08702202020

I worked for Optical Express in their call centre - unrelenting pressure day after day to get people booked in. We had David Moulsdale sitting in the corner office too - what a nightmare it was. The worst experience of my working life. Got fired for poor performance. I am sorry for you getting all these calls but dont blame us, blame the [***] who run the company.

I think most of the disgruntled comments on here especially about David Moulsdale are from ex employees who obviously didn't cut it in the business. Optical Express have performed thousands of successful laser procedures without any negligence. The Watchdog expose had no credibility at all. It's basically a dirty game played by their competitors to get the marketshare of the laser industry but they can't compete with OE.

How can you say that Watchdog had no credibility? I except that it sensationalised the issues somewhat but the hidden camera did not lie. I think it is an insult to the general public to state your view. I think that the experts comments were measured too. I have read somewhere that Optical Express give bonuses for exceeding targets for the clinical suitablity percentage for laser eye surgery. How can that possibly be defensible? A financial inducement to find more people suitable for a non reversible surgical procedure involving the eyes?
I would have been delighted if Optical Express had apologised and changed their procedures to allow proper informed consent, a proper cooling off period, adequate time with the surgeon before the day of surgery and a change in their advertising away from the misleading and the untrue.
I imagine you work for Optical Express. That would explain your views which whilst patronising the vast majority of the viewers of Watchdog, have continued to propagate the myth that Optical Express/Optimax/Ultralase are about anything other that the bottom line.

I have recently been getting calls from this number - I have not answered as I didn't recognise the number. I got a pair of glasses from them a couple of years ago. Now I've read the above I will not be answering.

Trying to sell me laser eye surgery. I have 20/20 vision and have never needed glasses or contacts! Why they keep calling I do not know. I have told them numerous times to leave me alone but they still keep calling between 3 and 6 times a day.

2/3 times a day optical express calls will not take no for an answer.

7 calls over the weekend.

I had 3 missed calls from them today, they never leave a message. I also get lots of letters from them. This despite them telling me 2 years ago that I am unsuitable for laser eye suregery!

Guys get a life if you don't want to be called then pick the phone up or respond to their voice mail and tell them so. I did and the calls stopped. If we were to listen to what we hear in the news or in the media you wouldnt fly with easy jet but we do!! Read the possible side effects of your next prescription and you won't take it either but the facts are we do. I can't believe I'm now as sad as you for Replying. Make up you own minds and don't listen to these sad people.

Thanks! I have now :-) Shocking and Outrageous!

So we've seen how the Optical Express ads and sales tactics have worried some medical experts but the procedure patients go through before surgery and the information that they have been provided with is also cause for concern.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2011/05/optical_laser.html

Optical Express is the largest provider of Laser Eye Surgery in the country, with two hundred branches in the UK and Ireland and 120,000 consultations a year. Fiona Phillips investigates for Watchdog...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2011/05/optical_pricing.html

Do you have something to say about this story? Tell us what you think by emailing us watchdogwebteam@bbc.co.uk

Don't forget to include 'Optical Express - pricing' in the subject line. Watchdog will publish a selection of viewers' comments underneath each story, both throughout and after the programme is on air. Please remember to include your name as you would like to see it published.

**A clear invitation to us all to e-mail them about the misery of these ongoing cold-calls!**

OPTICAL EXPRESS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED
Registered Address
THE CA'D'ORO
45 GORDON STREET
GLASGOW
G1 3PE
Age
15 years
Registered in Scotland
SC168769
Nature of business
7499
Non-trading company
Directors
MR GRAEME RAMSAY MURDOCH (47)
8 PATRICKBANK VIEW, MILL PARK, RENFREWSHIRE, ELDERSLIE PA5 9UB
Position:
14 Years
Appointment date:
21/11/1996
Type:
Secretary
Occupation: ACCOUNTANT
STEWART MEIN (40)
5 WALLACE WYND LAUREL GROVE, CAMBUSLANG, LANARKSHIRE, GLASGOW G72 8SE
Position:
3 Years
Appointment date:
29/05/2008
Type:
Director
Occupation: CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT
DAVID CHARLES MOULSDALE (42)
5 DEERDYKES ROAD, CUMBERNAULD, GLASGOW G68 9HF
Position:
14 Years
Appointment date:
21/11/1996
Type:
Director
Occupation:

http://news.scotsman.com/news/Optician-at-war-with-private.2323596.jp

Optician at war with private eye

David Moulsdale, of the opticians chain Optical Express, claimed a private investigator made defamatory remarks about him.

Published Date: 02 May 2002
By John Robertson and Gethin Chamberlain
ONE of Scotland’s most successful businessmen yesterday failed in an attempt to prevent a private investigator from making allegations about his business dealings and his friendship with a notorious drugs dealer.
David Moulsdale, the founder of the Optical Express chain of opticians, claimed Dr Allan George had made defamatory remarks about him to others working in the opticians trade.

But yesterday, he failed to persuade the Court of Session in Edinburgh to grant him an interim interdict against Dr George.

With a fortune estimated at £100 million, Mr Moulsdale is one of the richest and most powerful businessmen in Scotland. He was the youngest ever winner of the Scottish Business Achievement Award in 1998 and the following year he topped a poll of the country’s most eligible bachelors.

He is also highly regarded in government circles and his entrepreneurial skills have earned the praise of Gordon Brown, the Chancellor.

But yesterday, the court heard how he had been the subject of extensive media reports in recent years which had referred to an alleged friendship with a "notorious drugs baron" and had claimed he was "no stranger to financial bother".

