Very unhappy with laser aftercare.

StormWarrior

2 years ago I had laser eye surgery from Optical Express. It has improved my vision, but I've been left with very dry eyes. That is OK, I understood that it was a risk when I had the surgery, and it is worth it to be able to see. As long as I use lubricating eye drops several times a day, it's fine. Optical Express have a lifetime aftercare service, which is supposed to include all of the free eye drops that I need. I was also told that after the first few months, I'd need only an annual check-up, and that if eye drops are needed they can be sent through the post.

However, I'm very angry about the aftercare. Whenever I have a check-up, the optician checks the eyes, agrees that they are dry and gives a very limited supply of eye drops, not even enough to last a month. When I run out, they refuse to give me any more unless I go and have another check up. This involves taking hours out of my day and travelling an inconvenient distance. They don't even give me enough drops to last until the next visit. This means that sometimes they are making me go for a check-up every few weeks, only to get eye drops. The check-up is pointless as they do absolutely nothing worthwhile at it. It's just the same thing every time - check my vision, check my eye pressure and check if my eyes are dry. That's all and it is totally unnecessary. Every time the same thing happens, they agree that I need more eye drops, they give me a pathetic amount and send me on my way. They never give me enough to last and on numerous occassions I have actually had to beg for more.

It's not like these eye drops are dangerous - they are just standard over-the-counter lubricating drops that you can buy in any chemist shop. The reason I don't want to buy them is because they can be expensive when you need then regularly - why should I buy them when my atercare includes free drops? However several times I have bought them as Optical Express don't supply enough.

What can I do about this? The dryness of my eyes may never go away. I can live with that as long as I have drops. But why should I spend the rest of my life travelling to pointless checkups and begging for the drops I need? I am so angry with these idiots. I really think that they just have nothing better to do - their shop is always empty, they hardly ever have customers and I think they just need to give people pointless appointments to justify their existence.

Irishbreeze

hi Stormwarrior,
i am sorry to hear about that. I am thinking of going for them. May I ask in which location have you had yours done? thanks.

Sean Bateman

Pay peanuts, get monkeys.

Go to William Power in the Blackrock Clinic...he's the main man for laser eye surgery. This "€599 per eye" stuff is fools' gold.

Irishbreeze

thanks, I know the 595 is not the figure I should be look at as I know my prescription is high enough to hit somewhere 3k. just thought OE had clinics around the world, it might come handy if I ever move countries. dont know whether its a quite foolish thought...

sara_q

Friend went to Ultalase in Waterford and is delighted with results. Luckily dry eyes are not a problem for her. She paid approx 3600 AFAIK. Life time after care is also provided. I dont think that "from 595 per eye" is at all realistic, but I guess thats what sucks a lot of people in.

22olive

StormWarrior wrote: »

2 years ago I had laser eye surgery from Optical Express. It has improved my vision, but I've been left with very dry eyes. That is OK, I understood that it was a risk when I had the surgery, and it is worth it to be able to see. As long as I use lubricating eye drops several times a day, it's fine. Optical Express have a lifetime aftercare service, which is supposed to include all of the free eye drops that I need. I was also told that after the first few months, I'd need only an annual check-up, and that if eye drops are needed they can be sent through the post.

However, I'm very angry about the aftercare. Whenever I have a check-up, the optician checks the eyes, agrees that they are dry and gives a very limited supply of eye drops, not even enough to last a month. When I run out, they refuse to give me any more unless I go and have another check up. This involves taking hours out of my day and travelling an inconvenient distance. They don't even give me enough drops to last until the next visit. This means that sometimes they are making me go for a check-up every few weeks, only to get eye drops. The check-up is pointless as they do absolutely nothing worthwhile at it. It's just the same thing every time - check my vision, check my eye pressure and check if my eyes are dry. That's all and it is totally unnecessary. Every time the same thing happens, they agree that I need more eye drops, they give me a pathetic amount and send me on my way. They never give me enough to last and on numerous occassions I have actually had to beg for more.

It's not like these eye drops are dangerous - they are just standard over-the-counter lubricating drops that you can buy in any chemist shop. The reason I don't want to buy them is because they can be expensive when you need then regularly - why should I buy them when my atercare includes free drops? However several times I have bought them as Optical Express don't supply enough.

What can I do about this? The dryness of my eyes may never go away. I can live with that as long as I have drops. But why should I spend the rest of my life travelling to pointless checkups and begging for the drops I need? I am so angry with these idiots. I really think that they just have nothing better to do - their shop is always empty, they hardly ever have customers and I think they just need to give people pointless appointments to justify their existence.

Hi, I got mine done in 2007 and I was guaranteed aftercare for life, on that basis my son got it done 3 years ago and was told he does not have aftercare for life, he has to pay 80 euro for an eye test, and I can categorically swear, when he got them done, she confirmed he had lifetime aftercare. But we have no paperwork to prove it, nor for mine in 2007 anyone got the original advertisement stating FREE aftercare for life, would love love love a copy if you do, Tia

august12

Sean Bateman wrote:

Go to William Power in the Blackrock Clinic...he's the main man for laser eye surgery. This "€599 per eye" stuff is fools' gold.

How does one go about getting an appointment here, do I need to bring a eye prescription from my optician?

Daisies

22olive wrote: »

Hi, I got mine done in 2007 and I was guaranteed aftercare for life, on that basis my son got it done 3 years ago and was told he does not have aftercare for life, he has to pay 80 euro for an eye test, and I can categorically swear, when he got them done, she confirmed he had lifetime aftercare. But we have no paperwork to prove it, nor for mine in 2007 anyone got the original advertisement stating FREE aftercare for life, would love love love a copy if you do, Tia

They actually changed the lifetime aftercare within the last few years so it is possible that when you got it done in 2007, you were covered by a lifetime aftercare and your son is not.