Ultralase sees green shoots of recovery

2010 could see a return to growth in the refractive surgery market indicated by Ultralase's January forward bookings for consultations, which are up 25 per cent on a like-for-like basis in comparison to the same period in 2009.

Speaking to Optician after the company's annual general meeting and conference, Ultralase chief executive Tony Veverka, said: 'These may not flow through into treatment volumes, but it's a very good indicator of the potential future and perhaps 2010 is looking a little brighter than people expect it to be.'

Explaining how Ultralase's growth strategy fell into three main areas, Veverka said the first was operational excellence, or what he described as 'getting better at the business'. He reported how this would be realised through a significant investment in 'up-skilling' and additional training of Ultralase's staff.