OPTIMAX | ULTRALASE

Help stop Optimax & Ultralase ruining even more people's lives AND increase awareness of this unregulated industry!

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If you'd like to contribute your story and experience at Optimax or Ultralase, please email: info@optimaxruinedmylife.net

Thanks
Leigh

Well done Leigh. I sent you an email.

By the way, the admin@optimaxruinedmylife.net email didn't work for me, but info@optimaxruinedmylife.net did seem to go through ...

Guy
___________________
Thanks Guy - I've amended below!
Leigh

Help stop Optimax ruining even more people's lives AND increase awareness of this unregulated industry!


www.optimaxruinedmylife.net


twitter.com/OptimaxRML

Please take a look and if you'd like to to contribute your stories and experiences at Optimax (or sister company Ultralase) please email: info@optimaxruinedmylife.net

Thanks
Leigh

Responding to my 16 December post re Russell Ambrose and Optimax’'s insolvency, I was contacted by disgruntled employees (ex & current) who provided me with some interesting (and highly amusing) information



On 5 October his employees received a letter from Russell, expressing crocodile tears (no MGD for him!), telling them that he was restructuring the company and had to let people go, but that it’s been, ‘great fun over the years’, signing off with, ‘Love to you all’!

He told them that, unless they’d not heard otherwise by 16 October, their jobs were safe…



Then on 5/6 November, closing the Newcastle, Peterborough and Reading premises, he deceitfully made at least 22 employees redundant - some who’d been loyal to their weasel boss for than twenty years!

Pay slips were sent out to these employees advising they would receive their holiday pay with their wages on 30 November, their last payday, but at 7pm on 29 November, Russell sent an email telling them this wasn’t going to happen, and redundant staff received only one week’s pay!

And then we have the entertaining story of David Moulsdale - playing the male equivalent of Maleficent at Sleeping Beauty’s christening...

An uninvited guest at the Optimax CVA Virtual Meeting on 27 November, in typical gangster style he’d bought one of the creditor's debts (from a cleaning supplies company), his actions described by the administrators as 'underhand', but not illegal.

Moulsdale apparently did his best to disrupt the proceedings, the following transcript as told to me by one of Russell’s creditors who was present (happy to edit if any other attendees disagree with wording)...

DM: ‘Let me buy the company!’
RA: 'Get out of this meeting, I’ve never done business with you!'
DM: 'I’ll give you £14 million!'
RA: ‘What are you talking about, you owe £60 million!’

ROTFLMAO - oh to have been there!

Yesterday I spoke with the boss of the firm handling the CVA, who kindly answered all my questions, explaining the situation in terms I could better understand.*

• RussellAmbrose had been advised to put Optimax into administration, but was adamant he won’t do this, claiming that he wanted to keep it going, because he’d invested so many millions of his own money into the company. (Odd therefore that he once criticised his arch rival for this, telling me that he believed DavidMoulsdale had stupidly invested much of his own money into Optical Express)
• Unsecured creditors will be paid only 39.8p for each £1 they are owed, whilst Optimax
will continue to trade.**
• Suppliers will be paid ‘on delivery' or via Pro Forma invoices.
• After 4 years the pre CVA debt will be written off.

At odds with his published ‘insolvency’, Russell invested more than £600,000 refurbishing his Leeds premises earlier this year, and very recently purchased new OCT machines (min £30k each), and upgraded his aged computers!

I'm told that he also plans to refurbish the Brighton premises very soon (with the huge costs allegedly being paid from his own pocket), intending to focus on lens surgery.

Do I smell NHS contracts being chased?

And it should be considered that Optimax and Ultralase both operate out of the same premises, with same surgeons, yet only Optimax in CVA!
(Specs wearing Optimax/Ultralase Medical Director Malcolm 'Pour your heart out to me' Samuel leaving end of January.)

There’s more I know that I can't yet discuss, but I have no doubt Russell has a sneaky something up his sleeve, as time (and I) will tell in due course.

* www.gov.uk/company-voluntary-arrangements
**Free to ruin more eyes and lives, while turning a profit, but the chance of going into liquidation always on the horizon.

