Refund Boots Opticians for Glasses being refused.

paulr70

Hi All

Having issues with Boots Opticians, I went there last month for a routine eye test. My prescription had changed slightly so I enquired in the end about varifocal for driving. They said they would benefit me because It would help my distance vision and also close up to improve reading the satnav. They also came with anti glare coating to reduce issues at night which I did find a bit of an issue with my existing. So i ordered a pair for £400. They arrive, then have to wait a week to have a 10min appointment to collect them. Tried them in the shop and they were ok but a bit fuzzy around the edges, lady said try them as it can take a few weeks.

Got home and realised they wont work, you loose all side vision to a blur, literally half of your vision is lost at the edges of the glasses only a narrow band in the middle is ok . You have to turn your head to look at anything, including all your mirrors in the car. No just glancing at anything you have to move your head to fit a small area to be in focus. At night there was a tiny bit less reflection spots from lights but nothing major.
I complained and made another appointment , they adjusted them but made no difference and they said i could return them for a standard lens if i wasn't happy. Tried again for a week, but was back with my old glasses because I couldnt see everything in them (apart from close up) I was having to find the sweet spot whatever i looked at.

Went back again to Boots after another week, and they are refusing to refund me, they only accept returns in exchange for another type of glasses. My argument was my old glasses were fine, i only wanted varifocal if they were going to work for me driving, which they certainly don't. Otherwise I wouldn't have purchased new glasses as my existing glasses were only 2 years old .
 I showed them their website which shows I can returned items within 35 days, from their boots opticians page, to the faq and returns. But they argued that was for general boots products not Glasses that are made just for me and dont fall into that policy.

I`ve looked online and it seems a bit vague, my consumer rights seem to state that I am entitled to a refund within 30 days regardless, but elsewhere its saying i should "work" with my optician to find an alternative as they are made for myself only and are not reusable. In my eyes (excuse pun) my alternative are my old glasses that I was happy with. Anyway they are going to phone me back I just want to no where I stand on this.

Many thanks

TELLIT01

I wouldn't expect blurring around the sides when paying £400 for varifocals.  With lower spec lenses that has always been a problem, which is why I have always paid extra.  I got my latest pair from Specsavers for under £300 with top of the range lenses.  Those supplied to you are clearly not fit for purpose and I would hold out for a refund, or glasses that do what you need them to do.  The only paid of varifocals I did have trouble with were from Boots, but that was many years ago.

theoretica

paulr70 said:

Hi All

Having issues with Boots Opticians, I went there last month for a routine eye test. My prescription had changed slightly so I enquired in the end about varifocal for driving. They said they would benefit me because It would help my distance vision and also close up to improve reading the satnav. They also came with anti glare coating to reduce issues at night which I did find a bit of an issue with my existing. So i ordered a pair for £400. They arrive, then have to wait a week to have a 10min appointment to collect them. Tried them in the shop and they were ok but a bit fuzzy around the edges, lady said try them as it can take a few weeks.

Got home and realised they wont work, you loose all side vision to a blur, literally half of your vision is lost at the edges of the glasses only a narrow band in the middle is ok . You have to turn your head to look at anything, including all your mirrors in the car. No just glancing at anything you have to move your head to fit a small area to be in focus. At night there was a tiny bit less reflection spots from lights but nothing major.
I complained and made another appointment , they adjusted them but made no difference and they said i could return them for a standard lens if i wasn't happy. Tried again for a week, but was back with my old glasses because I couldnt see everything in them (apart from close up) I was having to find the sweet spot whatever i looked at.

Went back again to Boots after another week, and they are refusing to refund me, they only accept returns in exchange for another type of glasses. My argument was my old glasses were fine, i only wanted varifocal if they were going to work for me driving, which they certainly don't. Otherwise I wouldn't have purchased new glasses as my existing glasses were only 2 years old .
 I showed them their website which shows I can returned items within 35 days, from their boots opticians page, to the faq and returns. But they argued that was for general boots products not Glasses that are made just for me and dont fall into that policy.

I`ve looked online and it seems a bit vague, my consumer rights seem to state that I am entitled to a refund within 30 days regardless, but elsewhere its saying i should "work" with my optician to find an alternative as they are made for myself only and are not reusable. In my eyes (excuse pun) my alternative are my old glasses that I was happy with. Anyway they are going to phone me back I just want to no where I stand on this.

Many thanks

Holding the optician responsible for answering whether varifocals will work *for you* for driving seems a bit off- they could of course tell you that many people do drive with them, and some people don't like them...

If they continue to refuse a refund but offer an exchange for another pair of glasses reading the T&C they say if you exchange for something cheaper they will refund the difference.  Maybe some cheap reading glasses or sun glasses? https://www.boots.com/opticians/complete-satisfaction-guarantee

itsjustafad

Sorry you're struggling - is it your first pair of varifocals? I nearly threw mine in the bin after about a month of feeling seasick and wishing I'd stuck with distance and readers, thought they'd NEVER work. Then one day it was like magic and I could suddenly see again. There just seemed to be a lag between my eyes and brain and the different zones in the lenses. Good luck, hope you manage to stick with them.

