Optical Express store opened by Daley Thompson jumping tape

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 10:44:27 GMT

Optical Express' latest optical store in Bearsden has been opened by Olympic legend Daley Thompson taking an unconventional approach to its unveiling. The decathlete, double Olympic gold medallist, world and Commonwealth champion swapped the conventional silver scissors for the scissors jump as he leaped the red ribbon to launch the new Optical Express store.

The eye care specialist relocated after nine years in the town in order to be able to offer customers a larger, more modern, state of the art opticians in Glasgow, Bearsden, where clients will receive the most clinically advanced eye tests in Scotland and a new, exclusive range of designer frames.

The store will stock Jimmy Choo's new range of designer prescription glasses - tipped to be as popular as the fashion label's range of shoes and bags - following their international launch last month. Customers can also choose from the latest designer frames from top names such as Dior, Prada, Gucci, Patrick Cox, Tom Ford, Cavalli and Chloe.

Daley Thompson said:

"Optical Express' latest venture is a superb facility which will ensure it continues to offer the very best advice, care and treatment for its clients.

"As an athlete I am very aware of the importance of looking after your eyes regular eye checks. Perfect vision is a key tool of our profession and I can't over emphasise the importance for all age groups to look after their eyes.

"While in Glasgow, which will host the Commonwealth Games in 2014, I also took the opportunity to speak to locals about the importance and need to encourage youngsters to become more active to ensure success at the Games in four years time."

Andrew MacKenzie, store manager of Optical Express said:

"Daley Thompson is a renowned athlete who understands the importance of regular eye checks to ensure the best possible performance and we're delighted to have him here today to open our new store.

"Our larger premises, improved facilities including state of the art technology, improved access in addition to a much wider range of glasses, all underline our commitment to improving customer service and experience."

Notes to Editors

About Optical Express:
Optical Express is the world's leading refractive surgery provider with its surgeons having carried out more than 700,000 laser eye surgery procedures and performing more than 6 out of every 10 refractive procedures in the UK. The company employs over 3000 people, utilising over 50 ophthalmologists and 250 optometrists across more than 220 locations throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland, Croatia, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States.

Bridgewater Hospital launches revamped website

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:39:44 GMT

The Bridgewater Hospital has announced the launch of its new website, designed to better highlight the full range of services offered, as well as to communicate the hospital's major points of difference.

One of the new features of the site is an interactive body map, whereby individuals can search for a treatment or condition by clicking on the relevant body part. Separate body maps are available for males and females.

The new site also includes a comprehensive database of treatments and other hospital offerings, profiles of the doctors and surgeons that work at the facility, and a forum, where patients and others can post questions for the hospital's medical professionals to respond to.

The Bridgewater Hospital is located in central Manchester, and was acquired by the Optical Express Group in 2006. Renowned for its state of the art technology, the facility aims to provide the highest standard of patient care, offering treatments ranging from cosmetic surgery, to orthopaedics, to pregnancy scans. Bridgewater also provides extensive diagnostic screening and is the surgery provider to a number of elite athletes, including Premiership and Championship Football Clubs, Premiership Rugby, and a variety of individuals preparing to compete in the 2012 Olympics.

Lesley Taylor, the executive director of the hospital, commented: "We're incredibly excited about the launch of the new website. We feel that it more effectively communicates the wide range of offerings that Bridgewater has to offer, and provides patients with an informative, interactive, and professional resource.

"There are so many benefits of using a state of the art facility like ours, and we felt that our online presence should reflect these strengths. It is our hope that patients both embrace and engage with the new site."

In addition to the treatments and services offered, the hospital also hosts regular information events. These events, covering topics ranging from fertility, to teenage skin, to cosmetic surgery treatment options, are all free and open to the public. Information on upcoming events can be found on the hospital's website.

Being part of the Optical Express Group, the hospital is also used to perform intraocular lens treatment (IOL), as well as other eye surgeries, though LASIK and LASEK are not performed on-site.

