Glasses - have I been ripped off?

Fuzzy_2

Hi

I went for an eye test at my local opticians, about 4 weeks ago paid for by work (as I use VDU's as part of my job, but then who doesn't these days?). I had noticed that my accommodation wasn't as good (ie very close up things).

I was told my distance vision was excellent and likely to stay that way for years to come, but I would need glasses, and they suggested bi-focals. Which now having got the things, seem totally wrong for me. Using a VDU is worse as the peripheral vision is now slightly blurred, and distance vision is also not as good as my eyes on their own! Yes reading is better, but I can still read very clearly at about 30cm (and beyond) distance without glasses. I have been back as they said they would change them if I didn't get on with them, but give it more time, fair enough I have, but not sure what to ask for. I see it either I just get reading glasses, or do without altogether. Do you think they would take the glasses back and refund me? As they said if I changed to just the single lens, they would refund the difference.

I have a friend who is an opthalmolgist, and she has seen my prescription, and says that I shouldn't need glasses especially at my age. This was over a drink in the pub; if I got her to see me properly would the opticians then have to listen?

I just felt a bit railroaded on the day of the test, and would appreciate some advice here, especially as the glassses cost £185, only £40 being the cost of the frame.

sujman

If it were me, I would get my opthalmolgist friend to write some sort of "official independent assesment" (if she is qualified to make such an assesment, that is) stating that the new glasses were unecessary (if that indeed were the case).

Then take it up with the opticians head office / boss and see how you get on. If they say something like "both opinions are equally correct" (I can imagine eye testing is not an exact science and some subjective assesments are made), I would then try and get another independent opinon and try gain.

Further follow up options could be complining to the relevant governing body, writing to BBC Watchdog or taking them to the small claims court.

Searcher

Something definitely doesn't make sense
The glasses you're describing sound more like varifocals than bi-focals. Blurred peripheral vision is inherent with varifocals, also because of the fact that not everyone can wear them the manufacturers offer the gaurantee to refund the difference.
However, I can't understand why after telling you that you're distance vision is perfect they would try to sell you dual vision lenses. The idea of varifocals and bi-focals is to do away with the need for 2 pairs of glasses (one for distance and one for reading). You've already been told that you only need them for close work i.e reading so surely then you only need single vision lenses in other words reading glasses?
Unless I'm missing something here it does sound like you've been misled somewhere along the line

soolin

It does seem odd. If you only need prescription lenses for a specific job, ie for using a PC, then a single pair would suffice, something you can leave by the PC and take off the rest of the time.

It doesn't have anything to do with age though, that's a bit of a red herring, some people need help with both close and long distance prescriptions from a young age, I have worn variations of varifocals since my early 30s, whereas some people only ever need basic reading specs in their 80s.

Having said that a lot of people technically 'need' specs but prefer not to wear them. Opticians will always look to make vision perfect and possibly not take into account the fact that for many of those people uncorrected visison is sufficient for most if not all of their activities.

It is also unlikely than any professional will formally dispute anothers prescribing, unless there are serious errors in that prescribing in which case the original optician would need to be reported to their local PCT and relevant authorities. Most opticians will slightly 'rubbish' prescriptions given by their competitors as prescribing is always open to interpretation.

I'm actually having my annual check today and go to a local shop that I trust as they will always listen to what I want as I prefer not to wear my 'full' prescription, instead I wear enough to be legal to drive a car and to see comfortably. Other opticians I have used want to prescribe the full prescription to get my sight as perfect as possible, which I personally can't get comfortable with.

Soo

hutchie_3

I used to sell prescription glasses for vdu,I believe by law the company you work for have to pay for the eye test and the glasses.Also the glasses should be specifically for vdu ie a distanceof 26" from the screen.Bifocals not any good

Fuzzy_2

Hi thanks for all your replies.

Yes I was prescribed bi-focals, as we had some discussion about the use of vari-focals at the time. I thought that the vari-focals would not be suitable (and they did too after some discussion about usage) so went for the bi-focals, but after 2 weeks of wearing could not get on with them. So have had them changed to just reading glasses, which I feel I will get more use out of. As the preference was not to wear them at all!

Sadly, although I got the eye test paid for by my employer, the need for glasses wasn't as a direct result of VDU work, although a possible factor (reading between the lines), so no contribution was available for the cost of the glasses.

So slightly happier, as I they are better for my needs, but the refund was only £30, I still think that £155 for a pair of reading glasses is a rip-off!

Hey-ho you live and learn!