Looks as if the p*ssing contest that's lasted more than 18 years between the two UK refractive industry market leaders (psychopathic owners Russell Ambrose at Optimax and Ultralase, and David Moulsdale at Optical Express) may soon have a loser, with Russell seemingly ready to throw in the towel



Click on the PDF to read all 11 pages: find-and-update.company-information.serv...00452/filing-history

It should be noted that amongst a number of companies, including real estate agencies, a jewellery manufacturer*, and a caravan park, Russell Ambrose also has 'EYE HOSPITALS GROUP LIMITED (08307617)’** & EYE HOSPITALS LIMITED (08874915)*** in his portfolio, which he could use to continue trading in refractive eye surgery should Optimax go into administration - Ultralase surely destined to follow the same path, given that they share the same premises and same surgeons


*'Optima Manufacturing Jewellery was founded in Birmingham, England in 1981. Initially we started manufacturing competitively priced gold jewellery to satisfy the demand from retail stores owned by the founder and current chairman Russell Ambrose.’ (pity he didn't stick to selling tacky jewellery!)
www.optimajewellery.com/about-us
** find-and-update.company-information.serv...07617/filing-history
*** find-and-update.company-information.serv....uk/company/08874915

As I suggested he was intending to do, in my 19 November Facebook post (when I also said Optegra Eye Hospital were about to announce their sale, which they did a few days later), Russell Ambrose has today put Optimax into a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA)



find-and-update.company-information.serv...00452/filing-history

I called Optimax' call centre a few minutes ago, when the person I spoke with confirmed that they are still taking bookings for surgery (initially not believing me when I told her about the CVA).

This is not good for patients, who will be left without ANY aftercare should the company go into administration next year if not sold (also unable to take legal action if necessary).

Ultralase remains solvent as yet, but I wonder for how long!
find-and-update.company-information.serv...60426/filing-history

In the meantime, a message to Russell Ambrose's loyal staff, who've mostly been kept in the dark about this (like so many of his damaged customers unable to see in low light, with our vision irreparably damaged), as many of you are likely to lose your jobs soon, I invite you to contact me with any information you think might be of interest or help to me.

Confidentiality guaranteed: sasha@mybeautifuleyes.co.uk

8 years ago today I made the Biggest mistake of my life. I had Lasik at Optimax in Manchester. It's been completely devastating for not only myself but also my husband and 2 kids. I'm not the person I was meant to be?. I've struggled every day since with poor quality of vision, light sensitivity, headaches, blurry vision to name a few. It's severely affected my quality of life and mental health, I've broken down many times over this, I still struggle to this day coming to terms with my decision. I've literally travelled the country looking for answers, and am currently being seen yet again by the NHS, they've been really kind. Optimax couldn't give a damn. I would not wish this surgery on anyone. Thank you Sasha for bringing people together.x

Today is a memorable day for me - Coffee and cake at mine... bring a mask

Hi All...

Let me start by admitting, yes, I'm an idiot!

I'm 46 years old and I'm embarrassed to say I'm yet another 'victim' of Optimax - I feel cheated, scammed and lied to - initially I thought I was just an unlucky customer who was experiencing extended 'side effects' from Lens Replacement but I now know that Optimax (both Optometrist and Surgeon) were fully aware of what I would be sacrificing and what my vision would be like post-surgery... £6000 for lens replacement in both eyes of which my vision is worse now than a before the surgery.

Until November 2019, I only ever wore glasses for computer work and reading . My distance / mid-distance vision was very good. I was in a position where i could treat myself - I wanted to be 'glasses-free' so looked into Laser Eye correction. I was told by Optimax that my eyes weren't suitable but was recommended for Lens Replacement... this would not only make me glasses-free but would also mean there was no chance of getting Cataracts later in life (this was Optimax's selling pitch to me). I read the Agreement and acknowledged that i would see Halos and Glares for a couple of months and was also told by Optometrist and Surgeon that this would be temporary. It's safe to say they were lying through their teeth.

