New glasses distortion

Mista_C

Hi, I'll try and keep this as short as possible so as not to bore you all.

I recently purchased some new glasses as mine had broken and I only had my spare pair. I had my eye test, which felt very rushed, completed and went to choose some new glasses from the same store as my prescription had changed slightly. I waited a few days for my new glasses to arrive. I got the call and went over to the store to collect them but when I put them on the lenses were blurred from the centre to the outer edge. The optician said it might take a few days to adjust so off I went.

A few days later I still couldn't see so I went back with them. The prescription was checked and I was told that the optician had forgot to put in the "heights". So a new order was made up. the order arrived back, this time the left lens was perfect but the right was still blurred. Some more tinkering from the optician and the third set of lens were soon to arrive.

I was still experiencing the same problem with the third set with the left once again blurred. This time the optician suggested I may need aspherical lens so off went an order for the fouth set of lenses.

Three weeks later and the fourth set arrived. I put them on, there was a tiny bit of blurring at the sides but it didn't seem to be in my field of vision as before. My vision was a little distorted but no more than I would expect from a slight prescription change and the optician agreed. I went home and wore them for approximately 4 hours when I started getting a sharp pain at the back of my right eye. The distortion had gotten worse and I couldn't focus.

Today I took them back and the optician is saying he has tried everything he can to correct the problem and insists I now get a diabetes scan as the sharp pain could be related to my diabetes. I queried as to why this would not be evident with my old glasses and he claims the eye may have become "comfortable" with the old prescription. Now I'm no optician but I feel like i'm being fobbed off here.

Anyway, I intend to book in for the diabetes scan but should the results come back as healthy where do I stand in getting my money back (£254)? Would this purchase be covered under the SOGA as not fit for purpose?

Also, because I am diabetic I am entitled to a free eye test every year. Will I now need to pay for another eye test at a different opticians even though it's possible this one may be incorrect?

Thanks for taking the time to read and thanks in advance for any feedback.

Money_maker

Wasn't tescos was it?

Mista_C

Money_maker wrote: »

Wasn't tescos was it?

No, it's Vision Express. The team at the local store have been very willing to help up to this point though but they can be as friendly and helpful as they like. If I can't see properly I'll go through the motions until there's no more excuses left for them to use.

superman909

Mista_C wrote: »

No, it's Vision Express. The team at the local store have been very willing to help up to this point though but they can be as friendly and helpful as they like. If I can't see properly I'll go through the motions until there's no more excuses left for them to use.

They haven't tried their exchange only thing yet have they? So, pretty much you are stuck with getting another and another set of glasses from them until they are right? That's exactly the same as the situation I am in.

Mista_C

superman909 wrote: »

They haven't tried their exchange only thing yet have they? So, pretty much you are stuck with getting another and another set of glasses from them until they are right? That's exactly the same as the situation I am in.

Pretty much that yes but I think I've found something this evening. With all of the lens problems so far I decided to have a good Googling (oo-er) and read an article where it was suggested to someone with a similar problem to check the frames were not distorted. Expecting the lenses again I overlooked the latest problem may be with the frames so I thoroughly examined my frames and noticed if I placed them lens down with the arms sticking up that the lenses were not level, as if the bridge was twisted.

As the frames are extremely flexible I gently positioned them correctly on my face and my vision improved. I think it's another trip to the store tomorrow to ask them to adjust the frames accordingly now. I suspect the optician may have straightened them while handing them to me and they eventually found their way back into their 'twisted' position which would explain the 4 hour delay with the pain and distortion.

Mista_C

superman909 wrote: »

They haven't tried their exchange only thing yet have they? So, pretty much you are stuck with getting another and another set of glasses from them until they are right? That's exactly the same as the situation I am in.

Superman909, I don't know if this will be of any help to you but today I emailed Vision Express via their website http://www.visionexpress.com/customer-services/contact-us/

I explained my situation including dates, issues and actions taken to rectify them so far. I ended my message by explaining that as I cannot see through the glasses after four attempts I would like to exercise my rights under SoGA and requesting a copy of their policy regarding returns/refunds.

I received a reply email shortly afterwards stating my comments had been forwarded to a member of their senior team and shortly after that I received a phone call from an extremely helpful lady regarding my query. I was reassured that no matter how long it took I could continue to return until I was happy with my glasses OR (the part that may be of interest to you) that I may return the glasses and get an immediate refund.

In my case I've decided to wait until I've been through my diabetic screening just in case it is related. I have to give them 10/10 for customer service skills as I know it's not the fault of the store staff but they have still been very polite and accommodating.