Deposit Refunds

Update -

I was refunded my FULL deposit of £500 after being told I would only get £250. Thank you so much to Sasha who helped me get this back. I feel so lucky that a cancelled my appointment and did not go through with the surgery after what I went on to find out what has happened to other people. Thank you Sasha x

Just wanted to let you all know that after speaking to Sasha about my deposit not been refunded after 2 weeks of cancelling my surgery, with her help I got the money back within 24 hours!
 

I paid £500 for lens replacement and had a date to get the surgery on 10th October, but not even told his name, when I got my appointment to do a Teams call with the surgeon (a Teams call!!) I started to panic!
I have not been 100% about this since the start, felt very uneasy, but I really wanted it done, so excited about getting rid of my glasses.
Last night I spoke directly with someone who had this same surgery done by Optical Express 2 months ago, also aged 46 as I am, and she advised me not to risk it as it’s all been so bad for her, and she would not wish this on anyone, as her eyes are worse than they were with lots of problems.
Her surgeon was Dr David Teenan, and though I wasn’t told who mine would be, as the surgery was in Glasgow I believe it would have been him.
I was given these boxes of medication to start 1 week before surgery, however feel this was not explained fully about what to do or what they’re for, and only the number 4 written on the boxes. 
  
At the time I was bombarded with positivity and excitement that I wouldn’t need glasses or contacts ever again and left just to watch a video at the end of the eye tests. Nothing in it that I felt explained any of the many things that I now know could go wrong.
I feel overwhelmed with relief that I didn’t get the surgery done soon after my initial consultation, as I was going on holiday and as such it gave me more time to research.
I cancelled my surgery this morning and was told that I would only get £250 back of my deposit, which would take 30 working days! I feel this is so unfair given I’m cancelling due to not having had the risks explained to me, or told the name of the surgeon, having to find this out from the many bad reviews I have read, and speaking directly with someone that has been left worse off after surgery with Optical Express.
I would appreciate your help getting all my money back.
But I do feel I am one of the lucky ones not to have gone through with it. 
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admin: Dr David Teenan is top of the leader board with the highest number of legal cases against him in Scotland, so you are indeed one of the lucky ones 👀
Please send your phone number: sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk
 

I had a consultation at Optical Express in Huddersfield on the 22nd August and when they said I was suitable for laser surgery they told me I had to pay £500 deposit immediately to book on the 23rd September with Dr Mohammad Kazmi. I hadn’t even been examined by the doctor and felt I was being rushed into this. I didn’t feel at all comfortable when I googled the complications that no one had told me about so I called them on the same day and said that I was feeling overwhelmed and need more time. They said they were happy to refund me but I have not heard anything or got any email from them. This is all they sent me. Please can you help me?
   
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admin: Dr Muhammed Kazmi has damaged countless numbers of patients, successfully sued by many of them, with more complaints currently in process, so you have had a lucky escape 👀
I can help, if you please send your phone number: sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

I had an appointment at OE in Manchester. 
They said I was suitable for lens replacement -2.5 both eyes and I can read fine. 
The next day I received a call saying a face to face appointment with the surgeon was available in 4 weeks and as it was within a month I needed to pay £1000 which I did. This appointment got cancelled and a new date was arranged. Two weeks later the second date got cancelled and they said the next appointment was October which wasn’t suitable. All I have ever received is one email confirming the first appointment nothing about the two cancelations or the new date  and nothing to say I had paid £1000. After this terrible service and finding this forum I have asked for my deposit back. 
They want to keep £250 and say it will take 28 days. 
How can they keep £250 I have nothing to cancel they have cancelled twice !
Plus 28 days ? 
Terrible service more like double glazing tactics. 
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admin: They act illegally, and even Tesco refund card payments immediately if you return an item!
Please send your phone number 👀
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk
 

I was booked to have surgery with Dr Mohammed Kazmi tomorrow until I luckily found this website!
I have now cancelled but Optical Express have told me they won’t refund my £500 deposit and will take 28 days to refund me with the balance of £3,990.

I don’t think this is right 😟
Please can you help me?
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admin: Like the majority of Optical Express surgeons, Dr  Mohammed Shabbat Kazmi has unfortunately damaged countless numbers of patients, and been successfully sued by many of them 👀
Please send your phone number: sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

UPDATE
admin: Valerie received full £500 refund.
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Dear Beautiful Eyes Help Person,

I was about to go head with the Refractive Lens Exchange procedure with Mr Dimitri Kazakos at Optical Express in Harley Street.

I came across your website and became concerned as I had not had good customer service from them since I paid £500 deposit after the initial eye tests.

1 I heard nothing from Optical Express for 2 months after my initial appointment in October 2023, or to make an assessment of my eyesight or to send a confirmation of the £500 deposit paid.

2 I finally made contact with a member of staff (Robert R) by email in December, but he failed to respond to my request for an appointment and his email contained no phone number.

3 I sent an email with a complaint about hearing nothing for 3 months, and then Kimberley B got in touch, although without apology, and when I asked for the paperwork she was referring to, which I did not have and was supposed to sign, she sent me a pdf.

