Deposit Refunds

With her permission I forwarded all of Roberta's details below to David Moulsdale, plus the 'Live Chat' screenshots - and this:



Strangely, since then, google "Natural Lens Exchange" and the above link has vanished!

However, google "Optical Express RLE/refractive lens exchange" and the first page lists OERML posts from damaged OE patients, hence Stephen Hannan's enthusiasm to divert Roberta away from RLE - something she wouldn't even consider when she paid her deposit.

Needless to say, I look forward to representing Roberta at the Small Claims Court in order to get her deposit back and am happy to do the same for anyone else having problems with this dishonest company

From: Roberta
To: DavidMoulsdale@OpticalExpress.com
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2014
Subject: Optical Express

Dear Mr Moulsdale,

Since cancelling my surgery I have been told my £400 deposit is not refundable although before I paid your sales person told me that there would be no problem if I wished to cancel, and did not mention a time limit of 24hrs - or any other!

Also, after administering drops to dilate my pupils I was asked to sign a form which I couldn’t even read.

I know now that I am not suitable for laser eye surgery due to the size of my pupils and your optometrist and sales assistant were negligent to suggest I should have this.

Nor do I wish to undergo Refractive lens exchange which Mr Luca Antico suggested I should think about.

Please therefore refund my £400 deposit within 24hrs of your office receiving this mail otherwise I will seek to claim it back via the Small Claims Court.

Yours sincerely,
Roberta
___________

From: StephenHannan@OpticalExpress.com
To: Roberta
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 16:07:14 +0000
Subject: Optical Express

Dear Ms __,

Thank you for your recent email which was addressed to our Chief Executive Officer. In my capacity as the Clinical Services Director I have reviewed your clinical records and will now offer a response on behalf of Optical Express.
Based on your pupil diameter and all the other examination results you are a suitable candidate to undergo Laser Eye Surgery. Laser Eye Surgery was recommended on the basis that you understood that you would have to wear spectacles for near vision purposes post treatment. The Informed Consent Document to reflect this procedure and all potential outcomes was issued to you at the point of your initial consultation.
When you met with Dr Antico on the planned date of treatment, Dr Antico further discussed the need to wear near vision spectacles post treatment. Based on your decision to not proceed with treatment, we would be unable to refund the deposit as per our terms and conditions. Should you not wish to proceed with Laser Eye Surgery then Natural Lens Replacement is an alternative procedure which could be considered. There is of course a cost difference which would be clarified should you wish to proceed.
I trust that I have clarified our position with respect to the retention of your deposit and please contact me if I can assist further.

Yours sincerely,
Stephen Hannan MCOptom
Clinical Services Director
Optical Express
T. +44 (0) 1236 795104
M. +44 (0) 7740 592389

–––––––––––––

From: Roberta
Date: 1 February 2014 23:18:40 GMT
To: Stephen Hannan <StephenHannan@OpticalExpress.com>
Subject: RE: Optical Express

Dear Stephen Hannan,
thank you for your reply.
Please tell me: what is Natural Lens Replacement?
I look forward to hearing from you.

Roberta
_____________

From: StephenHannan@OpticalExpress.com
To: Roberta
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2014 18:17:39 +0000
Subject: RE: Optical Express

Dear Ms __,
Thank you for your email. Natural Lens Replacement is where your natural lens is removed and replaced with a synthetic Intraocular Lens (IOL).
Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Yours sincerely,
Stephen Hannan MCOptom
Clinical Services Director
Optical Express
T. +44 (0) 1236 795104
M. +44 (0) 7740 592389

–––––––––––––

From: Roberta
Date: 3 February 2014 23:21.10 GMT
To: Stephen Hannan <StephenHannan@OpticalExpress.com>
Subject: RE: Optical Express

Dear Stephen Hannan,

So is Natural Lens Replacement the same as Refractive Lens Exchange?

Roberta
______________

From: Roberta
Date: 5 February 2014 00:27:21 GMT
To: Stephen Hannan <StephenHannan@OpticalExpress.com>
Cc: David Moulsdale <DavidMoulsdale@OpticalExpress.com>
Subject: NLR

Dear Stephen Hannan,

Did you receive the message I sent you yesterday?
"So is Natural Lens Replacement the same as Refractive Lens Exchange?"

