Specsavers: should I look at no win no fee?

Povuk_2

I would like to gain some opinion to what I should do about problems that I have got with Specsavers.!

I had a contact lense check at the end of January and was told that my eyes were ok, but I was ready for a sight test and booked in for a exam on 15th Feb. On the 14th I started with blurred vision (similar to migraine) I reported this the next day however nothing was spotted. Two weeks later and no improvement, I saw a different optician who examined very closely, did dilation, took photos but saw nothing. She referred me to the hospital to try to get to the bottom. The doctor looked at my eye and questioned why we were there, after doing dilation he diognoised that I had a 'disturbed cornea' and recommended that I got drops from my GP, and stop wearing lenses. Talking with my GP later in the day I explained what had been said, he looked himself and said yes he could see it, now that he knew what to look for, but would need a stronger magnifier. This leads me to question why my Specsavers with their powerful magnifier's and other equipment did not spot it. Three weeks on and whilst some of the vision problems have improved they have not gone yet.!
I called my Specsavers after my hospital appointment to stop my direct debit and say that I was not happy, in the hope of an apology, nothing, just rudeness. I haven't even had a courtesy call to ask for feedback.!
My question is would I have enough grounds to seek further advice from a no win no fee lawyer?

Many thanks

Andrew

fluffnutter

If you're after 'an apology' why do you need a no win, no fee lawyer? Surely they deal with people trying to claim compensation?

You're stopped your DD so I assume you're no longer paying Specsavers. I also assume they didn't cause your eye problems, merely failed to spot them. But, little harm done seemingly; the hospital's sorted you out. What do you want to happen now?

POPPYOSCAR

I don't see what you have to gain here.

Even when you were referred to the hospital you say yourself the first reaction was one of surprise that you were there but that they picked up the problem in the end.

I think you would have a very difficult time trying to claim anything from Specsavers.

MisterBrico

Also calling spec savers customer service line and speaking to someone who didn't know you existed until you called then moaning and saying your not going to pay any more isn't the best way to get someone to be sympathetic.

People make mistakes, you have suffered no harm from it, so why not forgive and forget, we are all just human after all...

fluffnutter

Your GP couldn't spot it either, so, you know, perhaps it wasn't easy to spot *shrugs*. The main thing is, you've got a proper diagnosis and I assume that your eyes will recover in time.

nedmundo

I would add that whether they correctly spotted/diagnosed the issue or not, they still took the correct action in refering you. So you would have nothing to gain here.

Povuk_2

My point is that that my GP could see the problem when he knew what to look for with inferior equipment. The opticians are the highly trained individuals with the correct stronger equipment and failed to spot it Twice! and it is quite possible that last damage may have been caused, this could have been mitigated if it was spotted sooner. Also the type if lenses that I was given by Specsavers (continual 30 day) have caused the issue.

I see this as a fit for purpose issue as well as failing to diognose, it was only my instance that got me referred.

It was the branch that I called, that was rude to me, yes I stopped the DD, but if lasting damage has been caused it was probably made worse by opticians not seeing what was apparently clear to the hospital eye doctor and GP.

I would love to speak with Specsavers HO but that is not an easy task.

catfish50

Either:

1. Find an ambulance-chaser and try for compensation or a settlement

or

2. Complain to the General Optical Council (http://www.optical.org/en/our_work/Investigating_complaints/How_to_make_a_complaint/index.cfm)

or

3. Be thankful your eyes are ok and in future be more careful with your contact lenses.

123louisa

As far as I can remember, and its been a while so I am rusty, a disturbed cornea is not a specific medical condition, or caused by anything in particular. Did anyone mention to you about over wear of lenses? This is what I remember being the primary cause of it. It seems to be a generic diagnosis for nothing actually wrong apart from over wear of lenses and lack of oxygen to the cornea, which is pretty much immediately reversed by not wearing the lenses for a few days.

Apart from the inconvenience of not wearing your lenses for a few days, what exactly have you lost?

Equaliser123

Specsavers, even if negligent, didn't cause the injury. Without a chain of causation, you cannot claim.

Povuk_2

Thanks for the comments which I will digest. I hoped after a few days rest the problem would get better, given oxygen is now getting to the eyes, however three weeks on and they are still as bad as they were, making me wonder if my eyesight has been damaged by the contact lenses and Specsavers not spotting the damage.

I think I will be changing my optician!

Thanks all