Deposit Refunds (Surgeon Dr. Sajjad Mughal)

Hi Sasha,

just to let you know that I have received my refund from Optical Express today. So glad I found your foundation, thank you so much for your help with my returned deposit!!

To anyone reading with the same problem, please do not hesitate to use this team to assist you, I would highly recommend them.

Tracy

Hi Sasha, I took my son Morgan who is 18 to Optical Express at Preston on 22/1/22.

He had an eye test (which I didn’t attend) but was there to talk to the optometrist afterwards and he said that Morgan was suitable for LASIK surgery.

I paid the £500 deposit and we booked in for 13/3/22 at Manchester. In the meantime, Morgan's dad went to his local optician for an eye test and mentioned that our son was having surgery. The optition advised him to check the surgeon and not to get it done at 18 as they could ruin his eyes for life.

After checking the negative reviews of the surgeon, we talked it through and luckily decided to cancel the operation. I phoned up and cancelled then a few days later phoned again as Morgan kept getting emails about the surgery.

When I phoned again they said that as Morgan had not cancelled in time we could only get half of my deposit back in vouchers to spend at their shops.

I have been phoning to check the refund/vouchers and they have said that I am not eligible for a refund and to check the paperwork I received.

Found your site and hoping you can advise me on how to obtain my deposit back please?
Thanks Tracy
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admin: OE have absolutely no legal right to keep your deposit, any of it. Nor do you have to accept vouchers.
Please send your phone number and I'll be happy to help you
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmyife.co.uk

After posting here [17 November] Claire Millen at Optical Express phoned to try to reassure me that the reason David Teenan has more complaints than others is that he does more surgeries. She offered me a different surgeon but I said I had lost confidence in them and wanted a full refund. My £500 was refunded. Thank you for your help.

I had a consultation in January for Lasek eye treatment which I was told I was suitable for. So I paid a £500 deposit with no mention of a credit check. They ran credit check 7 days before surgery day and it was refused.
I haven’t spoken to the surgeon and don’t know their name. And my surgeries planned location was Newcastle which is about an hour away from Middlesbrough, where I live.

Can you help me please?

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admin: OE have absolutely no legal right to keep your deposit. Please send your phone number
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmyife.co.uk

Hi

On 11/11/21 I went in to Optical Express clinic for a free Consultation for laser eye surgery in the Nottingham branch, the woman who dealt with me throughout was Amy. I had all my checks and and was told I’m a suitable candidate.

She took me to a room and started pushing me to book dates as she said they were getting booked up fast, and I needed to leave a deposit to secure a date for surgery and that I could always cancel. She booked me in for surgery on 23/11/21 with Dr Muhammad Kazmi. Also she said she will call me on 12/11/21 to discuss further however she failed to do so.

I googled the surgeon's name and came across this forum page and I have seen how many bad reviews are on it.

On 16/11/21 I rang the branch and was told Amy was on leave and that I was speaking to Sharon. I told her I felt too rushed and needed more than 12 days to prepare for a life changing decision. She said there was more risk of getting problems with contact lenses than with laser surgery and when I said I don't wear them she said wearing glasses was risky if you fall over.

She then started to ask me if I wanted to delay it for another month, I replied I would rather cancel for now. She then became very rude and her whole tone changed and I knew she was more interested in the sale rather than customers.

I have left a £500 deposit but they will only refund £250 as they say I should have read the terms and conditions, and that Amy would have told me this however she never mentioned anything to me about this, she just couldn’t wait to take my money.

Is there any way I can get my money back?

Thank you
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admin: Pls send your phone number
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmyife.co.uk

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2 February 2022

admin: Aqeel contacted me, and after following my advice he was very quickly refunded in full. Unfortunately he can’t find time to update his post with this news

Hi all,

Below is my experience:

I attended a free consultation at the Manchester clinic on 19/10/2021 where I was informed I would have been an excellent candidate for LASIK with iDesign given my prescription was largely unchanged, slightly short sighted with astigmatism, and was explained the risks of the procedure on this basis we’re extremely low and was encouraged to continue with this processes.

I was quoted £3690 for treatment of both eyes. Following my initial consultation and information provided I decided to proceed with the treatment and paid optical express £2390 on 21/10/2021 for the deposit and some of the total cost of the surgery along with setting up a finance agreement for the remaining balance.

On the day of my surgery 19/11/2021 I arrived at Optical Express Manchester where I was due to undergo this treatment with Dr Muhammad Kazmi. Upon arrival I was asked to repeat all the tests from the initial consultation.