Bridgewater has also recently invested in additional overnight beds, as part of the hospital's continued commitment to growth and excellence. This enables the facility to offer a wider array of inpatient services, without compromising the vast range of services already offered.

About Bridgewater Hospital
Committed to providing the highest standard of outpatient care, the Bridgewater Hospital delivers a patient-centered approach to procedures and operations that do not require an overnight stay in the hospital. Patients can recover from the comfort of their homes following a short period of observation within the contemporary and stylish recovery areas of the hospital.

In addition to three operating theatres (including an ultra sterile digital orthopedic theatre - the only one of its kind in the UK), the hospital facilities include recovery bays, an endoscopy suite, consulting rooms and an outpatients minor procedures area.

Optical Express invests $12 million to enhance patient care

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:56:01 GMT

Optical Express, the world leader in refractive surgery, has announced a $12 million investment in next generation laser eye surgery technology, enhancing patient care and improving vision beyond 20/20.

This latest investment will see all 44 Optical Express laser treatment clinics across the UK and Europe installing state-of-the-art iFS 150 femtosecond laser systems during 2010, reinforcing its dedication to developing the highest quality science-based products and services.

The equipment, designed to improve LASIK flap creation, will deliver a customised laser eye treatment for every individual patient that is safer, faster and will deliver improved outcomes.

Steve Schallhorn, Chief Medical Director for the Group said: "We remain at the forefront of technological innovation and through continuous investment we are dedicated to achieving the best clinical outcomes while leading the delivery of world class care.

"This latest investment further enhances our reputation as the world leader in laser eye surgery. I am delighted to be able to offer all our patients in the UK and Europe iFS(TM) 150 technology as I know that it the very best available in the world today."

Group Chairman and CEO David Moulsdale said: "This level of investment is testament to our ongoing commitment to ensuring that our patients get the very best visual outcomes in the safest manner possible. As a result of the investment, we are able to confirm that even more of our patients will achieve better than 20/20 vision."

Note to Editors
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 provider of laser eye procedures in the UK and Europe, with over 100 laser eye clinics including Optical Express in Germany and Optical Express in France and opticians offering pre and post-operative care.

Optical Express now on Twitter

Tue, 18 May 2010 14:01:17 GMT

Optical Express has entered the world of social media, with the company recently launching its new Twitter accounts. Designed to better communicate with patients, customers and potential employees about the group’s current happenings and opportunities, four separate accounts have been created, each to fill a unique niche.

Optical Express Marketing Manager Lindsay Taylor commented on the significance of this move.

"With the amount of people currently using tools like Twitter to communicate with one another, this was something that we couldn’t afford to miss out on," she said.

According to Taylor, joining Twitter is not so much about being a part of a trend as it is about capitalising on a new communication tool that can benefit Optical Express patients, customers, and staff members.

"There is such a huge amount of information floating around on the internet related to both laser eye surgery and general eye care, and we want to be able provide a quality source of information, through our website, of course, but also through other mediums as well," she said. "By reaching out, we hope that we can dispel any rumours, and help foster a constructive dialogue."

The group's corporate account can be found @OpticalExpress. This is the account that announces news updates, promotions, and competitions as they occur. As opposed to functioning as an extension of an advertisement for the organisation, it provides a stream of other news that may interest followers, including links to new articles uploaded to the "Eye Expert" informational segment of the Optical Express site, and announcements regarding the release of new designer lines of frames, for example.

@JoannaAtOEuk is designed as a point of contact for customer service enquiries, responding to Optical Express-related posts, and answering any questions. This includes everything from providing links to eye clinic locations, to connecting users with the relevant individual in the organisation to answer more clinical questions. Finally, @oeCareersUK announces job openings as they arise, enabling interested individuals to receive instant notifications when positions open up.

The multiple accounts are designed to appeal to different audiences, according to Taylor.