I had Lens Replacement in both eyes in November 2019 (a week apart) and thats where my life went down hill! To date, I have returned to Optimax for consultations, tests or treatment every month since Nov '19 (excluding March, April & May due to them being closed) and have still not had my vision corrected - My ongoing symptoms include Halos, flares, ghosting, peripheral issues, black crescents, dry eyes, blurriness - very similar symptoms to other posts I have been reading lately - I have been reporting these issues for almost a year.

First i was told, several times, these are normal symptoms and would pass over a few months. Next I was told I had cloudiness built-up on the lens so needed YAG treatment (which cost me a further £400). I was also told i needed a Laser Correction to 'fine-tune' the prescription of the lenses. (I was clearly too stupid to think the lens replacement was going to be the correct prescription for my eyes! - lets put shit lenses in and correct them with laser - yeah!!)

So I saw a laser surgeon who said lasering the eyes wouldnt work, I then saw the Medical Director of Optimax (Dr Ilango) and told him i wanted the lenses changed but he was adamant laser correction would work, and 3 weeks later I spoke to the laser surgeon who was going to do the surgery and, guess what, he said lasering wouldnt work too. Would this fill you with confidence and reassurance? (no way are they coming near my eyes with any lasers!)

So, everything is now totally up in the air. Optimax have stung me for approx £6400 and left me with worse eye-sight than i had a year ago. I've lost countless work days due to additional appointments. I've incurred additional travel expenses due to having to go to Finchley Road and Harley Street (instead of my local Optimax in Maidstone) and all for what - nothing. I feel Optimax have literally been going through the motions and care very little (if anything) about my situation.

The icing on the cake?... Optimax are offering a massive £50 if you recommend a friend! I'd happily give a friend £50 NOT to go and have their eyes ruined by these butchers. I didn't know this industry was un-regulated and I doubt the majority of people do. Since researching my symptoms online I have read countless stories not only from Optimax victims but also Optical Express and other companies too; this is barbaric!

Thanks for reading my post... and a big thank you to Sasha for not only hosting this site but also for the Youtube videos and other media forms which have been very informative. You have my support and I will be broadcasting these stories and experiences where I can.

This is why I support Sasha's work for regulation of these terrible companies and improving awareness of how they have damaged people's lives:

It happened a long time ago but it has taken me years to face up to the fact of how stupid I was, and how badly I was taken for a ride.

As a naive, stupid and (in my judgement) vulnerable 24-year-old, I had epi-LASEK Wavefront eye surgery performed by Optimax at their Finchley Road clinic in London on July 10, 2008. I was significantly undercorrected in both eyes and left with worse astigmatism in one eye than I had before surgery. I was also left with the usual complications including terrible night vision (starbursts, halos etc), floaters and dry eye. I was talked through the consent form without getting the chance to take it home and was also only seen by the surgeon in a sham two-minute consultation on the day of the surgery. I understand that both of those result to regulations being breached. At this point, I shan't go on to explain the harm that the poor eyesight and complications has all done to my life and mental health. I had made it clear that I wanted good eyesight for playing sport, and dearly wish I had stuck with my contacts as they gave me far better, and complication free, eyesight, but I was led to believe by the sales people that I'd get similar eyesight. Even afterwards, they told me my eyes needed time to settle down into their new subscription and that the complications would disappear, both of which were nonsense. As I was so invested in the scam, I believed them (and kept paying my monthly instalments), and ultimately got used to the poor eyesight. Being a sucker, I felt I had to put up with it having spent all that money and put myself through the surgery.

But the major issue here is that, in treating me, the company breached its own guidelines. The company's website on the day of the surgery (as detailed by Optimax's suitability prescription chart attached), and for a long period around that time, shows that epi-LASEK Wavefront should be available up to -3 dioptres sphere, whereas the treatment was recommended for me despite my prescription being -4.75 sphere in one eye, and -4.25 sphere in the other. Optimax's records show that they deemed me suitable despite this clear disparity, without any explanation why.

I hope these companies can be stopped - only those who have fallen for their scam know horrible it feels.