On Friday I went for an eye test at Optical Express. The only reason I choose them were because of the special offers they were running at the time; 2 x pairs for one if you spend over £100 and £79.99 for desginer wear including lenses.
Firstly the eye test did seem pretty good, but afterward I did feel that the optican wasn’t waiting for my eyes to refocus and assuming I can’t see the letters at all. Also the right eye takes slightly less time to re-focus but are just as blurred. Now they are even more blurred! I mentioned that my original lenses were fine but I’ve been getting some headaches on my right side.
The shop itself has a very modern layout with a huge range of frames to choose from. The problem is that there are too many and very few decent pairs or even vaguely nice pairs that are avaialable in the special offer or any offer. The staff at optical at the shop were very pleasent but the store, range of offers and their limitations seemed to be desgined to be as confusing as possible to customers and staff alike.
I overheard one member of staff tell another customer that if they spetnt over £100 then they get a free pair. They failed to mention all the limitations with that, that that only included frames on a small selection of poorly made sub-standard eye wear that even the most uncool of us wouldn’t be seen dead in.
In one shop the assistant we saw tried to explain to us that the special offers only included glasses that had a certain colored sticky label on the glass and others without a tiny colored label on them had other confusing labels too with yet more information. There was some at £79.99 that included from lenses and others at exactly the same price that didn’t. All very confusing and misleading in my opinion.
When I was in the consultation area I asked if they would measure my pupil distance because I may want to buy eye wear from elsewhere another time. I was told they can’t measure me for that and that if they measure it, it will go down on their records. After rephasing the same question, it was found to be 66.
I eventually gave up and was feeling quite ill with the flickering lights near the cabinets. I paid cash for my eye test and asked for a copy of my prescription. The assistant firstly at no point offered me a copy of my prescription and secondly when I asked for it seemed reluntant to supply it. It was eventually produced on a normal A4 computer print out. Not on prescription paper, not little presentation folder, nothing. When you go for an eye test and have a prescription issued having a paper copy is not an optional item! The assistant informed me that if I came back within 28 days then I would get my money back for my eye test since it would be taken off against a pair of frames.
I left the larger store and proceeded to do the rest of my shopping. On my way I spotted a smaller store and popped in there. Not only were there a massive smaller range, but I was able to find a pair of frames that I liked within 5 minutes and the assistant appeared to be very good.
In the smaller store, this time my pupil distance was measured at 65, rather than 66. Also the offers were totally confusing. I wanted anti-glare coating to help when driving and I asked if that was “40 pounds” as the staff member in the previous job had said and he nodded yes it would be extra. Still I thought if I were paying over £100 then I could get a free pair of sun glasses right?
The member of staff produced from glasses from a cupboard under the main cabinet and asked what about these? And they were very nice. Just my style. He said the price would be £129.99 for 1 x pair with lenses, a anti-glare coating and a second pair of prescription sun glasses. That does seem a good price to me on the face of it.
I left the shop and then realised he hadn’t taken the price of my eye test off my purchase despite getting an eye test only a few minutes before hand admitively at a different store. Question, why didn’t there computer system remind him to do a £15 discount? And so we turned around and went back. He told me he couldn’t give a refund and to go back to the main store. I did and they said they couldn’t do it either and sent me back to the smaller store! Also its there company policy not to give refunds on cash purchase, but instead they had to send a check to your address for the same amount. That is correct, rather than giving £15 from the till, it has go to area office to be processed and sent out which is going to cost more in man hours! That is plainly rediclous! They offered nothing at all in writing to confirm they intend to send a refund and you had to take the word of the member of staff to remember to do it.
It was later on when I got home my Mum looked at the invoice and said theres something wrong with it. There was a price for the frames at £79.99 and then another cost of £50.00 for other frames and then £12.00 for the sunglasses which was taken off again. I only had 2 pairs of glases and so why the extra £50 and should that not be £40 for the anti-glare coating?
Mum went back the next day (shes always in town) where I go once every blue moon. Getting me into a city normally is a major achievement. but anyway I digress. There was a different assistant on at the smaller shop who wrote on the receipt that I may have been over charged £20 and he also noted that there may had been issues in mis-communications – Just a bit, Optical Express seems to encourage customers to be thoroughly confused. Is it a case of tell them anything just to make a sale?
