Laser eye surgery celebrates its 21st birthday at the end of 2009. It has become the most commonly performed private procedure in the UK, with half a million people having the treatment to date. Around 300,000 have chosen Optimax, the UK's only specialist

PRESS DISPENSARY - Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 - Laser Eye Surgery comes of age at the end of 2009 as the procedure reaches its 21st birthday. It's not only an iconic age but represents 21 years of freedom without complications.

The world's first laser eye surgery operation was performed in Germany in 1988, inspired by an eye injury in which a damaged cornea gave an unexpected vision improvement to the short-sighted owner.

In the 21 years since, it has become the most commonly performed private procedure in the UK, with half a million people believed to have undergone the treatment to date. Around 300,000 have chosen Optimax, the UK's only specialist laser eye surgery clinic chain, which has 23 clinics nationwide.

Across the world, some 30 million people have had laser eye surgery. For many it has meant an end to the inconvenience of glasses and lenses, and has enabled people embark on careers and pursuits which would otherwise be impossible. Its acceptance is now more or less universal, approved by the police, armed forces and even NASA, which discovered that using lenses and solutions was difficult in zero gravity conditions. No long term complications have arisen.

Since the Excimer laser was first applied to eye correction, the procedure has gone through several refinements, and now the most popular option is IntraLase Wavefront LASIK, a highly advanced, all-laser procedure which is tailored to the unique characteristics of the patients' eye.

This advanced laser eye surgery option was introduced throughout Optimax clinics in 2006.

In many cases, patients report being able to return to normal activities the same day, contrasting with far longer recovery periods for eye surgery in the 1990s.

Russell Ambrose, chairman of Optimax, became the first Optimax patient seventeen years ago, and in 2009 enjoys the same perfect vision he was given then.

Notes for editors

Founded in 1991, Optimax is a laser eye treatment specialist, with 23 clinics nationwide.

It is the only specialist UK laser eye surgery clinic chain, with expertise gained from around 300,000 treatments. Its recent GBP GBP 5m investment in the latest technology means that more people than ever are achieving 20:20 vision.

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