Optimax
Optimax is the UK's longest-established laser eye surgery specialist, founded in 1991, operating 19 clinics across the UK and offering LASIK, LASEK, Wavefront, ICL, RLE, and NHS cataract surgery to self-pay and NHS-referred patients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Optimax does
Optimax Clinics Limited is a UK private ophthalmology operator and the country's longest-established laser eye surgery specialist, founded in 1991 by Russell Ambrose and headquartered in Birmingham. The company delivers refractive and cataract surgery services (LASIK, LASEK, Wavefront-guided laser treatment, Refractive Lens Exchange, Implantable Collamer Lens, and phacoemulsification cataract surgery) across 19 owned-and-operated clinics in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, complemented by NHS-funded cataract work at Leicester and Newton Abbot under the NHS Provider Selection Regime. As of the latest figures the business has performed over 750,000 lifetime procedures and reports a 99% rate of patients achieving driving-standard vision or better, with audited outcomes published from January 2021 to December 2025.
The underlying technology stack comprises bladeless laser platforms with Wavefront-guided custom treatment mapping, real-time eye-tracking with automatic laser shutoff for safety, phacoemulsification ultrasound cataract systems, and the EVO Visian Implantable Collamer Lens supplied by STAAR Surgical for high-prescription and thin-cornea patients. Clinical delivery is staffed by NHS consultant-level surgeons and the business is registered with the Care Quality Commission, with data handling under UK GDPR in conjunction with sister brand Ultralase Eye Clinics Limited under parent Eye Hospital Group Limited.
The commercial model is direct-to-consumer with a sales-led free consultation as the primary conversion mechanism. Pricing is fixed regardless of prescription complexity (£1,295 per eye for laser surgery; £3,495-£3,995 per eye for lens surgery), supported by 0% APR finance over 24-48 months, a Refer A Friend discount scheme, and multi-channel digital plus event-led demand generation. Revenue streams combine self-pay laser and lens surgery, NHS cataract contracts, gift vouchers, and ancillary services such as YAG capsulotomy and Corneal Cross-Linking. In July 2024 Optimax completed a cross-border integration with Spanish ophthalmology institution Clinica Baviera, representing the company's first material international expansion.
Optimax firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Optimax
- Legal name
- Optimax Clinics Limited
- Website
- https://optimax.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Optimax is the UK's longest-established laser eye surgery specialist, founded in 1991, operating 19 clinics across the UK and offering LASIK, LASEK, Wavefront, ICL, RLE, and NHS cataract surgery to self-pay and NHS-referred patients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Optimax industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Refractive Eye Surgery Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Optometrists (62132)
- SIC
- Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery (LASIK/PRK) (HLAKAKAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cataract Surgery Systems & IOLs (Phaco Systems, IOLs, Intraoperative Aberrometry, Viscoelastics) (HLAHAJAH), Contact Lens Specialty & Myopia Control (HLAKAKAK), Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care (HLAKAKAA)
Keywords
Where Optimax is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices21 records
Markets served
Optimax business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Laser Eye Surgery: One-time surgical procedure revenue from LASIK and LASEK treatments. Fixed pricing at £1,295 per eye. Revenue recognized at point of service delivery in clinic.
- Lens Surgery (RLE, ICL, Cataract): One-time surgical revenue from Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL), and cataract surgery. RLE pricing ranges from £3,495 to £3,995 per eye depending on lens type. Monofocal lens surgery starts at £3,495 per eye. NHS cataract surgery is also performed under NHS contracts.
- Finance/Payment Plans: Optimax offers 0% APR finance for up to 24 months for laser eye surgery and 10-48 months for lens surgery, enabling patients to spread treatment costs. Revenue may include interest income from extended payment plans.
- NHS Contract Revenue: Revenue from NHS cataract surgery and YAG capsulotomy treatment performed under the NHS Provider Selection Regime. Optimax and Ultralase treat NHS patients through Leicester and Newton Abbot clinics, with an average wait of 4-6 weeks.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Laser Eye Surgery - fixed price |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Monofocal Lens Surgery |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | ICL Surgery |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Optimax product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Optimax provides refractive eye surgery and vision correction services through 19 UK clinics, including laser eye surgery (LASIK, LASEK, Wavefront-guided treatment), lens-based procedures (Refractive Lens Exchange, Implantable Contact Lens surgery, cataract surgery), and supplementary treatments (Corneal Cross-Linking, YAG Capsulotomy). All treatments are delivered by NHS consultant-level surgeons with complimentary aftercare and fixed transparent pricing.
Product overview
Optimax is the UK's longest-established laser eye surgery specialist (operating since 1991) offering a comprehensive portfolio of vision correction procedures across 19 UK clinics. The core offering comprises blade-free laser eye surgery including LASIK and LASEK techniques, augmented by Wavefront personalised treatment technology. For patients unsuitable for laser correction, the portfolio extends to lens-based surgeries including Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) with monofocal, multifocal, EDOF, and toric intraocular lenses, plus Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) surgery using EVO Visian ICL technology. Cataract surgery services include NHS-funded treatments. All surgical offerings are supported by complimentary aftercare programmes, free initial consultations, flexible finance options, and a Refer A Friend discount scheme.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LASIK
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% of Optimax patients achieve driving standard vision or better (from Laser Eye Surgery audits January 2021 to December 2025)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Optimax
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Optimax technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature4 records
Optimax partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Clinica BavieraflagshipOptimax announced a landmark cross-border integration with Clinica Baviera, a Spanish ophthalmological institution, in July 2024. This represents a significant expansion of Optimax's institutional reach across borders, marking its first major international integration. The transaction was finalised in 2024.
