Industry Healthcare Website www.ultralase.com Founded 1991 | Key people Russell Ambrose (CEO) Headquarters Leeds, United Kingdom Type of business Limited company | |
Laser eye surgery the clinic ultralase
Ultralase is a healthcare company based in the United Kingdom that specialises in vision correction through laser eye surgery.
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Overview and history
Established in 1991 by US based ophthalmologist Claus Fichte, optometrist Andrew Bell and business man Christopher Neave, Ultralase were the first to introduce a national network of laser eye surgery clinics in the UK. Following the success of the world's first refractive surgery clinic, opened by US-based investors in Toronto (1989), the UK's first ever laser eye surgery clinic was opened at Clatterbridge hospital, Wirral in January 1991. This clinic was the first to perform laser eye surgery in the UK, and expanded to become the Ultralase network.
Ultralase was purchased by 3i following the £175m purchase from Corporacion Dermoestetica in January 2008, who had bought the business in May 2005 for £29m.
Ultralase in the House of Commons
Dr. Ashok Kumar, a British Labour Party politician, made a motion on 4 February 2004 concerning laser eye surgery and mentioning Ultralase in the British House of Commons:
Controversy
On the 8th of October 2015 Ultralase was subject to criticism by the BBC programme Watchdog. The story covered the change of company ownership, the administration and reformation of the company and the lifetime guarantee not being honoured.
Laser eye surgery services
Ultralase perform the following forms of laser eye surgery: