Optician wrote out wrong prescription - what should I do?

sillyvixen

alison6692 wrote: »

It was the original that I was given at the time of testing. It is signed and dated so I can confirm with them. The optician thinks it was her error and was very apologetic.
I am not normally the kind of person who would complain but this has been a nightmare for me since Nov - thinking I was going crazy as everyone was so flippant about my symptoms.

Alison x

insist on a recheck - the optician can't be expected to correct the written problem on the prescription through memory- if you have a recheck you are affectively starting again with no cost to your self. the optician will be able to give you a copy of the ammended prescription after a retest and they will be liable to change the lenses to the new prescription at no cost to you (even if made elsewhere) if there is a change to the prescription.
hope you get it sorted quickly.

alison6692

Thanks SillyVixen - I had a recheck which they made me pay for - and it showed that the new prescription matched their records - but their records did not match the copy they had given me to carry round.

I have been wearing the wrong glasses for 3 months and have tried to tell them something wasn't right and they just passed me off.

Urgh - very cross.

Ray_Williamson

As the optician (or his employee) gave you the wrong prescription the optician (or his employer) is liable to you for all losses, including the recheck which you would not have needed if they did their job properly. Whether this includes the car crash etc might be argued over.
So demand compensation! Sue in Court if you don`t get it.
Complain also to the local NHS Family Practitioner Committee (or whatever they call it nowadays), even if it is not a NHS eye test.
If they do not pay up at once tell the local TV news people how they treated you. They are interested in stories like yours.
Best of luck, Ray.

tidus

Ray_Williamson wrote: »

As the optician (or his employee) gave you the wrong prescription the optician (or his employer) is liable to you for all losses, including the recheck which you would not have needed if they did their job properly. Whether this includes the car crash etc might be argued over.
So demand compensation! Sue in Court if you don`t get it.
Complain also to the local NHS Family Practitioner Committee (or whatever they call it nowadays), even if it is not a NHS eye test.
If they do not pay up at once tell the local TV news people how they treated you. They are interested in stories like yours.
Best of luck, Ray.

Bit over the top for a case of human error.... How would you feel if you made an error at work and was threatened with court action? This just isn't serious enough to warrant that, and I doubt anybody would be interested in the press. The NHS would only be interested in the event of an NHS examination, and even then the practice can explain what happened easily enough, they won't take any further action, this kind of thing is unavoidable whenever human beings are involved.

Surely you were not charged for the re examination after the error was found to be theirs? Have they replaced the lenses for you? This is the least they should do. Due to you taking your prescription elsewhere, I doubt they will give you any money, because you spent yours elsewhere. It is likely that the error would have been found more quickly if you had bought from the original optician. I always advise to have your exam at the same place you buy the specs from. Shop around before the examination, not after.

GlasweJen

it's very easy to write a + instead of a - and that screws the whole prescription up, if we order glasses we have another colleague check the order as well just to be sure. I would recommend that the OP requests a whole new eye test though in case the numbers are completely wrong and she ends up getting another pair that don't fit her requirements.

sillyvixen

alison6692 wrote: »

Thanks SillyVixen - I had a recheck which they made me pay for - and it showed that the new prescription matched their records - but their records did not match the copy they had given me to carry round.

I have been wearing the wrong glasses for 3 months and have tried to tell them something wasn't right and they just passed me off.

Urgh - very cross.

you should not have had to pay for a recheck:mad::mad: somewhere along the line a mistake has been made and the recheck is just clearing up that mistake (ie verifying the prescription you should have) it is in their interests to give you a recheck for free as if they had just changed the lenses and you still had problems they would have had to make them up a 3rd time following a recheck. contact them again and get the cost of the recheck refunded!! they made a mistake it is up to them to cover the costs of putting it right. if you get no joy contact your local primary care trust.

good luck - you should have not paid for this appointment:mad:

alison6692

Thanks everyone. I am not trying to blow this out of proportion at all and I really don't blame the optician. Yes she made a mistake but I am a nurse and I have made mistakes. None of us our perfect. I just feel when I rang back they should of been concerned enough to get me back in - seemingly my symptoms are CLASSIC when they haven't corrected for a stigmatism.

Jen - is this a big error - she wrote 0.25 and it should 1.5 - It feels like a big difference to me.

I still haven't had an answer from them - the area manager called me today and said she will discuss it with her manager and get back to me.

They refunded the examination fee yesterday when I went back in - They didn't even question it and apologised that I had to pay.

Thanks everyone.

Does anyone know when I should stop feeling woozy? I still couldn't drive as I am dizzy.

GlasweJen

0.25 to 1.5 is a big mistake! No wonder you couldn't see, i feel a change when i go up or down a 0.25

sillyvixen

GlasweJen wrote: »

0.25 to 1.5 is a big mistake! No wonder you couldn't see, i feel a change when i go up or down a 0.25

how could anyone have written that down wrong when copying from notes to prescription form!!!!!

alison6692

Jen - Thanks. That number relates to the shape of the lens for my stigmatism not the actual strength if that makes sense. Not sure if thats obvious or not.