ASA acts on Optical Express laser email

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that Optical Express must not repeat a laser surgery email offer that claimed 'Optical Express has more experience and provides better results than anyone else in Europe'.

The claim was challenged by Ultralase, one of three of the largest European laser surgery providers along with Optical Express and Optimax. In its response OE said that because it had carried out more surgeries than any other operator in Europe, it was more experienced and furthermore it had a greater number of ophthalmologists retained in Europe, which, combined with the number of procedures made it more experienced. The company also pointed out it was the only multiple provider to have its results independently assessed by a leading clinical audit company, with 97 per cent of patient satisfaction surveys in 2009 rating the experience as excellent or good. It added that because it performed more treatments than any other European provider, it had more patients achieving better than 20/20 vision.