Book a Consultation Clinic Finder HOME ABOUT PATIENT JOURNEY Patient journey and informed consent You'll be looked after by our experienced clinical team from the moment you arrive for your first consultation, through to your treatment day. After your surgery is completed, Optical Express will continue to look after you, through your 12 month personalised aftercare plan. I'm thinking about eye surgery Attend the consultation I'm proceeding with treatment I'm having my treatment today I've had my eye surgery Where are you in your Optical Express journey? I'm thinking about eye surgery 1. Contact us Take the first step towards improved vision by speaking to a member of our care team. They're available to answer any questions you may have and can be reached by phone or online: 0800 023 2020 enquiries@opticalexpress.com 2. Book a free consultation The only way to find out if you're suitable for corrective eye surgery at Optical Express is to attend a free consultation. We have the largest number of private clinics in the UK and Ireland and you can find your nearest one here: Find a clinic Book a consultation 3. Receive written confirmation Once you've booked your free consultation, we'll send you a confirmation email, which will include your chosen consultation date, time and clinic location. We'll provide a detailed map of how to get to the clinic and a confirmation letter will also be sent to you by post. 4. Complete a health and lifestyle questionnaire You'll have the opportunity to complete a health and lifestyle questionnaire prior to your consultation. For the best possible outcome, it's important that you provide us with detailed and honest information about your health and lifestyle choices – and of course, your responses will remain completely confidential. 5. Receive a preparation call A member of our care team will call you several days before your consultation, to make sure you understand how to prepare for your visit and to let you know what to expect on the day. This is a great opportunity to ask us any questions you might have. Attend the consultation 6. Arrive at the clinic Your consultation will determine your suitability for treatment and it will also provide you with all the information you'll need to be able to make an informed choice about eye surgery. When you arrive at the clinic, you'll be welcomed by a patient advisor. They'll explain the different steps involved and you'll have plenty of time to ask questions, which will help you to make a decision about proceeding with treatment. 7. Health questionnaire review If you've not already done so, you'll be asked to complete your health and lifestyle questionnaire. 8. Advanced diagnostic testing You'll undergo a series of non-invasive, yet highly sophisticated, diagnostic tests and your advisor will explain each of these in detail before any examination is carried out. The results of these eye tests are much more advanced than the measurements taken during a standard eye examination. 9. Meet your optometrist Your specialist optometrist can now review the information provided in your questionnaire and diagnostic tests. Following this, you'll be asked to verify and sign, to confirm that the details contained in your health and lifestyle questionnaire are correct. You'll discuss with them, in more detail, your reasons for considering eye surgery, your goals and the information that you've previously provided. 10. Optical examinations and eye health assessment A series of tests and examinations will determine your eye health, your natural vision and the current prescription in each eye. Your optometrist will place drops in your eyes to dilate your pupils, allowing a thorough examination of your eyelids, cornea, pupil, lens and retina. You may notice your vision becomes a little blurred and more sensitive to light, but this is nothing to worry about – it'll return to normal in a matter of hours. 11. Receive our recommendation Your optometrist can now determine your suitability for surgery, pending confirmation from your ophthalmic surgeon. The final decision will always rest with your ophthalmic surgeon, but if you're not considered suitable for surgery, we can offer a number of other solutions. If you are suitable, we'll recommend the most effective and appropriate treatment for you. 12. Have a detailed discussion with our Specialist Refractive Optometrist If our Specialist Refractive Optometrist confirms you are a candidate for one of our procedures they will have a detailed discussion with you, during which they will explain the benefits and the potential risks and outcomes associated with eye surgery. This will give you the knowledge you need to make an informed decision about your procedure. You'll be asked to sign an electronic signature pad, confirming you have understood the information provided and that all of your questions have been answered. 13. Receive your Patient Information Folder You will be given a Patient Information Folder which provides the details of your procedure. You'll also receive an Informed Consent Document covering the benefits, risks, outcomes and other vision correction treatments available. A Terms and Conditions document is provided too and it's important that you read all the information given. You can see these documents here. Documents 14. Receive your personalised iScan report You'll receive your personal iScan report by email shortly after your consultation. This exclusive report details your eye health, diagnostics and the unique characteristics of your eyes. Your recommended treatment and surgeon details will also be included, where applicable. Learn more about iScan I'm proceeding with treatment 15. Read your informed consent document Your informed consent document will provide you with a further understanding of the benefits, potential risks and range of outcomes relating to eye surgery and it will also help you to prepare any further questions you may want to ask your surgeon. 