The glasses themselves, the frames I am happy with but the lenses are impossible to wear. I wore them for several hours on Friday and yesterday too whilst out walking and in the car. I quickly became to feel very dizzy, sick and it looked like some surfaces were floating away from me. The sickness was the same sickness I have when I don’t wear glasses but far worse. Also my right eye became to twitch and hurt allot. I was popping headache tablets on Saturday like sweets since the pain was so bad. I don’t take many tablets normally, perhaps once a week if that.
Today, Sunday I woke up feeling really ill and I’m not even wearing the glasses. I can’t even stand up without feeling dizzy and just have to sit down. Is it right that I spend £129.99 on glasses that making me ill? That are impossible to wear?
Optical express also offers eye laser surgery, but I would let these incompetent fools anywhere near anything sharp. They appear they will take your money and give you a sub-standard product that is at best impossible to use and at worse dangerous when used for driving etc. You cannot drive safely with Optical Express eye-wear.
I don’t know what to do. Mum suggested that I should give it a week to get used to them before going back. The thing is I cannot afford to be off for a week being sick and dizzy like this if today is anything to go by. I guess I will give it a few days especially since I can’t get back into town this week probably. Its back to the old glasses.. Optical Express is a complete waste of time and money.
Hi, im having problems or have had problems with optical express, they are a wast of time, money grabbing people, without communication.
I wrote to them
I attended the Derby Optical Express store today on 13.10.2010, i have been left very dispirited with my experience of Optical Express’ as when i booked the appoinment i was’nt made aware that the Contact Lens Fitting Fee was adjoined with the purchase of Contact Lenses, after my appointment i paid the sum off £56.00 upon leaving the opticians i realised the sum was extrememly high, therefore i rang up the store in question, i spoke to David first who could’nt answer my queries, and therefore said that someone would give me a call back, then i was called back by John, and i asked him why the sum was so high, and he stated the sum comprised off 20.00 cl fitting fee, 36.00 lenses but then i told him that the reciept stated £20.00 c.l fitting, £25.50p for dispensing charge? £10.50p contact lenses he said that was wrongly stated, This error had made me doubt the company, if i had realised that the contact lenses were comming to the sum of £36.00 i would of never of ordered them, John said i would be allowed a refund of £36.00 but i would’nt be given a refund for the cl fitting £20.00 because of not purchasing the lenses … … . I was not made aware that the fitting fee would only apply if i purchased the contact lenses.
Im not happy with this situation, as i believe i have been misled… i am bringing this to your attention so that other customers can be made aware beforehand.
and there reply was
I have investigated your concerns and can confirm the store have given you the correct information and have charged the correct amounts. However I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to you if you feel these charges were not properly explained to you beforehand. We will ensure our store staff are providing the correct information and more importantly taking the time to ensure each patient fully understands the process.
As a regular wearer of contact lenses, if you were to continue purchasing the same lens from Optical Express over the counter, you would not always pay for the Contact Lens Fitting Fee, there after you would only be paying for the lens itself. Our Direct Debit scheme is open to all patients, this offers a regular payment system and provides excellent benefits: Free Delivery, Free Aftercare, Free annual eye test, 30% off glasses, 30% off prescription sunglasses, 15% off designer sunglasses, 5% off Laser Eye Surgery and you would be entitles to a Half price check-up and 10% off treatment at The Dental Clinic. If a new patient of Optical Express comes to the store for their Contact Lens Fitting Fee but decides to join the Direct Debit Scheme in store we would waive the fitting fee, as this is included in the scheme. Once again I am sorry this was not properly explained to you at the time of querying in store.
I would like to take this opportunity to Thank You for taking the time to highlight your concerns to us, I assure you that the concerns outlined within your correspondence have been addressed with immediate effect so as to ensure an incident like this is not given the opportunity to occur again.
and i wrote back
I appreciate that from now all customers will be informed correctly about the fees and after care treatment provided yet I personally feel I am now out of pocket due to your company’s error in not informing me of the procedure properly as I was wrongly informed I would value my £20 fitting fee refunded back as a goodwill gesture, as I had assumed that optical express was in fact a highly reputable store whom which to maintain there reputation for customer care thus my reasoning behind joining optical express.
