Optimax Patients

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.

This card is for Russell Ambrose, as I couldn’t let today slip by without reminding him that this is the NINTH anniversary of my laser eye surgery at Optimax - sadly a day more vividly remembered than most happier days in my life



On a positive note, the greedy psychopathic businessman, and negligent surgeon Dr Wilbert Hoe, are the reason that My Beautiful Eyes Foundation and OERML exist.

'42 procedures in 1 day' - and Optimax consider that something to boast about!

No wonder he (and Optimax) has a number of legal claims against him

Shame on you Dr Ghassan Ayoubi!


www.optimax.co.uk/laser_surgeons/dr_ayoubi/
www.optimax.co.uk/…/…/dr_ayoubi_web_profile_0714.pdf

Hey Russell, for transparency and balance don't you think my ’touching patient story’ should be included in your Optimax article


www.facebook.com/OptimaxUK/

'It’s a classic case of “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”, but worsening vision brings a multitude of other health concerns with it – and not just physical health concerns.’
www.optimax.co.uk/…/what_are_the_effects_of_poor_ey…

No Russell, I DID know what I had before I made the most regrettable mistake of my life and trusted your lying sleazeball of a surgeon Dr Wibert Hoe with my beautiful healthy eyes!

He irreparably damaged my eyes, and my life, by performing surgery that I should never have had - that you knew I should not have had (documented in Optimax internal emails obtained under my second SAR in 2017, dishonestly not disclosed under my first!) - so that I’m left to suffer pain and countless problems with my eyes, scared of what else may occur in the future.

Russell kept this from me and lied through his teeth (all recorded), knowing that I would NEVER have signed the settlement agreement if I'd found out.

'The link between failing vision and declining mental health has recently been brought to the spotlight. Research over the past few years has highlighted that people suffering from vision loss are twice as likely to suffer from depression as the rest of the population.’

No sh*t Sherlock!

I recently issued my SIXTEENTH legal claim against Russell Ambrose & Optimax (for breach of our Settlement Agreement), because Russell hates to be beaten, so makes me fight for what I am entitled to according to the agreement, bullying me with his very expensive legal team.

And my email to Russell's solicitor last night described his client as ‘sociopathic’, because I don't believe a normal human being could live with their conscience knowing that they are responsible for destroying so many people’s lives, while continuing to do so with zero remorse. (Whereas I think David Moulsdale veers toward psychopathy given what I know about him.)

But I thank Russell for this article, because it’s very helpful to all legal teams representing damaged refractive eye surgery clients, as one lawyer has already advised me.

And I have no doubt that Humpty Dumpty* will therefore be cursing Russell when he reads it.

Meanwhile, I apologise for the fact that I haven’t had time to write the next instalment of 'No More Ms Nice Guy’, which will include details of my secret meeting with Moulsdale in May 2014. But before you jump to conclusions, I assure you it had nothing to do with OERML, entirely about Optimax and Russell Ambrose.

And now I’ve teased you with that little gem, I'm going to have to get the post written soon!

*Russell’s pet name for David Moulsdale, because he hopes OE will fall off the wall and publicly ‘break' before Optimax does.

'verb: need; 3rd person present: needs; past tense: needed; past participle: needed; gerund or present participle: needing; modal verb: need

1. require (something) because it is essential or very important rather than just desirable.'

Just saying

Email Optimax CEO [admin edit]
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admin: If you have anything constructive or helpful to post you are welcome to do so, but unsubstantiated and cryptic posts don't help my campaign or damaged patients.
Send me documented evidence

Hello,

I stumbled across this website while researching. I had lasik + wavefront eye surgery in 2013. It was successful at first but unfortunately deteriorated within a year. My prescription has changed 3 times since surgery, getting worse each time and I now have to wear glasses again 24/7. I also have dry eyes too now. I recently went back to Optimax for a consultation and they want me to return again in 3 months as the tests showed a change in prescription. I was hoping to ask for advice about the corrective surgery - which is free - what questions should I ask? Is it not advisable at all?
Any help would be much appreciated.

Kind Regards

Emma
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admin: If you developed dry eyes as a result of laser eye surgery, then it can only get worse if you have further 'corrective' surgery - to correct the results of the ops that you bought to correct your vision initially!
A refund is the only thing I'd want from Optimax - and artificial tears of course, which it's possible you will unfortunately need for the rest of your life

I'm not allowed to post reviews about my surgery at Optimax, but if I were I doubt that I could do better than this from another angry victim


www.facebook.com/pages/Optimax-Laser-Eye-Clinic/152158491838236

It'll be six years this weekend (24/11/2012), the date my life was ruined forever by Optimax.

The past 6 years have been a constant daily battle dealing with the discomfort, blurred vision, eye strain, depression... you name it

I was 100% happier in my glasses & contacts, and I was fooled into thinking that laser eye surgery would make me happier and life easier.

It's a very lonely place when you are the victim of damaged eyes, as trying to get the correct help is verging on the impossible. It's a way of life I have sadly had to accept, and I keep how I feel to myself much of the time.

Russell Ambrose & Optimax, you will never know the severity of what you have done to me. Nor do you care.

I just hope that anyone reading this considering eye surgery will steer well clear.