"We thought about using just one account, but we realised that it’s a few very different groups of individuals that will be engaging with each of the accounts," she said. "We designed the accounts to reflect that."

On the German front, @oeDeutschland oversees Optical Express activity in Germany. Along the same lines, there are plans to open Dutch, French and Croatian accounts in the near future.

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 is the leading provider of laser eye surgery in the UK and Europe, with over 100 laser eye clinics including Optical Express in Germany and Optic

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.

Optical Express is the leading pr

Optical Express Optometrist completes 7th Vision Aid Overseas Project

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:24:45 GMT

Optical Express Optometrist Ed Baldwin has successfully completed his seventh Vision Aid Overseas project, a trip to Burkina Faso to distribute eyeglasses and screen patients for cataract surgery.

Baldwin went on his first project with Vision Aid in 2001, working with a team to provide eye tests and eyeglasses in Latvian prisons. Since then, his projects have included such locales as Ethiopia, Moldova, Bulgaria, and Ghana. He has also served as a team leader on more than one occasion. Baldwin’s most recent trip was unique, however, because of the cataract screening element.

"My most recent trip to Burkina Faso was a little different, since we were not only giving out glasses but also trying to find patients who needed cataract surgery," he said. "We found about a hundred patients that needed intraocular lens treatment, and another team went out a few weeks after us with surgeons. It was great, because normally when you see patients with cataracts you can’t really do anything about it."

Vision Aid Overseas (VAO) sends teams of volunteer Optometrists and dispensing opticians to developing nations to screen and outfit patients with appropriate spectacles. Nearing its 25th anniversary, VAO has provided 300,000 individuals with spectacles, and conducted 600,000 eye tests.

Baldwin commented, "Volunteering is the most rewarding thing you can do," Baldwin said. "It’s giving people sight where they would otherwise be blind. In a lot of places there are no provisions for eye care, so if you haven’t got a pair of glasses you can’t work and feed your family.

"When you test eyes back home in the UK, the general public have a huge choice of opticians. In parts of Africa, people will walk from miles around to see you. You’re really making a difference to people’s lives in a short space of time with something as simple as a pair of spectacles."

Baldwin has worked for Optical Express since 2001, and is currently based in Cardiff, providing both laser eye surgery and intraocular lens treatment consultations to prospective patients.

"You need to test prescriptions and eye health, so it’s all the same skills we use day-to-day in practice, except that you have to do it in the field," he said. "Often, it is literally in a field or even under a mango tree. I’ve been hit over the head with a mango before when testing eyes."

"The hardest thing is adapting what you do to the environment that you’re in," Baldwin said. "From a high-tech environment at Optical Express with my automated equipment to using old fashioned equipment where you don’t know where you’ll be from one day to the next and seeing as many people as you possibly can because if you don’t see them, no one else will."

About Vision Aid Overseas:
For 25 years Vision Aid Overseas has been helping some of the poorest people in the world gain better sight. Whether it be a teacher in Ghana, a seamstress in Zambia, or a school pupil in India, deteriorating sight can have a devastating impact on people's lives and livelihoods. Vision Aid Overseas believes that everyone has a right to an eye test, and if needed, glasses to help correct poor sight.

Optical Express joined by Padraig Harrington

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:21:19 GMT

Optical Express, Europe's Number One laser eye surgery specialists, has been joined by one of the world's greatest golfers, Padraig Harrington as a Brand Ambassador.

The back-to-back British Open Champion (2007,2008) and US PGA Champion (2008) is fronting a television advertising campaign for Optical Express on ITV, Sky Sports and other digital channels.

Speaking after filming the commercial Padraig said, "I'm delighted to endorse the great work carried-out by Optical Express. It's no secret that laser vision correction has made a massive difference to my life and career. For years I played with poor eyesight and it affected me and my game. Without the simple procedure, which was carried-out in London and Dublin, I would not be able to compete at the highest level. It's certainly helped me and it could assist others in many aspects of their lives. My only regret is that I wish I'd done it sooner. I want to be treated by the best and that's Optical Express."