4 There were about 25 pages for me to print out and sign. I later rang one of the many 0800 numbers to ask for the OE brochure to be sent and complained that I should have been given the information instead of having to print 25 pages out myself.

5 I did not know what surgery I was supposed to be having at that point as it had not been explained in any detail when I had the eye test, nor what options there were to consider. I also could not remember the cost as the consultation was so long ago and I had nothing in writing.

6 I  finally made an appointment for the procedure via Kimberley B on 30th March, which according to another enquiry I made on the 0800 number was for the Refractive Lens Exchange operation. I had not been aware of two procedures, one for mono and one for multi focal lens and due to Kimberley’s scheduling  I was meeting with the consultant only 4 days before the surgery on  the 30th. However, I was supposed to pay the whole balance of the surgery costs of approximately £6000, 7 days before my pre surgery consultation, without first meeting the surgeon.

 7 I started to feel nervous about having to pay this amount before having a chance to ask questions and find out the risks and benefits. So I cancelled the procedure 8 days before the Pre Op appointment, and the conversation I had with someone on one of their 0800 numbers was brief and I was told a member of the cancellation team would ring later that day. 

8 No one called so 2 days later I rang again on the 22nd. This time I did receive a voicemail to say that my refund is being processed. However, this is for only £250 not the full amount.

This is not good enough not least In view of the issues I have had, and the arrangement of only meeting the surgeon, Mr Dimitri Kazakos AFTER paying £6000.

i want the total deposit of £500 returned. Please can you help me?

Thank you, Valerie Dennis
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admin: You had a lucky escape, as Dr Dimitris Kazakos has damaged countless numbers of patients!
He has been, and is being, sued by dozens of them. Yet Optical Express salespeople recommend him as their ‘best surgeon’ 👀
Please send your phone number: sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk
 

I recently booked a procedure with Optical Express following a consultation at the Shrewsbury branch in which I was confidently informed by the optometrist that I was eligible for LASIK. 

After travelling for 2 hours to attend the surgery, I was informed at the last possible moment by the surgeon that a deep scar spotted on my cornea meant that LASIK was not possible for fear of permanent damage to my eye. 

After becoming anxious and asking to leave, I was subsequently talked into rebooking LASEK by the reception staff at the Shrewsbury branch. 

I had my [second] pre-surgery clinician chat a few days ago, however the doctor I spoke to only compounded my concerns by expressing profound shock that the scar was not discovered at my initial consultation. 

I then emailed the Shrewsbury branch and requested to cancel my procedure and receive a refund. I was told that £500 would be retained because I have cancelled too late. I replied explaining that, due to the fact that this situation has only been caused by the negligence of, and false information provided by, the staff at Optical Express, I would not accept that the deposit should be retained at this point. I have already been messed around by Optical Express and don't see why I should have to relinquish £500 as a result of the company's incompetence. This is not to mention the fact that I specifically enquired as to the refund policy and was informed that I could change my mind right up until the procedure for a full refund (and I'm awfully glad I brought a witness along to this, as the two consultants at the Shrewsbury branch, Alisha and Ali, have now chosen to deny this fact). 

Had the first surgeon, Doctor Rodney, not at the very last moment rechecked my eyes, I could now be sitting here with permanent visual damage or total blindness. It is also abhorrent that the sales consultants at the clinic lied to my face regarding the refund policy to push me into buying. 

Any help or advice you could provide in getting my money back would be welcomed with open arms!
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admin: The sales staff receive commission and financial incentives to sign people up for surgery 👀
Please send your phone number: sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

Hi Sasha.  Thanks for your help and guidance.   Optical Express is providing me with a full €500 refund.

Hi Sasha,

I'm looking for some guidance from you if possible.
I booked in for lens replacement surgery in Ireland on the 13th of November, 2023.  For my job, I needed to work long hours in front of a PC and was unsure about the surgery. The Optical Express staff told me to discuss it with the surgeon.  He would go through the risks with me.
I had my consultation with the surgeon Mikhail Hernandez and spent some time looking at the stories on this website.
I'm 47 years old, and I was getting the surgery as I was sick of wearing glasses.  After my meeting with the surgeon, I decided the risks were too high for a procedure which was mainly cosmetic for me.
I contacted Optical Express to inform them I wanted to cancel my surgery. I followed up with them to get my €500 deposit, and they told me it would take 20 working days for the refund to be completed.  In January, I contacted Optical Express again as the refund had still not been received (it should have been refunded on the 20th Dec) and was told they were not going to refund me and the €500 was being taken as an admin fee.

When booking, the staff told me I could cancel the surgery and get a refund.  I was informed that the surgeon would not want to have a patient who was unhappy as it affects their satisfaction scoring.
Do you have any advice on how I should go forward here?
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admin: Mikhail Hernandez is new on my radar, but I'm sure it won't be long before I hear from his patients, not least because he should know that at 47 you are too young for lens exchange surgery - see video!
But as also too old for laser, they have to try and sell you something if they want to keep their jobs
For more advice please email: sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk