Specsavers Don’t Quibble

We’re just back from Specsavers, getting our new glasses sorted out. As I wrote earlier in the week, I was having problems with my new glasses, with one eye having problems focusing, and also issues with fringing. I went in yesterday morning, and spoke to the assistant manager who confirmed that the lenses matched my prescription, and then without any prompting offered to retest my eyes for free this afternoon. When I got home Beth said that she hadn’t adapted to her new glasses, and since she was tested at the same time as me, thought that she would like to have hers double checked too, so I phoned and they booked her in too.

Anyway, we arrived today and there was a guy not in uniform who I assume was the senior optician who retested both our eyes. He found that both our prescriptions were slightly different from what had been tested last time. In my case the distance numbers were correct, with one eye 0.25 out, but the angle of my astigmatism was wrong – hence the bluring.

On top of replacing the lenses, which could be argued was down to mistakes on the original test, I also discussed the fringing problems, and also the choice of frame, and whereas last week I doubted whether they would they allowed me to pick a different frame.

We had a discussion about the lenses, as they still recommended putting in the 1.67 high index lenses, as opposed to the 1.6 lenses, which were half the price, the argument being that I would get better vision with the 1.67 lenses. However I did get an assurance that if I still had problems with the 1.67 lenses they would replace them with 1.6 index lenses.

All in all, I’m really quite pleased with the whole experience. Producing an eye prescription is a pretty tedious process as it relies on asking questions, and half the time I’m saying that I really can’t see much difference, so I’m not too upset about the problem with the original test. What made the difference was that they were willing to put themselves out, even to the point of allowing me to change to a different set of frames.

Whilst I’ve seen a number of people grumble about poor experiences at Specsavers, I’m glad to report that in Lower Earley they are honouring the promise:

We want you to be completely happy with your purchase at Specsavers Opticians.

If you have any concerns within six months of the date of purchase, we will put it right. No quibble, no fuss.

96 thoughts on “Specsavers Don’t Quibble”

  1. Glad to see everyone is sorted, Ian first off you can simply snip off that extra bit of screw quite simple and then get some lock tight and put it on the washer and bolt and the cosmetic bolt as well. The glasses will never come loose.

    A bit of advise which they probably didn’t tell you is when cleaning rimless is to never hold the bridge or arms, basically take a cloth in the palm of your fingers and then lay the glasses on them, then work in a circular motion. A bit tricky at first but you will get there eventually but if you don’t hold the metal bits the glasses will last your a few years.

    Hi Maggie,I envy you catching all that Sun out in Spain 😉 hope you had a good time. In reference to the ready readers they are great for short term but in relation to your astigmatism in your eye the ready readers will not correct that. But I am glad to see that you will be able to go to another branch and get it sorted. Just remember try not to go on a weekend if you want the best service choose a quite day midweek after lunch or something might be good. Mornings are always best as you will be the first so they wont be running behind as usual to catch up.

    If they ask just say your old branch is too far and store to store protocol that will do.

  2. Thanks for the response Concerned,

    Cleaning: I have generally always held the lens being cleaned between two fingers and thumb only

    Screw thread: Is it that easy to snip off? However, the principle of using two locking nuts is quite obvious to any who is trained to understand why this combination is used. I’m aghast therefore, that Specsavers ‘rimless expert technicians’ are ignorant of this fact.

    Thanks for all your help and support Concerned, and good luck with everything Maggie and everyone else.

    Ian

  3. I have just talked to my husband about my recent eye exams.
    I read the 2nd line up on the letters chart. After that I watched the black/white bulls eye display on the right hand side of the box on the wall and tried to see if it got clearer. I did not look at the letters chart till the end of the eye exam! So I was not doing the test correctly????????

    I do need a re-test. Meanwhile these off the peg specs are great and I can read for hours now without feeling tired.

  4. Hi Maggie

    Well according to your RX that you provided the last time it showed you had an astigmatism. Testing it yourself is not always that easy. In relation to your test its hard to say if it was done wrong but certainly seems so. I think the equipment Specsavers use is quite out of date (is it better with this or that) I could go very technical but some rooms have a mirror which the projector is giving you the projection slides, now the measurement between the chair and the mirror has to be spot on and I am sure you guessed it..so we will leave that there.

    But do get a re-test and and please keep me posted on how you got along.

