Optical Express - Appalling! What are my rights

robatwork

hectorshouse123 wrote: »

Hello,

I'm looking to have laser eye surgery this year for my short-sightedness and astigmatism. Can I please have some recommendations on where to get it?
& I've noticed there seems to be some money-off vouchers floating about, if anyone has any going spare that would be much appreciated!

Don't go for the cheapest - go for the best. This isn't a pair of shoes you can take back if uncomfortable.

I would contact Moorfields and try to arrange a consultation there with a specialist if I was considering this.

JGLONDON_2

I have just had the most horrid experience with Optical Express.

I had a three hour consultation at the Westfield, London clinic three weeks ago. Their so called professional experts told me that I was suitable for the laser surgery and took my money. I turned up at the Harley Street clinic as scheduled on Friday. After more than an hour wait, the surgeon just told me that he couldn't perform the surgery because I was not suitable for the laser treatment. And I have to wait 28 working days to get my money back. This is the most disastrous experience I've ever had in this country. The service they provide is extremely poor for the reasons below:

1. Misleading and wrong information were given at the consultation from the Westfield Clinic.

I had the three hour consultation with refractive technician, Andra Ciucos and Refractive Optometrist, Elizabeth Vourazeri at Westfield clinic. They took all the eye scans and did all the tests, and told me that I was suitable for Lasek idesign treatment. Elizabeth even told me that the reason for this choice of treatment because of my high short sighted version.

I seriously doubt if they are qualified to carry out this type of consultation! Plus during the whole consultation, they didn't show me any of Laser eye surgery Consent Video as mentioned in their terms and conditions.

2. Poor customer service at the Harley Street Clinic!

I turned at the clinic on Fri as scheduled. As soon as I got there, I was taken to a room for the same scans I had during my consultation. All the scans took about 10 minutes, then I was told to wait to speak to the surgeon. I waited for more than 1 hour, but nothing happened. I had to ask the reception how much longer I needed to wait, all she told me was to wait more. My name was finally called after another 15 minutes wait. When I got to the surgery room, the surgeon, Dr Patel told me that he couldn't perform the surgery, because I wasn't suitable. No explanation from him at all! Instead, he recommended me to do lenses implants. I asked him to explain this alternative treatment to me, all he said was that I had to wait more, so someone else would come to me with more details. I was rushed out of the surgeon room after two minutes of being there.

Their service is even worse then NHS! Such a long wait, no explanations from the surgeon, no staff were informing me what was going on while I was waiting. Nobody was explaining the lenses implants, instead another leaflet was given to me and told me to book another consultation.

3. Their refund process is ridiculously against the Consumer Rights!

I was charged £700 at the Westfield clinic during my consultation as the down payment, and a 10 months instalment was set up for me. No refund policy was explained to me at all. And I only agreed to pay because I was told that I was suitable for laser surgery.

After Dr Patel told me that I couldn't do this surgery, nobody came to explain to about the refund policy until I had to ask the receptionist again. Then a woman, (I didn't get her name, but guess she is the clinic manager) and Alex told me that I have to wait 28 working days to get my money back.

28 working days is a ridiculous amount of time to have a refund for something I've never had. I have already consulted my solicitor, she told me that I shouldn't have been charged at all in the first place for the treatment they falsely promised and failed to deliver!

My boyfriend is a IT contractor and is on a daily rate. He took a half day off because of this surgery, so he's lost a half day income, in addition to my three weeks of anticipation, preparation and taking an extra day from work, because of their incompetent consultation at a fault.

Optical Express - Big AVOID!!!

sweetstudent

Mark_Scott wrote: »

Hello There

Fortunately, I ahve not used Optical Express for eye surgery, but did make the mistake of buying some glasses.

I wanted to post to ask for guidance on an “Optical Express Trap” I have fallen into.

Yesterday I placed an order for a pair of glasses:

• Frames £130
• Lenses (thinned) £200

10% Corporate Discount brought the price down to £296.

I was willing to pay the high price to have the glasses supplied quickly.
I was then told this could take up to 2 weeks.
I left the store after paying in full.

Much later the same afternoon, I decided I was going to cancel the order first thing in the morning (technically 2.5 hours working time later)
I left 3 messages (through Customer Services – No number for the store) only to find once I had a call returned a cancellation would cost 25% of the Order Value. (upto 24 hours later)

In this case £75 – How can this be quantified? If it was a cancellation fee, I could understand, but what if I was buying glasses costing £60, with a cancellation fee of £15?

