked for surgery with Dr Manu Mathew on 25th October. 

On Tuesday 16th September I called to cancel the surgery because I was going on holiday in December. I spoke to Donna that I would be doing a lot of driving and I was concerned about possible halos and glares. Donna reassured me there was nothing to worry about as everything would be healed by then. Since I was still unsure, she transferred me to the optometrist, Claire, who gave me the same advice.

I was transferred back to Donna who said she could put me down for January with Dr Huba Kiss instead. I said I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go ahead but she told me that if I cancelled there would be a £250 deduction from my deposit as it was outside the 3 day cancellation period. I pointed out that the clinic was closed on Sunday so I was within the time limit. But she said they were open on Sundays.  I told Donna I would consider rescheduling and get back in touch.

On 29th September, after doing more research into the company, and finding out that it seems most of OE surgeons have damaged many patients and have numerous legal claims against them, I decided not to risk this at all and cancelled on 29th September, again to be told I would lose £250.

Please can you advise what I should do?

Thanks
Nigel
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admin: So they now call Sunday a working day 🤔 
Both Manu Mathew and Huba Kiss have been sued by their patients.
Please send your phone number 👀
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk
 

Sasha, I can confirm that shortly after sending a strongly worded letter to OE, they have returned my deposit in full. To my surprise, it did not require 28 working days to return. 
Thank you for your help with this. 
Denis 

Last year I accompanied my mother for cataract surgery at Optical Express and while I was waiting I was approached by staff who encouraged me to have lens exchange surgery, telling me I’d never get cataracts, and that I could have a discount when they discovered I work for the NHS.
I decided to go for a consultation on 21st May 2025. Following my consultation, during which eye drops were administered, I was advised I was a perfect candidate for surgery, however further tests were required. 
Once my consultation was finished, I left the premises to walk to where I would meet my chaperone to assist me to travel home and received a telephone call from the staff at Optical Express, advising they had forgotten to ask me for a deposit.  I was unable to do this at that time as my vision was affected by the eye drops and I couldn’t read my card details. 
On 22nd May at 9am, Optical Express contacted me by telephone. This was, as they stated an opportunity to check my vision and take a deposit payment. The terms and conditions of the deposit were not explained, either during this telephone call nor at my earlier consultation the day before.  I had received no information on the terms or conditions of my deposit payment.  It was a remote transaction, which although I provided consent, I was not present and had no explanation of my right to cancel or any of any cancellation.
In their recent correspondence they included this consent form that they claim I signed, yet you will see it says ‘px did sign pad deleted it.’.
They have then added their own signature ‘VCO’, which are not my initials, or remotely connected in any way to my name. I think this is fraud!

I contacted Optical Express on 14th July 2025 to advise I no longer wished to proceed with Lens Replacement, as I had researched this extensively and decided the risk was too great. The Customer service assistant initially advised I was not entitled to a full refund, however after checking with a colleague and reading the terms & conditions, he agreed I would receive a full deposit refund within 28 working days as a date for surgery had not been scheduled. According to the terms and conditions I found online, I understood I could cancel and receive a full refund of my deposit on the basis of having not yet booked a date for surgery. I had no planned date for surgery, nor had I any planned date to meet with a consultant or any planned consultation with an eye surgeon.
Optical Express customer services initially advised I would receive a full refund, however they have now only refunded 50% of my deposit. After raising this as a complaint, they have looked into my complaint and as a gesture of goodwill, they have offered the remainder of my deposit in vouchers to use on products and services which they offer. 
I want my £250 balance refunding, not vouchers. Please can you help? 
Thank you,
Denis
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admin: This is fraud, and deserves a complaint to the GOC (General Optical Council)!
Please send your phone number 👀
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

 

I have a surgery booked in my Muhammad Kazmi on Oct 1st but I have decided to cancel after everything I have read here. At the consultation the woman told me that my cornea is thin but just barely qualifies me for LASIK which was already kind of strange to me.
I have contacted them asking to cancel the appointment. Can you help get my £500 deposit back if they do not refund it?

Thanks
_________________
admin: Please send your phone number 👀
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

Thank you so much Sasha.  I'm so grateful that you could help me get my remaining £250 deposit back.  I wouldn't have been able to without your help. Thanks again.