    @Ian yes the screws are quite easy to snap off no need for expensive tools, in reference to the lab technicians well lets say the term technician is used widely. The people hired to do this are just average joe blogs no degree and training on the job. But I am glad you are much happier now I guess next time round you will know what to look for.

  5. Hi concerned,
    I have been trying to use my new glasses again and its no good, my eyes just cannot cope so yesterday I rang Trading Standards, they told me to send a Recorded Delivery letter to the shop asking for a re-test.

    This morning I got a telephone call from the Manager. He said I should try for longer, but I said I have tried for a month, so he said I could have a retest on Monday morning at 8.30am. He said that they would not have left me with glasses that maybe unsuitable for my needs, but he said the new correction is only slightly higher and so I should be able to cope. He has asked that I take my new glasses and an old pair I am happy with. The ones I am happiest with are these +2.00 correction. The ones I have used for the last 5 years give me a problem with the left eye after I have used them for a while, so I had been using my even older ones with the +2.25 correction, but they are scratched now.

    I NEED TO GET THIS EYE RETEST RIGHT.

    What am I supposed to look at during the test? I can read the second line up from the bottom, so should I watch the bottom line or any of the letters? The letters on the chart all have straight, clear edges, when the test starts, its the smallness of the bottom line that makes it difficult.
    Can the optician work up slowly from +1.50? My original glasses were +1.75 in both eyes with no astigmatism, why should I now have an astigmatism? At 66 yrs old I am hardly growing.

    Thank you for being there.

  6. Hi Maggie

    I would go in there and be very relaxed when taking the test, also get a good nights sleep. And try not to take any medication in the morning if you on any as this can sometimes alter results

    Now what to look for, well that depends on what the Optician is gauging for so I would just follow his/her instructions. The smallest letter I dont think is something alot of people get from that distance anyway.

    Yes the Optician can work up slowly just advise him to start with a lower RX.

    In relation to the Astigmatism well that can pretty much come at any time, not really an age thing so to speak. But fear not I am sure this time you will be going in more knowing.

    Also make a note for the Optician to check the Pantastropic tilt, this is tilting of the glasses on the face, which can sometimes make a difference. Try it at home and see tilt the glasses to a 45 degree angle and notice how things change. (in other words wear the glasses and tilt them forward and backwards and see which is sharper)

  7. Hi Concerned,
    Thank you again.
    I will try the experiment.
    Right, with my very old glasses there is no difference, the view is clear.
    With the off the peg glasses, upright and into the face are clear, top into my eyebrows is less clear.
    With my new ones, one pair are bad whatever I do. The other are clearer when the glasses move into my cheeks but not totally so.
    I do not take any medication at all and I shall be out tomorrow so I will not be using any glasses all day.

  8. “With my new ones, one pair are bad whatever I do. The other are clearer when the glasses move into my cheeks but not totally so.”

    I think its pretty evident that the new pair are wrong in a few aspects, similar situation that happened to IAN, so make sure they take the pupil distance measurement from the old glasses and re-do it on the new pair.

    Keep me posted and tell me how it went, just make sure you explain to the optician the distance you like to read and do all stuff so they can adjust the power accordingly.

  9. Hi concerned,
    I was not at home yesterday so I didn’t read your message.
    I didn’t use glasses yesterday and I found I could read the map book without!

    I went for the re-test this morning, or ‘test revisited’ as the optician said.

    I tried to explain what I can see when I read, but I left out the ‘when I read phrase’, but we got there in the end.

    I am very pleased. My new perscription is +2.25 on both eyes, with a long line after it!!!!!! The optician used the type of equipment where you looking into a large triangular shaped object on a movable arm with 2 round glass discs to look through which projected on to a VDU screen. Starting with +2.00.

    I forgot to collect a copy of my new perscription, should I ask for one?

    I have asked just to have one pair of lenses changed and I have to wait for that to be done. I will let you know when I have got them.

  10. Sorry, I forgot to say that we discussed carefully the reading distance I need and the distance to the VDU screen for my computer.

  11. Well I am glad it went well, the long line means that there is no astigmatism as you had rightfully guessed really makes you wonder what the last optician was thinking.

    Lets hope it all goes to plan this time.

  12. Humans can make mistakes, even when they have been carefully trained. I have made mistakes in my life, haven’t we all? Or perhaps some people don’t like to admit it.