Thank you,
Roberta
______________

From: StephenHannan@OpticalExpress.com
To: Roberta
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2014 07:53:55 +0000
Subject: RE: NLR

Dear Ms __
Thank you for your email.
This is correct. Natural Lens Replacement is simply another name for Refractive Lens Exchange

Yours sincerely,
Stephen Hannan MCOptom
Clinical Services Director
Optical Express
T. +44 (0) 1236 795104
M. +44 (0) 7740 592389

Hi, I am 55 years old. I went to a consultation for laser on the 11 jan 2014 at Optical Express 22 Harley Street London. They told me I couldn't have laser and said I should have RLE which is more expensive but better. I paid a deposit of 500 pounds that day. After a few days I decided not to go ahead with the treatment because I was scared.

I called and emailed them to cancel the treatment and they told me my deposit will not be refunded because the cancellation period was 24 hours after payment. At my consultation I was given eye drops and don't remember if I signed anything but do know that no terms and condition were given to me and I was not told my deposit was not refundable.

I am very distressed and just want my money back.

It's really sad to realize how much people try to manipulate others to achieve their goals ........

Called today, finally, demanding letter once again. This will cost £20 from my GP plus time off of work to get to the doctor's, all due to their underlying mistake.

So it's Wednesday, and though I've had one call from OE yesterday, they said they'd need to call back to get confirmation from their manager for the refund.

I've called today but again, the person answering can't do anything except email the Retention department as no-one answers. This is the same thing I was told Friday.

Interestingly he stated the appointment hadn't been cancelled....though it was allegedly cancelled Friday?! What the hell are they playing at.

I've stated if I don't get a call by Friday I will take legal action. Not sure what to do from here.

Sasha, is it worth sending an email?

Ben S wrote: After an exceptionally difficult year I'd pretty much hit rock bottom so decided to do something that would change my life forever,.

On the 20th of December, armed with enthusiasm and the financial resources to pay for it (although not the right state of mind) I went into the Cambridge branch of Optical Express to have my free consultation for laser eye surgery

Completing the pre-consultation form I noted that I suffered with clinical depression, ticking the box stating it was current. After 'checking' the forms, the branch manager (Marcus) led me into the consult rooms and performed tests on my eyes. No mention of my depression made at this point.

I was delighted when the optometrist told me I was a perfect candidate for lasik surgery as I thought I would have issues due to my having blepharitis.

Full of enthusiasm, with my eyes dilated and blurry, I was pressured into the first surgery date available. I was offered no finance options because the moment I said I had money in my account to pay for it I was told this was a better option so I paid £2,795 for iLasik surgery on my VISA debit card. I wasn't even told I could just leave a deposit.

I was assured that if I had any questions or wanted to change my mind it would not be a problem. I was given a pack consisting of a 6 page document and information which I was unable to read with blurry dilated eyes. I was told to “Enjoy your Christmas” and to “not worry about reading the documentation or signing it until a few days before the surgery”.

At this point I was really excited thinking this would have a positive impact on my life after a particularly difficult time, but my excitement quickly turned to confusion when the branch manager contacted me a few days later telling me that I needed a consent form signing by my GP as they'd noticed on the pre consultation form that I suffer from depression.

This started alarm bells ringing as it had not been flagged up during the consultation or when the manager checked the forms – but more importantly, they'd allowed me to pay for the surgery without getting it cleared by their head office or my GP first.

I then called the clinic and asked to have LASEK instead of LASIK as I was fearful of possible complications I'd read about with the flap, but was assured it would “heal perfectly”. I thought the optometrist should know better than any stories I read on the internet my gut instinct told me to switch to LASEK, and doing so calmed my frayed nerves somewhat.

When I went to OE to pick up the GP's consent form the branch manager asked whether I wanted to see the optometrist as I was obviously worried. I spoke to the optometrist for about 15 minutes, probing him with questions. He looked at my eyes again, noticed I had dry eyes and indeed did suffer with blepharitis. When I asked whether this would cause a problem with the surgery or after he said it would not. By then I was more nervous than ever due to the blepharitis being missed the first time and went home with my head in a daze. Convinced that something was amiss I immediately started researching Optical Express online.

I then stumbled upon this site and read that for LASEK Optical Express surgeons use a chemical called Mitomycin C (MMC), used to treat cancer patients and the long term effects on eyes unknown. It has been suggested that MMC can cause corneal melts and other problems. I called the branch and asked which chemicals were used. The guy working on the counter (Nick) assured me they only used ethanol (pure alcohol) and asked if I had any further questions. I then specifically asked about Mitomycin C when he immediately changed his tune and said they use that too but only a very small dosage. I asked whether it was possible not to use this chemical and he said it was at the discretion of the surgeon but more than likely not.

Now with very serious concerns I called the branch again to ask about cancelling or postponing the surgery but was told that if I did this I would lose my £2785 payment as they have a no refund policy after 72hrs. I was shocked as I was not told of this when I paid.

I was misled and mis-sold the surgery by Marcus (the branch manager) who took my money despite my suffering from depression and without prior consent from my GP.

I called the Cambridge OE branch asking whether surgery could go ahead without my doctors consent, to which Nick told me it was at the discretion of the surgeon but more than likely yes.

This means Optical Express are willing to override a GP's advice to risk the health of their patients just for the sake of money and statistics.

I went to my GP the following day and we discussed laser eye surgery. As I only had a few days to get the consent form signed with it Christmas and New Year approaching, he said I should really consider whether the risks are worth it.

I returned the following day and we had a lengthy discussion which he summarised by saying that with my depression, dependency on good vision for my job, personal problems and other health issues, I was unfit for surgery and proceeded to write a letter stating such.

I have been in touch with OE head office who have been particularly unhelpful, refusing to refund my money until I can provide this letter. I am able to do so, but I am sickened that OE offer such a poor ethical conduct, deliberately mislead their customers, take payment without informed consent from other medical professionals and are only interested in as much profit as they can make at the risk and well being of completely unsuitable candidates.

Optical Express took my money despite my not having signing a contract, despite my suffering from a blatant contraindicator for laser eye surgery, despite my suffering from depression, despite a form stating I did not receive my GP's consent.

If OE refuses to refund my payment, I will certainly be taking them to the small claims court to recover my money.

This is *EXACTLY* my experience. Paid deposit and full amount, then literally a day later or two say they've 'accidentally' missed my prior depression note. Thus I start to talk to my GP about it and he suggests at least waiting some time and then reassessing.

I went back to Optical Express (Friday) and am still awaiting any kind of refund call-back from them today (Monday) - though they can happily take money in-store, they can't do any refunds...
Popped in again today and they're 'emailing' the refunds department again, but suggested I may need a GPs note, and it's they can do.

Why the hell do I need to take time off work and spend £20 for a Doctor's letter because they f*cked up in the first place!? The audacity is quite unnerving, and there's absolutely noway I will now trust them to go forward with surgery in 6months/a years time (I'll probably never do it with anyone else either considering the feedback on this site).

Having already decided not to go ahead with RLE surgery, earlier this year I was repeatedly chased by OE sales team offering financial incentives.

I said I'd think about it, until finally succumbing to continued sales pressure when I agreed to attend a consultation at their Harley Street clinic in August.

Salesperson Claire Donnelly then told me it was necessary to take a £500 deposit over the 'phone to secure an appointment, but that it was fully refundable should I decide not to go ahead with surgery. I said that I didn't have the money until my salary came into my account on or around 25/26th August. I was called back on the 26/27th and the deposit was taken.

Unfortunately, after my consult at Harley Street on 5 September 2013, further online research uncovered disturbing information concerning Optical Express and the serious problems suffered by many of your patients.

For example contraindications for conditions such as dry eyes, which I have. and also I read about one patient who was given the wrong RLE prescription at their Harley street clinic and one of their surgeons allegedly being investigated by the GMC with charges of negligence made by more than one patient.

On that basis I determined I would not consider surgery with OE and therefore cancelled my surgery.

Contrary to what their sales person told me at the time of payment, I was then told that my £500 deposit was only refundable within 24 hours of it being made. My consultation was 10 days after my deposit was taken.

My deposit was taken without full disclosure of information that would have stopped me entering into any agreement with their company. I therefore do not accept that OE has a legal right to keep my deposit. Not only did your Sales person tell me my deposit would be refunded should I decide not to undergo surgery, but their claim that the lenses had already been ordered conflicts with what I was told by the staff member at their Harley Street Clinic who explained that they could not be ordered until I returned the signed loan agreement, which I most definitely have not signed - or returned.

Even with guarantees of successful surgery, I would not wish to do business with such a company that insists on holding onto your money when infact they ought not. I need help to recover my money please

I had no call from OE like Damian did, instead I received a text with the offer of "laser eye surgery for only £2795 and 18 months interest free credit..."

So now I'm even more angry because it's like they are mocking me!