Optical Express provides strong presence at ASCRS Annual Meeting

Mon, 10 May 2010 10:07:34 GMT

Optical Express' chief medical director Steve Schallhorn, in addition to several other Optical Express surgeons and International Medical Advisory Board (IMAB) members, have attended and presented at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) annual meeting.

The Symposium on Cataract, IOL and Refractive Surgery segment of the meeting brought together ASCRS members from across the globe to learn about and discuss the newest trends and technologies in the field of refractive surgery.

Mr Schallhorn presented findings from a number of different studies, in particular one highlighting the results of a study on corneal thickness. The presentation, titled 'Should we perform LASIK on thin corneas?' discussed how performing LASIK on patients with thin corneas is safe and effective. Mr Schallhorn's research involved 81,715 eyes, a virtually unprecedented amount in the field. He also presented a poster titled 'Patient Satisfaction After LASIK: Analysis of More Than 15,000 Patients', which discussed the high level of patient satisfaction achieved after modern LASIK.

Optical Express' UK medical director Professor Jan Venter was also a presenter at the conference. Prof Venter discussed exciting research comparing different techniques to perform enhancements. Miss Susanna Boytha, one of the Optical Express surgeons, presented as well, assessing various methods of flap creation in LASIK surgery.

Members of Optical Express' IMAB were also actively involved as panellists and speakers. John Vukich, Steven Dell, Marguerite McDonald, Michael Knorz, Colman Kraff, Stephen Coleman and Stephen Slade all presented findings of their current and recent research.

"The extensive presence of Optical Express Surgeons and IMAB members at international meetings really underscores the valuable role that we perform not only for the refractive surgery community but also the public that we serve," Mr. Schallhorn said. "It is clear that we are not only the largest provider of refractive surgery in Europe - we're also leaders in terms of technological developments and pushing the community forward in terms of safety, effectiveness, and outstanding clinical outcomes."

The ASCRS was founded in 1974 to encourage discussion and dissemination of information between ophthalmologists relating to refractive surgery. In addition to the annual meeting and symposium, the society produces a number of regular publications, including the Journal of Refractive Surgery. In July 2009, Optical Express published a supplement in the journal, the first of its kind by a corporate provider. The ASCRS also provides members with various resources and research fellowships, and works to further ophthalmic research, public education, and awareness in developing countries.

About Optical Express:
The Optical Express Group was founded in 1991 and is now a global leader of selected healthcare services, specialising in opticians services. The group covers optical stores, refractive laser eye surgery, cataract surgery, glasses, contact lenses as well as dental clinics.

Optical Express provides trained specialists to help patients determine which laser eye surgery treatment is best suited to their unique needs and offers the most advanced eye surgery treatments such as LASEK and LASIK eye surgery as well as Advanced CustomVue Wavefront and Intralase.

Optical Express is the leading pr

Optical Express launches Ambassador Referral Programme

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:08:03 GMT

Optical Express launches new Ambassador Referral Programme. Open to both laser eye surgery and intraocular lens treatment patients, the flexible programme enables the referrer to choose how the reward - valued at hundreds of pounds per referral - is distributed.

David Carson, the head of the programme, spoke with enthusiasm about the new Ambassador Referral initiative.

"The programme is a huge departure from any scheme we've done before, with larger rewards and more flexibility," he said. "We really believe that our patients are our best ambassadors, and we designed this so that we can provide them with a reward that is really substantial, and that can really make a difference in their lives. The amount that they can earn is endless."

With the new programme, the person referring is given three options - they can receive the full reward, their friend or relative can receive the full amount off the cost of laser eye treatment or intraocular lens implant treatment, or the reward can be split evenly between the patient and referrer.

If the referrer has opted to receive all or part of the reward, they are issued a cheque within 14 days of their friend or relative undergoing surgery. Thus, the referrer has the potential to not only earn an unlimited amount of money, but also to receive their rewards almost immediately.

Carson acknowledged that the programme may seem too good to be true, but stressed that there are no hidden catches.

"It may seem overly generous to issue cheques for thousands of pounds to our past patients for simply making referrals, but there really is no catch," he said. "Virtually all of our patients indicate that they would recommend Optical Express to their friends and relatives, and we are providing them with an extra incentive for doing so."

The programme also reinforces the high standards of customer service and clinical outcomes that Optical Express is dedicated to.

"Beyond rewarding our referrers, this programme further prompts all of our staff members and clinics to ensure that they are providing the absolute highest standard of care," Carson said. "If people walk away with not just great results, but also positive experiences, then they will be all the more likely to refer their friends, family members and colleagues."

Optical Express provides trained specialists to help patients determine which laser eye surgery treatment is best suited to their unique needs and offers the most advanced eye surgery treatments such as LASIK eye surgery and LASEK as well as Advanced CustomVue Wavefront and Intralase.

Optical Express is the leading provider of laser eye surgery in the UK and Europe, with over 100 laser eye clinics and opticians offering pre and post-operative care.

Optical Express launches online Eye Expert

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:23:11 GMT

Optical Express has launched a new 'Eye Expert' section on its website. A collection of articles addressing a range of topics related to eyes, to provide a resource that is both informative and interesting.

With the addition of the Eye Expert section, Optical Express is positioning itself as more than just a provider of frames, lenses, and laser eye surgery - Optical Express is also a valuable source of information. The new articles cover a wide variety of topics dealing with eye anatomy and health, through to eye care, and addressing such questions as 'Are carrots really good for your eyes?' From the technical and the practical, to the entertaining, the content is designed to appeal to a wide array of readers.

"We're the only provider of the complete eye care solution - from laser eye surgery to glasses, to contact lenses, to intraocular lens treatment," Joanna Patterson, marketing assistant for Optical Express, said. "By offering an informative resource, we're really trying to go above and beyond our current offerings and provide even more for our customers and patients. The Eye Expert section addresses a current lack of comprehensive resources of this kind related to eyes."

There are resources dedicated to eye diseases, and others that are more beauty-oriented, but no one has really looked at tackling eyes in a broad way like Optical Express has.

Patterson added, "We are really excited about launching this part of our website, and hope that people embrace it. We've put a lot of time into compiling all of this information."

New articles will be added frequently, as well as responses to questions and queries posed by readers.

"We've launched the site with information that we think will prove useful, but we're hoping that comments and responses will really dictate the direction that we move with this," Patterson said. "The Eye Expert section should ideally be a reflection of the information that our patients and customers are seeking. We are looking forward to getting feedback."

About Optical Express
The Optical Express Group was founded in 1991 and is now a global leader of selected healthcare services, specialising in opticians services. The group covers optical stores, refractive laser eye surgery, glasses, contact lenses as well as dental clinics.

Optical Express provides trained specialists to help patients determine which laser eye surgery treatment is best suited to their unique needs and offers the most advanced eye surgery treatments such as LASIK eye surgery and LASEK as well as Advanced CustomVue Wavefront and Intralase.

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Optical Express provides strong presence at ASCRS Annual Meeting

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