Chairman and CEO of Optical Express, David Moulsdale joined Padraig at the TV studio and commented, "We are extremely proud to be working with Padraig Harrington. He is the most talented and successful golfer to come out of Europe in many years. And his back-to-back victories at The Open catapulted him towards the top of the game. Add to that his outstanding win at the US PGA Championship and it confirmed his status as one of the greats of the game today.

At Optical Express, we are clinically and technically superior to all our competitors in the refractive industry and it's fitting that we work with the best and that is Padraig Harrington. He is the perfect Ambassador for laser eye surgery at Optical Express where we have successfully carried-out more than 700,000 procedures. We are delighted that he considers the surgery to have been so impactful on his career and welcome Padraig as our Brand Ambassador".

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

Optical Express reports successful launch of Ambassador Programme

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:48:17 GMT

Optical Express has announced the successful launch of its Ambassador Programme.

The programme, available to all past laser and intraocular lens treatment patients of Optical Express, enables referrers to choose how they would like their referral reward - valued at hundreds of pounds - to be distributed. They can claim the reward themselves, give their friend or relative the full discount, or split the reward.

After a trial run at the end of 2009, the Ambassador Referral Programme was officially launched in early 2010. Since then, over a thousand valued patients have taken advantage of the unique opportunity offered by the opticians.

"We're extremely excited about how the programme has gone so far," said David Carson, head of the Ambassador programme. "Everyone has really embraced the opportunity, and we're seeing promising numbers and getting great feedback."

All three options surrounding the allocation of the reward have been very popular, according to Carson.

"The fact that we're seeing such a distribution of choices in terms of the reward really reaffirms to us that our patients appreciate the choice we’ve provided them with," he said. "If one [option] had been overwhelmingly popular, we might have considered reworking the programme, but as it stands, the numbers indicate that our referrers like having all three options."

Despite the relatively limited time frame in which the Ambassador Referral Programme has been running, patients have been extremely enthusiastic, Carson said.

"We've seen numerous patients referring three, four, even six of their friends and colleagues in the short time since we launched the programme," he said. "Every day we're getting calls from patients who have just been treated, anxious to receive their pack in the mail and start referring. The momentum that is building right now surrounding Ambassador is just phenomenal."

Optical Express offers free laser eye surgery consultations at over 100 locations across the UK and Europe.

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

Optical Express Cameron Toll unveils following major refit

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:26:06 GMT

Optical Express in Edinburgh's Cameron Toll has been unveiled following a major refit, and is now poised to serve customers even better.

"The shop looks amazing," said Clare Elliot, the location's General Manager. "It's been transformed, and looks very sophisticated. It's created a great buzz."

The location has been updated to be more consistent with other Optical Express locations, with a white, modern look, and tiled flooring to replace the older, tartan carpets. The result is a brighter, and more professional looking clinic, with less visual elements detracting from the wide range of frames on display. A number of new glasses and sunglasses are now available, including frames from Dior and Givenchy.

According to Elliot, the entire team is enthused about the location's big makeover.

"The whole team is very excited about the refit," Elliot said. "We've always known that we have great products, and can offer a great shopping experience, and now the store looks brilliant as well."

The clinic is located by the south entrance of the Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, a mile and a half outside of the Edinburgh city centre. Throughout the entire refitting process, the clinic remained open.

"We really wanted to minimise any inconvenience to our customers," Elliot said. "We underwent the refit so we can provide a better experience for our customers, but at the same time, we didn’t want to close down the store in the process and put anyone out. We structured our refit as to have as little impact on our day-to-day operations as possible."

The location carries over a thousand designer frames and sunglasses, including Ray-Ban, Marc Jacobs and Gucci. The location also offers an array of contact lenses. A convenient 1-hour service is available for making glasses, so customers can have their glasses ready by the time they are finished their shopping.