    He was young, he may just lack experience and didn’t do enough thinking and listening. The word ‘blurry’ is vague and leaves room for different interpretation. This time if I could see no difference in what was on the screen I said so. I didn’t try to please.

    I would like to see somebody make a TV programme about eyes. Why we should go for tests and what we can expect when we go for a test and what signs should we look for with ourself or our children to make sure nobody is left to struggle without glasses. Nothing technical, just information to make going user friendly. Afterall there are many TV programme on other medical matters these days.

  13. Oh surely we all make mistakes, but what you not realising is if you had continued with an incorrect RX as you had been told by the store manager, I can assure you that you would have done more harm than good. Also using the “off the shelf” glasses for prolonged period would have caused even more problems as the pupil distance are not set to your correct measurement.

    And the simple reason why I said “what was he thinking” was down to the fact that they squeeze people into time slots which are ridiculous to conduct a THOROUGH exam and its leaving to much room for error, trust me on this the amount of rechecks the above named company has is unbelievable.

    You quite right that more education needs to go into what to look for, because I personally don’t think the word ‘blurry’ is vague and leaves room for interpretation, not when you are dealing with sight and the possibility that the patient could be experiencing early stages of cataracts or god forbid a tumour.

    But like I say as long as you happy all well and done.

  14. Hi Concerned,
    I hope I’m at the end of this story. I have my new glasses on (I only got 1 pair changed) and I can tell the difference straight away and they are better than the off the peg ones.
    I have got quite a collection in my draw.

    I asked for a copy of the retest perscription because although one was printed I didn’t get a copy. When I collected it it said Vision 6/7.5 for both eyes, then +0.75Sph add 1.75 for both eyes, so that is +2.5 and not +2.25, but that is very little difference and the optician did say I would be OK with +2.25 or +2.5 and I left the final decision to her. I went back to make sure it was correct and now I know it is.

    I am so grateful to you for driving me on and explaining the perscriptions. I shall be wiser next time.

  15. I would like to say what a poor all round service I and my husband have experienced from Chelmsford high street store they have shown over some weeks
    I have paid in full for my glasses with no luck I wont do this again?

    The current floor manger and staff forget to inform me on my progress and only have excuse after excuse………..
    I should have collected them on the 17 of May 2008 today is June 5 2008

    Not a well run store

  16. Hi everyone,

    I recently went into the Sale branch of specsavers for an eye test and was told by the optician that there was a slight change in my prescription so I would need new glasses. I have varifocals so I only need one pair of specs for everything and the prescription change was in the close up part of the lens.

    I have to admit that I have had a number of pairs from specsavers (Manchester Arndale branch) in the past with only one small problem that was dealt with quickly and, I have to say, professionally.

    I am very long sighted and need a strong prescription so in the past I’ve had the so called Premium Varifocal lenses that are supposed to be thinner than the Standard lenses and I have had no complaints.

    I did my homework before going in as I wanted a pair of Pentax Premium Varifocals at a cost of £164 which if you read the specsavers ad would entitle me to a pair of free reactions varifocals, or so I thought.

    After the eye test the optician said that as I have a strong prescription with thick lenses she would recommend I go for thinner, lighter premium lenses. I asked her if these were the Pentax Premium Varifocals and she said they were. I readily agreed as these were what I had had in the past and what I wanted this time, no problem, or so I thought.

    As usual I was taken outside to choose frames and be measured up for varifocals.

    The only time the shop assistant asked me anything about my choice of lenses was to confirm that I was happy with the optician’s recommendation and to confirm that I wanted grey coloured not brown for my second pair, no problem, or so I thought.

    Off we went to the till where I was kept talking by the assistant as I paid out £195
    for my new pair of specs and was told they would be ready in a week.

    It was only when I was half way home that I realised there was a mistake and I had been overcharged.

    As a disabled person on a low income I am entitled to a £78 voucher to help pay for my lenses and my till receipt looked as if this amount had not been deducted, either that or I had been charged £85 for my free frames. Anyway I was in a bit of a hurry and thought I’d sort it all out when I picked up my new glasses, no problem, or so I thought.

    10 days later, (they said they’d had a problem with my prescription), I got a call to go and collect my new specs. Before I even tried them on I brought up the fact that I had been over charged.