I look forward to hearing from you regarding this matter.
and ive heard from them finally again saying
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer a refund for this charge, this is a standard charge which is applied to all customers who receive a Contact Lens Fitting, and all customers pay this charge if they are not on the Direct Debit Scheme.
I understand you feel this was not properly explained to you but I have been assured by the store in question that the charges were explained, I apologise if you did not fully understand these at the time, but I’m sure the optometrist would have been happy to take the time to answer any questions you may have had.
what can i do ????
what a tight company.
I too have had problems with Optical Exprees and their discounts or more precisely non payment of them.
I signed up at the Uxbridge Store for Laser treatment which I was advised would be done at their Shaftesbury Avenue site in London.
Whilst there I met with other customers who told me that they had received a 10% or £200 + discount. When I asked why, I was told it was a promotion to use Shaftesbury Avenue.
Now given, I also with others, had not received the Contract which on examination prompted me to spend another £300+ to have a “safe operation” – not explained to me before – I was just a little unhappy but was assured all I had to do was to speak to Uxbridge.
I did more than that and called in. The staff there apologised and said I should have been given a discount but Head Office would have to authorise it. Head Office were not available, it was after 5pm and they would call back.
When they did, the gist of the conversation was “you you are out of luck”. The reason was I had been sent to Shaftesbury Avenue on the wrong day!!
If I had only asked staff at Uxbridge they would have told me that choosing Shrove Tuesday was a mistake. I should have chosen, well I wasn’t told which day.
I am not too sure how I can get them to accept that this is a sham, but I will try and post the result. Perhaps BBC Watch Dog will run the story.
In the meantime, don’t rely on special offers being promoted unless perhaps you say I can’t afford the price and then hey presto out comes the discount.
Alex Langley, Kenton
I would asvise anyone with eysight problems to avoid Optical Express .
In February I had an sight test for new glasses ,so far so good ,glasses arrived eventually eight weeks later , lenses were useless, distorted vision as the sight test was not done correctly, so another sight test and another long wait , glasses arrive still no good, further sight test another long wait ,glasses arrive and suprise suprise they are only just suitable with about 25% distortion but no transitions lenses so back to the store we go . eight weeks later I contact store to find out what is going on , no one knows as manager is on holiday , get phonecall from said manager three days later to tell me lense are ready , go back today and find out that they have to send the frames to Glasgow to have the lenses installed ,told then this was not good enough and wanted a refund . I believe that eight months is being pretty patient . I will never use this company again and I dread to think what would have happened if I had gone for laser treatment on the basis of the first and second sight tests
hi my wife went to optical express she was told she had macula degeneration and was going blind no cure for it a week later they asked her back and said oops oh no you are not going blinnd you dont have that terable thing now they want her to go and have another eye exam from a sepialist one of theres to see if she is going blind or not i think she needs a independant test not from optical express this is some way to treat a disabled pensioner typical for optical express
I also have had problems with Optical Express in New Kirkgate-Leith-Edinburgh.
Due to an extra eye test needed(have Polymyalgia Rheumatica) After being diagnosed I went for an eye test as this can affect your vision.. After a lenghthy eye test I was precribed with glasses at a total cost to me-a pensioner-of the pricely sum of £220.00.
Just over a year later I carefully laid my glasses on the window sill to have a shower. On putting them carefully on,as I always did- they literally fell apart in my hands. On inspection I see the lenses were held together with nothing more than what resembles fishing plastic-slightly stronger than floss you buy to floss your teeth. I was very angry and returned to the shop to be told my guarantee had run out weeks before and they were VERY UNHELPFULL !!!!!! I will not be recommending Optical Express to anyone ever again !! Shoddy workmanship, unhelpfull,money grabbers>if I had dropped my glasses or sat on them-I could understand, but at that price I treated them VERY carefully.
I am disgusted with their service and feel like bringing this to the attention of Watchdog-which I have been urged to do. I see I am only one of hundreds disatisfied with this crowd of robbers.