'Painless' Lasik claim challenged

Following last week's complaint against Specsavers (News, February 27), the publicity watchdog has found that claims made by Optimax in a national press advertisement were likely to mislead and has asked the London-based group not to repeat them.
'Wake up to clear vision,' the advertisement stated. 'Imagine waking up in the morning to clear vision Ð being able to see the alarm clock without reaching for your glasses. Sounds like a dream? Since 1992 Optimax have made this dream a reality for thousands of people with Laser Eye Treatment Ð the painless solution for short sight, long sight and astigmatism. From just £495 per eyeÉ'
The complainant, a member of the public, felt that it was misleading to describe the treatment as 'painless' and the ASA challenged whether the treatment was effective for all patients with the conditions listed.
Optimax argued that anaesthetic eye drops made the treatment painless and that the Royal College of Ophthalmologists described the treatment in its 2003 Guidelines for Patients as having 'minimal pain', which the advertiser said was equivalent to 'painless' in layman's terms. The ASA felt the claim that it was 'painless' was unsubstantiated.
The ASA inferred from Optimax's claim that it could successfully treat all cases of hyperopia, myopia and astigmatism, to the extent that patients no longer needed spectacles.
While it accepted that vision could be improved, the ASA concluded that the claim was likely to mislead as the advertiser had failed to show its treatment was an effective solution for all cases.
Read the full adjudication at www.asa.org.ukThe eye care profession has again come under the spotlight of the Advertising Standards Authority, this time with a complaint against a laser refractive surgery provider.
Following last week's complaint against Specsavers (News, February 27), the publicity watchdog has found that claims made by Optimax in a national press advertisement were likely to mislead and has asked the London-based group not to repeat them.
'Wake up to clear vision,' the advertisement stated. 'Imagine waking up in the morning to clear vision Ð being able to see the alarm clock without reaching for your glasses. Sounds like a dream? Since 1992 Optimax have made this dream a reality for thousands of people with Laser Eye Treatment Ð the painless solution for short sight, long sight and astigmatism. From just £495 per eyeÉ'
The complainant, a member of the public, felt that it was misleading to describe the treatment as 'painless' and the ASA challenged whether the treatment was effective for all patients with the conditions listed.
Optimax argued that anaesthetic eye drops made the treatment painless and that the Royal College of Ophthalmologists described the treatment in its 2003 Guidelines for Patients as having 'minimal pain', which the advertiser said was equivalent to 'painless' in layman's terms. The ASA felt the claim that it was 'painless' was unsubstantiated.
The ASA inferred from Optimax's claim that it could successfully treat all cases of hyperopia, myopia and astigmatism, to the extent that patients no longer needed spectacles.
While it accepted that vision could be improved, the ASA concluded that the claim was likely to mislead as the advertiser had failed to show its treatment was an effective solution for all cases.
Read the full adjudication at www.asa.org.ukThe eye care profession has again come under the spotlight of the Advertising Standards Authority, this time with a complaint against a laser refractive surgery provider.
Following last week's complaint against Specsavers (News, February 27), the publicity watchdog has found that claims made by Optimax in a national press advertisement were likely to mislead and has asked the London-based group not to repeat them.
'Wake up to clear vision,' the advertisement stated. 'Imagine waking up in the morning to clear vision Ð being able to see the alarm clock without reaching for your glasses. Sounds like a dream? Since 1992 Optimax have made this dream a reality for thousands of people with Laser Eye Treatment Ð the painless solution for short sight, long sight and astigmatism. From just £495 per eyeÉ'
The complainant, a member of the public, felt that it was misleading to describe the treatment as 'painless' and the ASA challenged whether the treatment was effective for all patients with the conditions listed.
Optimax argued that anaesthetic eye drops made the treatment painless and that the Royal College of Ophthalmologists described the treatment in its 2003 Guidelines for Patients as having 'minimal pain', which the advertiser said was equivalent to 'painless' in layman's terms. The ASA felt the claim that it was 'painless' was unsubstantiated.
The ASA inferred from Optimax's claim that it could successfully treat all cases of hyperopia, myopia and astigmatism, to the extent that patients no longer needed spectacles.
While it accepted that vision could be improved, the ASA concluded that the claim was likely to mislead as the advertiser had failed to show its treatment was an effective solution for all cases.
Read the full adjudication at www.asa.org.uk