- Ultralase Eye Clinics LimitedcoreOptimax and Ultralase Eye Clinics Limited are sister companies under Eye Hospital Group Limited. They operate as joint data controllers under UK GDPR, sharing the same systems and processing data for the same purposes. This allows patients of either brand to receive services from any of their combined clinic locations. Both brands participate in the NHS Provider Selection Regime together.
- STAAR SurgicalcoreOptimax uses the EVO Visian Implantable Collamer Lens (EVO ICL) produced by STAAR Surgical for all ICL treatments. The lens can treat prescriptions up to +10 for hyperopia, -20 for myopia, and +6 for astigmatism. Over 3,000,000 EVO ICL lenses have been distributed worldwide. STAAR Surgical is a leading manufacturer of implantable lenses for vision correction.
- NHS Hospital Trusts and CCGscoreOptimax treats NHS patients through the NHS Provider Selection Regime at its Leicester and Newton Abbot clinics. NHS hospital trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups refer patients for cataract surgery and YAG capsulotomy treatment. Optimax can be found on NHS e-RS Platform and EyeV Platform.
- RGDP LLPminorRGDP LLP provides Optimax's Data Protection Officer function. Can be contacted via [email protected], 0131 222 3239, or One Edinburgh Quay, 133 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh EH3 9QG.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Optimax competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- London Vision Clinic: London-based premium laser eye surgery specialist known for high-end outcomes and surgeon reputation. Comparable to Optimax's London clinics (Harley Street, London Bridge) for high-prescription and complex refractive cases.
- Newmedica: NHS-focused ophthalmology services provider with strong cataract surgery volumes across the UK. Comparable to Optimax's NHS Provider Selection Regime activities in cataract and ophthalmology.
- Optical Express: Largest UK laser eye surgery and lens surgery chain, offering LASIK, LASEK, ICL, RLE, and cataract procedures across a national clinic network. Directly comparable to Optimax in service mix, target customer (self-pay refractive patients), and UK footprint.
- Optegra Eye Health Care: UK network of specialist eye hospitals offering laser eye surgery, lens replacement, cataract surgery, and ICL. Competes head-to-head with Optimax for self-pay refractive patients across overlapping UK geographies.
- Centre for Sight: UK specialist clinic offering laser eye surgery, lens replacement, ICL, and cataract surgery with a focus on complex and high-prescription cases. Comparable to Optimax on procedure mix and surgeon-led care model.
- SpaMedica: UK's largest NHS cataract surgery provider, performing hundreds of thousands of NHS cataract procedures annually. Directly comparable to Optimax's NHS cataract and YAG capsulotomy offerings at Leicester and Newton Abbot.
- Clinica Baviera: Spanish ophthalmology institution with clinics across Spain, Germany, Austria, and Italy. Now integrated with Optimax under Eye Hospital Group; directly comparable as a refractive surgery chain in Continental Europe.
- Ultralase: Sister brand under Eye Hospital Group Limited (Optimax's parent). Offers the same LASIK, LASEK, ICL, and lens surgery portfolio across a UK clinic network. Operates as a joint controller with Optimax under UK GDPR and shares the NHS Provider Selection Regime accreditation.
Broad incumbents
- Spire Healthcare: UK private hospital group offering ophthalmology (including cataract and refractive surgery) as part of a broader multi-specialty portfolio. Comparable to Optimax in private-pay UK healthcare delivery but with much wider service breadth.
- Moorfields Private: Private arm of the renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Offers refractive and cataract surgery in a hospital setting and competes for premium and complex cases; broader portfolio than Optimax but overlapping clinical services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Optimax social profiles
Digital presenceOptimax compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Optimax financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Optimax leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Optimax funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Optimax M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Optimax
What does Optimax do?
Optimax provides refractive eye surgery and vision correction services through 19 UK clinics, including laser eye surgery (LASIK, LASEK, Wavefront-guided treatment), lens-based procedures (Refractive Lens Exchange, Implantable Contact Lens surgery, cataract surgery), and supplementary treatments (Corneal Cross-Linking, YAG Capsulotomy). All treatments are delivered by NHS consultant-level surgeons with complimentary aftercare and fixed transparent pricing.
Is Optimax a public or private company?
Optimax is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Optimax founded?
Optimax was founded in 1991. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Optimax based?
Optimax is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Optimax make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Laser Eye Surgery is the primary driver. The others are lens Surgery (RLE, ICL, Cataract), finance/Payment Plans and NHS Contract Revenue.
Who are Optimax's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are London Vision Clinic, Newmedica, Optical Express, Optegra Eye Health Care, Centre for Sight, SpaMedica, Clinica Baviera and Ultralase. Broad incumbents are Spire Healthcare and Moorfields Private.
Does Optimax have an API?
No public API is recorded for Optimax.
What industry is Optimax in?
Optimax's product category is Refractive Eye Surgery Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAKAKAF, Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery (LASIK/PRK), with a secondary code of HLAHAJAH, Cataract Surgery Systems & IOLs (Phaco Systems, IOLs, Intraoperative Aberrometry, Viscoelastics). Its NAICS code is 62132 and its SIC code is 8011.