    I was then told by the shop assistant that I’d ordered ultra thin, ultra clear Premium varifocal lenses for £189 not £79 and had been given one pair of sunglasses free not the reactions that I’d asked for. I was rudely informed this was a different offer.

    I insisted that I had not asked for ultra thin lenses and that the original assistant who took the order had not even mentioned the price or the fact that free reactions were part of a different offer. I was then asked to see a very rude optician who just kept quoting indexes at me and she swore blind that I had ordered the ultra thin lenses
    because they could not make up my prescription with Pentax Premium Varifocals as advertised in there so called Clear Pricing adverts.

    I said as far as I was concerned I had not received what I had ordered and refused to accept the glasses.

    I was informed that the assistant who’d taken the order was not in that day so I asked to see him when he returned.

    I went in two days later only to be told by this assistant over and over again that I had placed the order and that he would not place an order without first giving a full run down of the cost to a customer. He again insisted that my prescription could not be made up of Pentax Premium Varifocal lenses only the ultra thin ones.

    That was until I threatened to write to Pentax (I own a collection of Pentax 35mm/Digital cameras and lenses and am a club member) then he came up with a load of waffle and said he would try to place the order but the lenses would be very thick and heavy.

    I got a phone call to go and collect them a couple of days later and was told I had to see the director as I was going to get a refund.

    I went in only to be given the thickest, heaviest pair of lenses I have ever had in my long years of wearing glasses and a smug look from the director who insisted the lenses were Pentax Premium Varifocals and that the offer was for one pair of free sunglasses.

    I never, ever wear sunglasses as this would mean carrying two pairs of glasses, the exact reason for me wearing varifocals, but he wouldn’t accept this and insisted I’d placed the order.

    He did however give me a £110 refund and the sunglasses free.

    The problem is I’ve now got a pair of glasses that will not stay up on my nose and a pair of free sunglasses I shall never wear.

    I’m sure Specsavers tried to scam me and I feel sorry for all the others who probably fell into this trap especially the elderly who make up a large percentage of customers.

    I won’t be going back again; I’ll either buy on line or from D&A or Boots even if I have to pay a little more for good service

  17. I’m a long term D&A customer and am currently being fobbed off with dates and times of manufacture. D&A say my glasses, well my lenses had been made prior to April 2007. D&A’s website states that all glasses after April 2007 carry a 2 year warranty, I bought my glasses in july 2007 – work that out.

    To anyone thinking of using the optical complaints website, forget it. They are powerless to do anything and or enforce it.
    The reason I have a problem is that my lenses keep cracking because D&A can’t grind and fit lenses to save thier lives, I have put up with 3 years of D&A telling me that I was at fault.

    last week I filed court papers against D&A for a £371refund for my glasses, £280 for new glasses from another opticans, £300 compensation plus 3 years interest and a refund on a pair of glasses in 2005 (£319.75)+interest.

    Today D&A offered me a free pair of glasses and eye test and £50.Tomorrow I go to court.
    But today, my replacement specsaver glasses cracked. Is it me or are all opticians not that good these days?

  18. Well, I took D&A to court and won £938.76p.
    But, I’m not allowed to use D&A stores again. I told them that they had a very good chance of getting that money back!

  19. With All this negative feedback i would just like to say that i use specsavers shandwick place in edinburgh and i can not fault there service at all i purchased glasses from them with an eye test i had done elsewhere.When i collected my glasses i new they were not correct so the assistant checked the prescription and also checked my old glasses he saidthat there was a slight difference in the powers but i should try them but if i felt no better after a week of trying i was to go to the place i was tested as specsavers had made up the glasses as the prescription said but if i had any quieries or had any difficulty with the other company not to hesitate to pop in and see him.As you can probably guess i did not get on with glasses and returned to testing store the looked at the specs and said they were fine and i would get used to them, 3 weeks later i did not so went to see the man in specsavers he remembered me and got his optician to check the power of test,they got slightly different and rather send me on my way they fixed the problem ,giving me a new lens at there cost and when i collected them the glasses where perfect THAT IS WHAT I CALL GOOD SERVICE. SO NOT ALL SPECSAVERS STORE ARE BAD ,SO BE FAIR…….

