Boots given a second rebuke on Lasik claims

For the second time in three weeks Boots Opticians has been ordered to rephrase claims used in promotional literature for laser refractive surgery.
The Advertising Standards Authority has this week upheld two complaints from Thornton & Wright Opticians, an independent practice in Halifax, West Yorkshire.
Optometrist Andrew Thornton complained that the claim made in a direct mailing that recipients of Lasik could throw away their glasses or contact lenses Ôfor goodÕ was misleading, since the surgery did not protect the patient from future refractive change.
He also objected to the claim that: ÔThere have been no reported cases of anyone being blinded by Lasik. However, in the US, there have been a few rare cases where an individualÕs sight has been severely impairedÕ. He felt this statement misleadingly implied that complications with Lasik surgery had occurred only in the US.
The ASA upheld both complaints, the first being described as ÔexaggeratedÕ, the second, ÔmisleadingÕ. Boots has been ordered to reword its literature.
Mr Thornton told optician that he made the complaint after attending a lecture at Leeds General Infirmary on refractive surgery complications, which included case reports of post-Lasik corneal grafts at the hospital.
Boots Opticians director of professional services, David Cartwright, said: ÔOver 98 per cent of our patients do indeed throw away their glasses and contact lenses because their vision has been corrected.Õ
He added that: ÔNo Boots Opticians patients have required corneal graftsÕ. Last month the ASA upheld five complaints against the company (News, January 18).
u Visit www.asa.org.uk for the full adjudication.