16. Have a surgeon discussion You must have another discussion with your specialist surgeon before treatment day. This can be done in person, or by telephone. They'll talk you through your surgery and ensure that you fully understand the process. You'll have plenty of opportunity to ask questions. Your surgeon may also request further tests at this point. Should you elect to have your surgeon discussion by telephone, you have the further option of an in person discussion prior to your day of surgery. Meet our surgeons I'm having my treatment today 17. Your surgery Your surgical care team will do everything they can to help you feel at ease and you can rest assured that they'll also address any concerns you may have. Prior to the surgery taking place, they'll take you through each step of the procedure, so you know exactly what to expect. With lens surgery, your eyes can either be treated on separate days or both on the same day. The surgery itself takes around ten minutes per eye. You'll meet with your personal anesthetist and they'll ensure that you are comfortable and relaxed throughout your procedure. Although you'll be awake throughout, you won't experience any pain during the treatment. With laser eye surgery, your eyes will generally be treated on the same day. Each eye is operated on individually, with the surgery taking around ten minutes to perform. 18. Rest after surgery After your treatment, your surgeon will assess the immediate results. A member of the surgical care team will then take you to a private lounge area to relax. You'll be provided with aftercare instructions and eye drops and you'll also be told what to expect during the initial stages of recovery. Your next day aftercare appointment will be scheduled and you'll be free to leave at your leisure. 19. Your Surgeon Consultation Your surgeon will undertake a consultation prior to any procedure taking place. He or she will have reviewed all of your scans and examination outcomes that have been performed prior. The consultation will include an examination of your eyes. Your surgeon will confirm your suitability and have a full and thorough discussion with you, completing the Informed Consent process. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions that you have thought of since your last interaction with an Optical Express clinician. 20. Your surgery Your surgical care team will do everything they can to help you feel at ease and you can rest assured that they'll also address any concerns you may have. Prior to the surgery taking place, they'll take you through each step of the procedure, so you know exactly what to expect. With lens surgery, your eyes can either be treated on separate days or both on the same day. The surgery itself takes around ten minutes per eye. You'll meet with your personal anaesthetist and they'll ensure that you are comfortable and relaxed throughout your procedure. Although you'll be awake throughout, you won't experience any pain during the treatment. With laser eye surgery, your eyes will generally be treated on the same day. Each eye is operated on individually, with the surgery taking around ten minutes to perform. 21. Rest after surgery After your treatment, your surgeon will assess the immediate results. A member of the surgical care team will then take you to a private lounge area to relax. You'll be provided with aftercare instructions and eye drops and you'll also be told what to expect during the initial stages of recovery. Your next day aftercare appointment will be scheduled and you'll be free to leave at your leisure. I've had my eye surgery 22. Next day aftercare appointment It is essential that you attend your aftercare appointments. These start the day after surgery, when the clinical team will carry out a full eye assessment to ensure that they're healing as expected. 23. Plan your aftercare journey We'll continue to look after your eye health well into the future and because we understand that every patient is an individual, your aftercare will be tailored to your own unique requirements. Following your next day aftercare appointment, you'll attend further appointments, until both you and the care team are happy to discharge you from our care. This happens to the majority of our patients between three and 12 months after surgery. It's important to note that charges are involved for additional post-treatment appointments which take place outside of our inclusive periods. They are as follows: Optometrist: £100 Ophthalmic Surgeon £200 Medications are provided at no cost for three months as a follow-on to your surgery. Outwith this time private fees will apply. 24. Attend your annual eye examination An eye examination is not just to check your vision it is also essential to monitor the general health of your eyes. Many health conditions can be detected during an eye examination. At Optical Express our experienced optometrists will carry out a thorough assessment of each patient's visual health including state-of-the-art screening for diseases. This includes looking for diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and macular degeneration before they become a bigger health challenge. Conditions which, if left undiagnosed, can lead to severe sight loss. Documents Laser eye surgery Laser Eye Surgery Terms & Conditions iDesign Laser Eye Surgery Terms & Conditions Laser Eye Surgery Informed Consent Document Lens/Cataract Surgery Lens Exchange & Cataract Surgery Terms and Conditions Phakic Lens Surgery Informed Consent Document Phakic Lens Surgery Terms & Conditions Lens Exchange & Cataract Surgery Informed Consent Document YAG Informed Consent Document YAG Terms and Conditions Brochures Laser Eye Surgery Brochure Lens Surgery Brochure LipiFlow LipiFlow Informed Consent Document Contact Us 0800 023 2020 enquiries@opticalexpress.com Our Services Laser Eye Surgery Lens Replacement Cataract Surgery Eye Health Glasses Contact Lenses Eye Tests About Us About Patient Reviews Customer Care Magazine and News Contact Us Refer a Friend Contact Centre Information Gender Pay Gap Report How to Complain Environmental Statement Open Letter Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement Corporate Careers Corporate Eye Care Information Pack Environmental, Social and Governance Optical Express Ireland Optical Express Germany Optical Express Croatia Sitemap Terms and conditions Privacy policy Cookies Company No. SC161469 | VAT No.680672418 | © Optical Express 2021 Your choice regarding cookies on this site We use cookies to optimise site functionality and give you the best possible experience. 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