refund for prescription glasses

pushover

Can anyone help with a problem about optician's prescription and purchased glasses please. I'll try and keep this short!

Specsavers' optician prescribed a 'prism' lens when testing my vision, and I bought expensive distance glasses & 'reglazed' my own pair for reading (rather than varifocals).

On collection, I complained that the distance ones felt weird, but agreed to try them and could bring them back if still a problem.
After a week of headaches and eyestrain whenever I wore them, a 2nd optician @ Specsavers tested my eyes and said they weren't adjusting well, said better to return to varifocals and to help they could also split the prism across both eyes. (She also referred me to a specialist because my eye pressure was too high). So now:-

a) the distance glasses are unusable
b) I'd already told them those frames was unsuitable for varifocals
c) my prescription may alter after seeing the specialist
d) I do not want the reading glasses if they have a different prism setting to a.n.other pair
e) I won't need the reading glasses anyway with varifocals
f) they want £100 MORE for having varifocal rather than single vision lens.
g) their own staff seem confused about the situation.

I can't deal with this - can I ask them for a full refund? J

visidigi

They should have a no quibble, no fuss refund policy in store if you are nt completely happy within the first 3 months.

Ask for it next time you're in there...

pushover

Thanks visidigi
They have a carefully worded phrase 'we will put it right' -which could be interpreted different ways I suppose. I'm pretty awful at getting what I really want, (in this case, full refund and wait for specialist appt) but I'll try the 'unfit for purpose' bit 'no quibble etc etc' and hope they realise how messy it is! J

tom15387202

I've worked in the optical industry for over 10 years so I'll try to answer some of your points.


a) the distance glasses are unusable
It depends, if they decide to split the prism it could help. It also relies on the fact that they have also been dispensed correctly

b) I'd already told them those frames was unsuitable for varifocals
Depends on the size of the frame, you'd be surprised what progs can fit into now without losing any areas

c) my prescription may alter after seeing the specialist
Prescriptions are subjective, I guarantee that if you went to 5 other opticians they'd all differ in someway

d) I do not want the reading glasses if they have a different prism setting to a.n.other pair.
Reading and distance prescriptions can be prescribed with different prism values. This is normal and I see it everyday

g) their own staff seem confused about the situation.
Ask to see a Dispensing Opticians. Most Optometrists know about the examination but when it comes to the dispensing and fitting side, Dispensing Opticians are far better suited.

pushover

Thank you Tom...
I plucked up the courage and took a friend for moral support.
After some hesitation, they did give me a refund. I'd reckoned on the reasonable, friendly approach which seemed to work. Thanks to you both.