Optical Express is also Europe's number one provider of laser eye surgery, with over 100 clinics across the UK and Europe, including Edinburgh, providing pre and post-operative care.

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

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.

The Dental Clinic and Optical Express sponsor cycle for charity

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:59:30 GMT

The Dental Clinic and Optical Express will be sponsoring Dominic O'Hooley, director of The Dental Clinic, in his bid to cycle from John O' Groats to Land's End this summer to raise funds for the Wooden Spoon charity. With a group of thirty riders, O'Hooley aims to complete the gruelling 874 mile journey in just eight days, from the 21st to 28th of August 2010.

John O' Groats to Land's End, often termed JOGLE, or LEJOG, depending on the direction of travel, is a traverse covering the entire length of Great Britain. It typically takes cyclists ten to fourteen days to complete, and walkers two to three months. The Wooden Spoon challenge, titled "End 2 End," has been held annually since 2000.

Each of the riders must raise £4,000 in order to participate in the ride, as well as apply to Wooden Spoon, though riders are encouraged to raise more funds if they are able to. Both Optical Express and The Dental Clinic are keynote sponsors of O'Hooley.

The riders will be accompanied by a Wooden Spoon support team, including a motorcyclist to provide emergency bike repairs.

The Wooden Spoon charity is a cause that O'Hooley is enthusiastic to contribute to, as well as an organisation which he feels is well-equipped to provide support for such an undertaking.

"Wooden Spoon is a well established charity, and really a cause close to my heart," O'Hooley said. "I'm keen on trying to help child poverty and I feel that because they have such a history of successful and well-organised charity events I feel I can be confident in them. It's a serious undertaking, and I think anything less than expert organisation would prevent success really."

Wooden Spoon, founded in 1983, is a children's charity supporting disadvantaged children and youth across the UK and Ireland. Wooden Spoon has raised over £15 million since its inception, and benefitted over half a million young people.

An avid cyclist, O'Hooley has been biking for years, though this will be his first cycle between the northern and southern tips of Great Britain.

"I've done the west coast to east coast before, from Whitehaven to Sunderland, which was 150 miles in one day," he said. "I've been cycling for twenty years, and I typically bike 200-250 miles per week. Basically, I get to work on a bike every day."

About The Dental Clinic:
The Dental Clinic is the largest private provider of dental services in the UK, offering services ranging from general dentistry to teeth whitening and cosmetic dentistry.

All of the clinics dental professionals undergo a rigorous selection and training process to allow The Dental Clinic to offer the best level of care. These standards are maintained by continuous education programmes for all staff.

The Dental Clinic continually evaluates the evidence behind its treatment protocols to ensure that all of its patients receive treatments which are scientifically proven to be effective.

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.

Optical Express sponsors the Kirsty Clubs Angel Ball 2009

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:21:04 GMT

Optical Express has donated free laser eye surgery to the Kirsty Club's annual Angel Ball, in an effort to support the Francis House Children's Hopsice in Manchester. Held on Saturday, November 21st at the Hallmark Hotel, the event raised funds for the Hospice, a centre which provides support and care for terminally ill children and their families. The free surgery, available to be redeemed at any of Optical Express' clinics across the UK and Europe, was raffled off among other prizes.

The star-studded event was hosted by Mike Sweeney. Other attendees included supermodel Caprice, singer Russell Watson, actor and singer Richard Fleeshman, and actors Sue Jenkins, David Fleeshman, William Roach and Denise Welch, among others.

Held annually since 2006, the Angel Ball was originally part of the campaign Kristy's Appeal, designed to raise £5 million for the Francis House. After meeting this goal, the charity Kristy's Club was founded, to provide continued support for the growth and ongoing running of the Hospice.