Nearlyold

First thing I would say is you do need to move your head rather than just your eyes with varifocals particularly when you are are first getting used to them and "training" your eyes.
However did you speak to an optician when you went back or just one of the assistants. When I first tried varifocals I bought two pairs they arrived about a week apart,the first pair were fine the second pair which I picked up a week later weren't - looking straight ahead was fuzzy. The assistant said I needed to get used to them. I tried them for a few days to no avail. I went back and this time saw the optician, who after a brief examination confirmed they were faulty as the zones weren't in the correct position so when I was looking ahead I was looking though the zone for near vision hence the fuzzy view. They arranged for new lenses to be fitted and they were fine.

sevenhills

People expect to be able to return everything, the glasses you bought are not faulty. Unless you believe the blurring is a fault?
I have some varifocals for the first time. No blurring here, is yours a strong prescription?

paulr70

TELLIT01 said:

I wouldn't expect blurring around the sides when paying £400 for varifocals.  With lower spec lenses that has always been a problem, which is why I have always paid extra.  I got my latest pair from Specsavers for under £300 with top of the range lenses.  Those supplied to you are clearly not fit for purpose and I would hold out for a refund, or glasses that do what you need them to do.  The only paid of varifocals I did have trouble with were from Boots, but that was many years ago.

Thanks, yeah theres lots of examples online but this is the kind of effect i am seeing. So with my old glasses i can be looking ahead and glance to the sides to check mirrors and all fine. With the varifocals its turn head, find sweet spot, then check mirror. Feels dangerous to me.

paulr70

Nearlyold said:

First thing I would say is you do need to move your head rather than just your eyes with varifocals particulatly when you are are first getting used to them and "training" your eyes.
However did you speak to an optician when you went back or just one of the assistants. When I first tried varifocals I bought two pairs they arrived about a week apart,the first pair were fine the second pair which I picked up a week later weren't - looking straight ahead was fuzzy. The assistant said I needed to get used to them. I tried them for a few days to no avail. I went back and this time saw the optician, who after a brief examination confirmed they were faulty as the zones weren't in the correct position so when I was looking ahead I was looking though the zone for near vision hence the fuzzy view. They arranged for new lenses to be fitted and they were fine.

Thanks, Yes spoke to the optician again and she check, and then slightly angled them as she said the prescription and measurements were all fine. But for example i`m looking at the tv, i look a foot to the side of the tv and its just a blur, need to turn my head to get clear vision. Look down at my phone whilst watching tv, if its dead centre its in focus, if its a few inches to the side, its a blur.
Optician just said its normal and will take a few weeks to get use to it, but i feel like i`m having to look around turning my head. Going to get a stiff neck at this rate.

paulr70

sevenhills said:

People expect to be able to return everything, the glasses you bought are not faulty. Unless you believe the blurring is a fault?
I have some varifocals for the first time. No blurring here, is yours a strong prescription?

So are you saying if i was lead to believe one thing before purchase but the reality was much different i shouldn't be entitled for a refund? Its like saying I booked a marquee for a wedding, and they turn up with a one man tent you`ll have to live with it as its not faulty?

No its not particularly strong prescription, my old glasses function perfect just for close vision i need to remove them. 

tightauldgit

The personalisation thing only applies if you are rejecting the items for reasons other than non-conformance so if you are saying that they aren't fit for purpose then it shouldn't be an excuse for them not to refund. 

If I was being fair with them I'd probably say that you wanted a pair of varifocals and if they can go away and make you a pair of varifocals that work then you will accept them otherwise if they are saying they can't make you varifocals that work for you then you should be entitled to a refund. 

Forcing you to take a different product to avoid refunding you doesn't seem in line with consumer law. 

comeandgo

paulr70 said:

Nearlyold said:

First thing I would say is you do need to move your head rather than just your eyes with varifocals particulatly when you are are first getting used to them and "training" your eyes.
However did you speak to an optician when you went back or just one of the assistants. When I first tried varifocals I bought two pairs they arrived about a week apart,the first pair were fine the second pair which I picked up a week later weren't - looking straight ahead was fuzzy. The assistant said I needed to get used to them. I tried them for a few days to no avail. I went back and this time saw the optician, who after a brief examination confirmed they were faulty as the zones weren't in the correct position so when I was looking ahead I was looking though the zone for near vision hence the fuzzy view. They arranged for new lenses to be fitted and they were fine.

Thanks, Yes spoke to the optician again and she check, and then slightly angled them as she said the prescription and measurements were all fine. But for example i`m looking at the tv, i look a foot to the side of the tv and its just a blur, need to turn my head to get clear vision. Look down at my phone whilst watching tv, if its dead centre its in focus, if its a few inches to the side, its a blur.
Optician just said it’s normal and will take a few weeks to get use to it, but i feel like i`m having to look around turning my head. Going to get a stiff neck at this rate.

You have to move your head not your eyes when wearing varifocals .