ONE of the UK's best-known opticians says it is considering an appeal after a woman who complained that eye surgery had gone wrong and sued was awarded £500,000 damages by a judge.

Optical Express said it was disappointed by the ruling - made following a county court hearing in London.

A spokesman said the company, which describes itself as the UK's largest provider of laser eye surgery, would support Dr Joanna McGraw, the surgeon who operated on Stephanie Holloway, and was considering an appeal.

“We are extremely disappointed by the verdict and for Dr McGraw, a highly skilled and compassionate surgeon who has successfully improved the eyesight and the lives of thousands of patients,” he added.

“Patient care is our number one priority and we go to great lengths to ensure that everyone makes a thoughtful and well-informed decision whether to proceed with the type of surgery they select. As one of many examples, we now provide all patients with a comprehensive video that contains details of risks, benefits and alternatives to surgery as part of the consent process.

“Optical Express will support Dr McGraw and will be exploring the options for further legal action relating to the case.”

Daily Echo:

Dr Joanna McGraw

Judge Edward Bailey found Optical Express staff in Southampton had failed to properly warn Miss Holloway of the risks involved and possible complications.

Short-sighted Miss Holloway was left with hazy vision and so sensitive to light that she has to wear dark glasses all the time, even in the shower, the court heard.

Her successful career as an antiquarian book dealer collapsed and her hopes of joining the police force were destroyed.

The judge was told that Optical Express had even put private investigators on Miss Holloway’s tail in a bid to prove she was exaggerating.

They filmed her out shopping and through the windows of her home in Lee-on-the-Solent but she never took off her dark glasses.

Judge Bailey said Miss Holloway had paid £2,790 for an operation which “on any objective basis she should never have had”. She had been “enticed” and “tempted” into a branch in Southampton in 2008 after seeing an advert proclaiming that eye surgery could be had “from £395”.

Surgeon Dr Joanna McGraw had seen up to 30 patients that day and carried out up to 22 operations, Central London County Court heard.

She insisted she would have warned Miss Holloway that her’s was a very difficult case and that surgery “could have a very bad result”.

But the judge said the consultation may have lasted as little as three minutes and there was “absolutely no way” in which Dr McGraw could have given Miss Holloway all the important information she needed in that time.

Mis Holloway has since undergone further “extremely painful” surgery, which was unsuccessful, before being told there was nothing more doctors could do for her.

The judge said Miss Holloway had sunk into depression after the operation and became “paranoid about going blind”.

Miss Holloway told the judge she had felt that “life was hardly worth living”.

Ruling both Optical Express and Dr McGraw liable to pay full compensation the judge said Miss Holloway had at no point been given sufficient information about the risks of the surgery and possible complications in order to give “informed consent”.

The damages award came to a total of £569,287, including £30,000 for Miss Holloway’s “pain and suffering” and more than £400,000 for her lost earnings.

Speaking after the court ruling Miss Holloway said: “It has been seven years since I had the surgery and it has been an uphill struggle – at times I didn’t think I’d make it.

“But if me winning this case perhaps helps other people to address their own issues then it has been worth it.”