Shocking Customer Service from Tesco Opticians

TeamLowe

I have a relatively high prescription, so two weeks ago when I went to Tesco Opticians to purchase glasses (as they're open outside working hours so convenient) I checked and double checked that they could deal with the prescription as I've only ever gone to a 'proper' opticians before. Definitely, I'm told, he even put through a test order to check the lab would accept it, which it did. I chose two different frames that I liked, asked the opinion of the optician man (who may or may not have been an actual optician, I'm not sure) who said my prescription would be fine in either at either ultra or super thinning.

Ordered my favourite frames and some prescription sunglasses, as frames were buy one get one free, with thinning and coating etc the total came to £215, paid and told they'd be ready in 10-14 days and I'll get a text to say.

So today I call to chase as I hadn't received any communication. I'm told that the lab had cancelled my order as they couldn't do my prescription in the frames I'd chosen. I asked why wasn't I informed and apparently there was a computer glitch and the stored didn't find out 'until a couple of days ago'. Again, I've heard nothing from them, even in the last couple of days- the opticians is open on both Saturday and Sunday.

Then to rile me up even more- I then had to ask for a refund, one wasn't offered. Once I asked she 'checked with her manager' who said I could have a refund or choose new frames. Shockingly I asked for the refund instead of going through this whole debacle again.

....aaaahh, I feel a lot better now having got that off my chest

artbaron

Never go to the highstreet, always go online. Try http://www.spex4less.com/ - I've used them three times now and the service is exceptional. And you'll pay less than the highstreet too, and likely get them delivered quicker.

Edit: Been to these too - also v good http://www.glassesdirect.co.uk/

TeamLowe

I would love to use an online opticians but unfortunately it's not allowed - apparently when your prescription is very high (mine's around -16 with astigmatism) the measurements have to be very accurate so only a dispensing optician can do them.

Every time I buy glasses I swear I'll get the surgery for Intra Occular Lenses but I chicken out lol

artbaron

Ah right, that's a heck of prescription strength. I think online only go to -6. Mine's around -4 but I can't have corrective surgery because of a few other problems. My mother's had lenses fitted and says its great but I doubt I would even if I could.

sjlou

Hi TL

I checked with my optician hubby (he's a locum working across a range of different opticians)....

So, he said you might be able to get thinned down lenses at an ASDA opticians (and they might not charge extra for it), might be worth a check. They will probably have late night opening like tesco too, just not in every store.

If not you might be better off at a specialist/ independent with a prescription like that.

Online ordering means that you have to measure your PD (pupil distance) and its up to you if you get it wrong. If a dispensing optician measures it wrong in branch and they aren't right, its their fault and they will replace foc. With higher prescriptions there is an even bigger margin for error (its measured in millimetres).
I know this is a money saving site, but I don't understand why people begrudge spending money on ensuring that they can see (especially if they need glasses for driving)!

BelindaArch

artbaron wrote: »

Never go to the highstreet, always go online. Try http://www.spex4less.com/ - I've used them three times now and the service is exceptional. And you'll pay less than the highstreet too, and likely get them delivered quicker.

Edit: Been to these too - also v good http://www.glassesdirect.co.uk/

I can also confirm very happy with service from https://www.spex4less.com and have used them several times over the past years.

JournalGirl

sjlou wrote: »

Hi TL


So, he said you might be able to get thinned down lenses at an ASDA opticians (and they might not charge extra for it), might be worth a check. They will probably have late night opening like tesco too, just not in every store.

Yes I got a cracking pair of glasses from Asda with thinned down lenses at no extra charge. My prescription is high ( although not as high as the OPs) at around -9 with astigmatism.

I actually paid £65 in the end because I was paying for a pair of glasses for OH and you got £20 off if you bought two ( strictly should have been two for the same person, but she offered to put it through for me)

Standard price at the time was £85 for designer frames with any lens

The_Next_Verse

Another vote here for Asda. My prescription is -13 with astigmatism and they are happy to do mine and do offer thinning included.

The only thing with them that they explained to me was that with my prescription they wouldn't be able to go as thin as you would be able to get in specsavers and the like. Saying that, there wasn't a great deal of difference for me as I never paid for the thinnest lenses in specsavers when I went anyway as it was just too expensive to do a wear and a spare!

TeamLowe

Thanks sjlou and others for the recommendation of Asda, I shall try there next time

went to specsavers this time as I knew they'd done my prescription before and if i couldn't get other frames they might have my current ones and couldn't have got better service, the optical assistant even got an optician over to check the measurements etc and checked with the lab before i left that they could do it on the frames I'd chosen.
they also had a deal where if you bought frames £69 or over you could get the basic thinning free, and £40 off the other two levels. I needed the thinnest for the lenses to fit in the frames so it was £50 for that instead of £90. so it was £119 which was suprisingly low for me

I'm always happy to pay more to get the frames I like as I figure I'll be wearing them every day for two years so i've gotta be happy with them!