On Sunday evening I checked for 15 minutes on-line to see what deal I could get for the same frames and lens thinning service - £75 frames, £65 Lenses.

Under £150, gutted

Let me know in your opinion with regards to where I stand in recovering the value of this obscene cancellation fee?

I would never buy glasses online, they may be cheaper however you will also need to know your PD and how do you know that they have been made up to your prescription correctly? As mistakes can happen and I'm guessing that the online opticians will/would blame the user on entering the prescription incorrectly! Your eyesight is too important to cheap out on what can be a saving of a few quid

rustyboy21

sweetstudent wrote: »

I would never buy glasses online, they may be cheaper however you will also need to know your PD and how do you know that they have been made up to your prescription correctly? As mistakes can happen and I'm guessing that the online opticians will/would blame the user on entering the prescription incorrectly! Your eyesight is too important to cheap out on what can be a saving of a few quid

Wjilst I would normally agree with you totally on this subject, I would like to put forward my experience of online glass purchases and when I feel they are ok to use.


Over the years I have had really bad eyesight very short sighted with high astigmatism in both eyes ( -10 power).. I have paid up to £700 for glasses in the past, which had to be changed every year.


I found out mid last year, that I had rapidly developing cataracts in both eyes, I was classed blind in my right eye. I was fortunate enough to have private healthcare and this paid for both eyes to have surgery done, with IOL implants, which also totally corrected my eyesight in my right eye and to +0.25 in my left.


I do, however need reading glasses now, need to wear them whilst driving, as cannot see the speedo and hands free kit.


I was told my PD by my optician,and had my prescription by them too, so I bought some varifocals from selectspecs.com.


The service I got was excellent, so much in fact, I have bought 4 further pairs from them. The lenses were perfect, done to the exact power I needed.


I did try online a few years ago, prior to surgery and they came back awful, wrong power,wrong PD, awful.


What I would say is that online glasses are fine for peole, who do not have complex prescriptions, if you only need them for reading, or very, very weak power, then they are fine.


Anything slightly out of the norm, and especially anyone with astigmatisms, really should get them from a good reputable, high street optician, you will waste money trying to get them online and have a nightmare with refunds/replacements from the dealers.

rustyboy21

On the subject of laser surgery, I have known a number of people who have had this done and ALL of them have had issues, which required extra surgery, eye health issues after the operation and for years afterwards.


If you have complex prescriptions and astigmatism, then a lot of the laser surgery is not suitable for you, but the business is so big now, that you will be told it will be fine, only to find out later that you have issues.


If you can afford it, try and have Intra Occular lens implants. It is a lot more expensive and requires either your existing lens in your eyes to be replaced, or another lens placed in front of it. But the results are amazing. It is the same operation as cataract surgery, which is quick, mostly painless and gives immediate results, after the local anaesthetic has wore off.


For me, it was well worth the cost of private surgery, was about £2500 per eye.

Paulaviki

On the flip side I had lasek at Optical Express in Bluewater in Feb 2013 and couldn't be happier with the service and results. I love not having to wear glasses or contacts any more! Even if it only lasts 10 years (I'm 32) I'd have it done again. Oh and I have an astigmatism, but didn't cause any problems. I was booked into have lasik but because my corneas were too thin they couldn't do that, so did lasek instead which is cheaper so they changed my finance plan and reduced the cost.

techno12

Another satisfied laser eye surgery customer here. I had mine done in 1999 by Optimax. It was the original, obsolete PRK. Cheap and cheerful service (£995) but results are great. Left eye has degraded ever so slightly after 10 years of being 'perfect' but settled down now and it's still good, just a bit blurry compared to the right.

Best grand I ever spent.

dacouch

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2763996/Biggest-laser-eye-surgery-accused-hard-sell-secret-10-page-manual-tactics-secure-new-patients-discovered.html

Kim999

I am currently having problems getting a refund from optical express from 7 March 2015, just been told today it's going to be another 10 working days!!!! How they get away with this is unbelievable. Stay away from optical express at all costs....

C_Mababejive

laser eye surgery is not something to be bought or sold like some kind of bizarre either on the high street or via the phone.

It is a life changing surgical procedure and if it goes wrong,believe me it will be life changing.

Did you catch the recent article /expose which states that there is no specific qualification/certification for laser eye surgeons?

If i was going to even consider this , i would be looking at moorfields eye hospital who have their own laser suite and surgeons.