The drugs baron was Tony McGovern, 35, a Glasgow gangster who ran the drugs trade in the Maryhill and Springburn areas of the city. His friendship with Mr Moulsdale, the son of a Leith taxi driver, emerged after McGovern was shot and killed in September 2000.

The "financial bother" mentioned in court referred to his company’s failure to settle some of its debts on time. Mr Moulsdale, who lives in Dullater, near Cumbernauld, had been accused of building up his fortune at the expense of companies which were kept waiting for payment and Optical Express was the subject of a number of adverse court judgments.

Yesterday’s hearing was told that Mr Moulsdale was unhappy when he discovered that Dr George, from London, had been speaking to people about his business and private life and he sought an interim interdict to ban him from repeating the claims.

Michael Upton, counsel for Mr Moulsdale, said his client did not know the investigator, but "out of the blue" Dr George had been contacting people who knew Mr Moulsdale through the ophthalmic trade.

"He purported to want to gather information to decide whether or not to invest in Mr Moulsdale’s business," said Mr Upton. "But he does not restrict himself to questions ... he makes assertions about Mr Moulsdale."

Without specifying the allegations, Mr Upton said they were defamatory and went beyond what had appeared in the media. He added that Mr Moulsdale feared the allegations would be repeated if no court order were granted.

But Richard Keen, QC, for Dr George, said his client had only asked about matters which were already in the public domain.

Dr George was a commercial research consultant, he said, who had been engaged to make inquiries about Mr Moulsdale. He had been asked by Mr Moulsdale to disclose the identity of the client, but had refused.

"He contacted a number of people and asked if they were aware of the media reports, and whether they could make any comment on the accuracy or otherwise of the reports," said Mr Keen. "The matters were already in the public domain. He disputes that other, unrelated, allegations were made by him or canvassed."

Mr Keen added that Dr George had completed his research and submitted a report to his client, and had no intention of "revisiting this matter".

It is the second time in recent years that Dr George has been accused, unsuccessfully, of defamation. In 1995 Frank Machon, a self-confessed spy who became known as Captain Calamity after a series of nautical mishaps, lost a libel action he had launched in response to an unfavourable book review.

In the book Mr Machon claimed that he had spied for Britain in the former Eastern Europe and had to crash through border crossings with a snowplough on the front of his lorry to escape his pursuers. He was later bankrupted for failing to pay the costs of the libel action.

In court yesterday the judge, Lord Eassie, said that he believed there was no proper basis for Mr Moulsdale’s apprehension that the statements would be repeated.

He considered it inappropriate to grant an interim interdict but if evidence emerged to show the situation had changed, Mr Moulsdale could return to court and re-apply for an order.

Whoever you may be, it appears that you are a sad pathetic individual who is trying to sabotage Optical Express.  Your many (very repetitive) messages aim to smear the company and those hard working, successful individuals who own and run it -  those same individuals who keep thousands employed all over the UK in the current tough economic conditions.  Whatever your grievance is, get over it.  And get a life.

We have the same kind of problem with these sort of big but dime and cent laser eye surgery quack chains in the US. Great that some folks have the will to publicize their misdemeanors.

I have read all the comments on this thread. There are lots of upset people who have had dealings with Optical Express. In a free country it is important that individuals can voice their concerns about companies like yours (I assume you work there).

They call me after i entered comps for laser eye surgery :-(

Rang me promising "Miracle Laser Eyesight". I did not believe them! Reminiscent of Carrington Carr's calls.

David Moulsdale has lost a lot of real performers from his business too .
Everything said that is negative about him- let's just say if he was a great boss none of this would be said.

Sadly you get some people in life that people choose not to work for - whether they perform or not is irrelevant whoever works there whether they leave or get fired - the ones I really feel sorry for ate the ones that stay thinking that this person gives a flying hoot about any of them.

He thinks he is better than He really is - therefore he thinks that he can do what he wants.
Arrogance.
Watchdog was right- this isn't about the competitors they have put up with this worst example of so called businessman for years.

Good on watchdog for highlighting where one shouldn't get there eyes done!
It was high time and the industry have put up with people like him long enough. He is the worst example and let's hope this reminds him that he is not so untouchable that his bad attitude towards both employees and customers will not have consequence.

I applaud watchdog and I hope they will be watching this companies every bad move.

The rest of the industry is too polite.
For the record guys - the rest of the industry see him as giving the profession a bad name - he is no real competition because his attitude will be his downfall.

Those singing off the moulsdale hymn sheet will one day wonder why- if he doesn't care about his customers do you honestly think he gives two hoots about you!

People like this never change

I read that ASA judgement against him and I was shocked by how many lies were in one advert. Unfortunately after looking on google there doesn't appear to be much of a fuss caused by it or Watchdog. I think he will be laughing all the way to the bank.
I know a few people who worked for him. All of them wish they hadn't but are afraid of what he will do if they publicly criticize him.
It is hard to get my head around all the big name surgeons he has on that medical board. Are they stupid or am I missing something?

I think its wierd when everyone says that people are criticising a really successful person because they are jealous. There are plenty of successful people we all admire and aspire to be like- Unfortunately not everyone!

The point is that nobody needs to lower themselves to that level to show their dissatisfaction or unhappiness in their dealings with any company or individual who causes such controversy due to their dealings.

I think that no sin goes unpunished, and I dont think anyone needs to put this individual down, we will not lower ourselves.
He does a good job of putting himself down and letting himself down himself . He doesnt need our help with that!