Following completion of these tests I had a final consultation with Dr Kazmi to cover the results and expectations. I was then told that I was in fact Long-Sighted not short-sighted and that as a result the risks of this surgery were much changed from my initial consultation. I was told that there would now be a 10% chance the surgery would make absolutely no difference to my vision and a chance that this caused irreparable eye damage for the rest of my life. Adding to this the procedure would not seek to fully address my new found long sightedness and instead he would look to adjust it by 0.25. I obviously cancelled the impending surgery as I was not remotely aware of the realities of what I had been sold.

I feel completely mislead by this entire experience and cannot believe that only 5 minutes prior to entering the surgery I was finally explained the reality of the situation. Upon leaving the clinic I asked about when I could be expected a refund and was told that someone would contact me which has not happened. After reading some of the posts on this site I can already see how this is going and would appreciate any help you can offer.

Thanks,
CM
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admin: Besides the other issues, the optom who referred you MUST be reported to the GOC.
Please send your phone number
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmyife.co.uk
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admin: Unfortunately CM can’t find time to update his post, so I have done it for him

2 Dec 2021 CM wrote:

Hi Sasha,
As if by magic, I’ve just had the following confirming a full refund.
Thanks for all your help,
C

I considered getting laser corrective surgery and was minded to go ahead on the assumption that it was the best choice for the long term health of my eyes, rather than continuing with contact lenses, which I have been wearing for around a decade. I had an initial examination with Optical Express, then paid a deposit and set a date for laser eye surgery. I was then given a very brief phone consultation the next day.

Optical Express requested a further examination at a different clinic to the original on the explanation that not all the machinery was available at the original surgery, which somewhat undermined my confidence in Optical Express. After further research I was alarmed to learn of risks of issues with my vision after surgery (halos, ghosting, double vision and dry eyes). The literature and clinical discussion present the risk of surgery as lower than proceeding with contact lenses on the basis that the infection risk is lower. However, the risk of infection is not the only risk associated with the surgery. I requested a follow up clinical discussion to discuss the risks listed above and Optical Express were unwilling or unable to quantify the risk. For reference they provide a precise Percentage risk of infection.

As I have been unable to quantify the risk of infection I have cancelled the surgery, I don't know who my surgeon would have been either. However, Optical Express have refused a refund according to their terms and conditions only offering a credit for future in store purchases. I do not feel adequately informed of the risks and Optical Express do not know if I would be an adequate candidate for surgery. I feel this business practice is underhand as it could pressure patients into surgery if unable to obtain a refund.

GP
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admin: Please send your phone number
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmyife.co.uk

I am in a very similar position to previous person. I am booked in for surgery with David Teenan at the Glasgow branch next Thursday. I have become increasingly worried about reports I have now found about this surgeon and the procedure. I was not told any of this information at my consultation.
I have decided that I am not willing to risk damaging my sight and will look into using daily contact lenses instead.
I have paid Optical Express a deposit of £500 but they say I am not entitled to my money back even though I have not seen the surgeon or signed the terms and conditions document.
Please can you help.
Margaret Cole
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admin: Please send your phone number
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmyife.co.uk

Hello Everyone,

I was scheduled to undergo this surgery on the 20th of November of this month. I came upon shocking review upon shocking review with optical express and I informed them that I would be cancelling my surgery. On top of that the surgeon I was due to see has only done 500 laser eye surgeries, I've not found a single positive or negative review about him so it put me off a bit when I saw this website and their recent reviews really put me off. I had spoken to an ophthalmologist in scotland on the 21st or 22nd of october after my initial consultation on the 9th of October his attitude was so relaxed I couldn't really believe it - it sounded more like a business deal rather than someone who genuinely cares about your eyes and he ended up telling me I'd probably have to end up wearing reading glasses in my 40s anyway due to natural ageing of the eye which is fine but it was ridiculous how soon this part of the whole process was over in less than 10 muinutes.

I spoke to a call handler in Scotland I believe who accepted my appointment cancellation but said I wasn't entitled to a refund I didn't even sign any of the forms! their terms and conditions are so weird, [edit]

I'd appreciate any bodies input on this.

Thank You !

JS
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admin: Please send your phone number.
NB: I will not be prepared to help you if I believe you still intend to have surgery elsewhere after speaking with me.
The refractive surgery industry is unregulated, and carries the same risks no matter where it’s performed. I have clients damaged by surgeons at both the clinics you mentioned (names edited out of your post)
sasha@opticalexpressruinedmyife.co.uk
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admin: Wth my help JS received his refund - and after hearing more about this industry he decided not to risk surgery anywhere

Hi Sasha - great news, £500 ‘deposit’ is to be refunded, even though they said they would keep it due to ‘terms & conditions’ for a so called ‘free’ consultation! . . would not have happened without your help & guidance . . thank you for all your help ??