The namesake of the campaign and charity is Kirsty Howard, a young Briton living with a rare and unnamed condition where her heart is back to front, causing her internal organs to be misaligned. This inoperable condition requires constant treatment, including a steady supply of oxygen. In 1999, at the age of 3, Kirsty was given just six weeks to live. She celebrated her 14th birthday this September. She has won numerous awards for her courage and charity work, including the 2001 Child of Courage Award, the 2002 Pride of Britain Award, and the 2004 Helen Rollason Award.

Joanna Patterson, marketing assistant for Optical Express, commented on the significance of supporting such an event: "Kirsty's Club is such a great cause, and one that we were more than happy to support. Kirsty and all of the work that she has done to raise money for Francis House is inspirational, to say the least, and we were glad for the opportunity to contribute."

Francis House Children's Hospice, the brainchild of Sister Aloysius, was opened in November 1991 by the late Princess Diana of Wales.

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 overhauls career and sunglasses websites

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:24:42 GMT

Optical Express has launched two major additions to its website: a fully comprehensive careers section and a new ecommerce site for sunglasses. With the launch of the sunglasses site, the Optical Express website now features both sunglasses and contact lenses available for purchase online.

The revamped Optical Express careers section of the website includes descriptions of all teams under the Optical Express umbrella, from optometry, to the customer contact centre, to warehouse and distribution, to hospital services. This highlights the diversity of positions available at Optical Express, many of which are not usually associated with the business.

A number of employees from throughout Optical Express are profiled with testimonials describing their experiences with and motivations for joining the group. In addition, information about the recruitment process, training, rewards and benefits, and graduate programmes is available.

It is also possible to search and apply for jobs online, as well as simply submit a CV if there aren't currently any relevant openings. While applications had previously been accepted in-store, applications to Optical Express, The Dental Clinic, and The Cosmetic Clinic will now only be accepted online. This will expedite and simplify the application process, as well as give applicants an opportunity to learn more about Optical Express, as well as the position that they are applying for.

The sunglasses section of the website has undergone a major overhaul as well, moving from a simple description of Optical Express' offerings, to a full ecommerce site on which customers can purchase frames. The full range of frames offered from Optical Express will be available online, all with free shipping. This includes styles from Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Ray-Ban, YSL and Fendi.

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

Optical Express optometrists are members of the General Optical Council; therefore patients can be assured that only quality lenses from Europe's top suppliers are sold through the group, and experience the convenience of being able to shop online with local aftercare and advice available through the Optical Express network of UK stores.

Optical Express performs laser eye surgery on Olympic champion

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:30:00 GMT

Optical Express, the number one provider of laser eye surgery in the world, has revealed it has performed LASIK surgery on Olympic champion rower Pete Reed, as he looks to improve his chances of competing at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Surgeon Rodney Blumenfield performed the LASIK surgery using Wavefront and Intralase technologies. Mr Blumenfield is an experienced ophthalmologist who has performed more than 22,000 procedures.

Reed expressed enthusiasm about the results of his procedure. The Olympic champion said: "I am absolutely delighted with my new and perfect vision from Optical Express. It's not just the brand new feeling of being able to see better than 20/20, but the convenience of not having to use contacts or glasses for my training and racing."

Beyond mere results, however, Reed was impressed with the quality of care and customer service offered by Optical Express, as well as, "the swift procedure, the short recovery time and the aftercare. In fact, every step from booking to clarity of vision has been a breeze.”

As an athlete who relies on his sight for his performance, Reed is eager to encourage others not to hesitate in moving forward with laser eye surgery. He said: "I wish I'd had it done sooner. Don't be worried - just go for it.”

Pete Reed, a two-time world champion in the men's coxless fours and gold medallist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is also a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and in 2005 was the navy's Sportsman of the Year. In 2009, Reed was appointed Member of the British Empire. He returned to his naval duties following his time in Beijing, but continues to train for the 2012 Summer Olympics which will be held in London.

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