  20. I dont think specsavers care too much as long as the place meets its targets and I have tried many opticians. I find my Local Optometrist more suited to what i need

  21. I went to specsavers today to get an eye test was told need specs. I said i did not want specs only contacts please he said noway could i get contacts with out buying specs first as contacts can give you eye problems if you leave them in to long and would need specs first as he said he could not take my word for it that i would not wear them to much.I am 27 year old adult. When i asked if that was specsavers policy he said no it was his. I think he was just trying to get me to buy specs so they could make more money from me. I am really annoyed went to d&a to get contacts no problem.

  22. As a specsaver customer for many years, I am appalled at the level of service I have recently received. After buying new spectacles I found my right eye was in focus but the left out of focus. After returning to the shop and having a retest they did indeed tell me that the prescription wasn’t strong enough so they changed the lenses making the right slightly weaker and the left much stronger. After getting back home the left eye was fine, but now the right was out of focus. How frustrating!
    I phoned specsavers and was told that I need to look out of both eyes as one eye balances the other eye out thus making the overall vision clear. What a load of nonsense! I don’t wan’t to sit watching a t.v. five feet away with constant blurred vision, which is how my vision was. I returned for a third time to specsavers by which time they had blatantly had enough of me. I didn’t get another retest. I was just told not to keep looking through one eye (I guess the balancing thing must be a scientific fact). Basically, I was told if I was willing to wait I could see a consultant, but I would have return in the afternoon. I guess they already had my money so I wasn’t a priority anymore. I really did feel abandoned and a burden.
    I then went to a private local optician had a thorough eyetest and needless to say my vision was much improved.

  23. I had my eyes tested by spec savers nearly two weeks ago after having problems with my vision, i was informed that i needed glasses, i ordered my glasses and paid up front, i was given a date in over a weeks time to pick them up to make allowences for the holidays, however when i rang to confirm they would be ready i was told the lens hadnt turned up and as soon as they arrived they would fit them and i could pick them up, after hearing nothing i rang afew days later and was told (in a not to polite way) that the lens had arrived but i would have to wait 3 more days!! even though i was told they could be done on the same day, it seems specsavers dont like working ready hard! i am now worried that when i do eventually pick my glasses up they will be wrong! i will never go to specsvaers again.

  24. Given up with Specsavers entirely now. After all the problems where they finally cobbled together my rimless specs with eventually no optical problems (see above), one of the arms has finally gone. You can see where the other is about to go too – a fine crack that must be akin to metal fatigue due to the daily parking into their case at night and assignment to my face in the mornings. Nothing more untoward than that. So I’m going to scour and search the Internet, find a pair of rimless frames for a tenner or less that fit the lenses (2mm hole and notch) and finally get rid of Specsavers once and for all. I shall also have to look for the appropriate nut drivers too! Oh well

  25. I think the customer service specsavers go on about for example we will listen to your needs and requirements is a load of crap as I was not dealt with in a professional and caring manner the lady (sue) at the leicester branch spoke to me in a harsh tone, and I did not once raise my voice to her I believe specsavers and their staff need to get their act together were paying customers at the end of the day.

  26. hi everyone,

    last week my almost OAP father had an eye test done at the local specsavers Batley branch.

    he gets confused when dealing with exceptionally rude 20-something sales assistants who use all these technical jargon to get him even more confused and scam him into buying glasses one for each day (i couldnt accompany him because of work duties)

    anyway he returned home and told me he bought 4 glasses as they were in the BOGOF offer, and he was really chuffed with himself as he was acquiring his first ever sunglasses for his long-sightedness. (my father is both long & short sighted so needs to pair of glasses: 1 reading one driving etc)

    he went in a week later to collect them and what did he find? specsavers had made sunglasses for his short-sightedness. WHY may i ask? maybe to wear inside the house whilst ‘watching TV’?? or whilst driving the car outside and crashing into everyone and everything. anyway he came home and told me the tale. we checked on their website for the no quibble no fuss returns policy and the defective goods policy….well they are technically defective…. So he went back a few days later and spoke to one of the sales asssistants who said even though he was returning to them within the 30 day period he would have to pay £30.00 or maybe more as this particular spectacle was bought in the bogof offer and was essentially ‘free’ and the returns policy was only for the glasses which he had paid for so he would have to pay for it to be corrected…in total 4 the 4 specs, he paid over £150.00!

    i cannot believe how stupid some people can get, how stupid do you have to be to make short-sighted sunglasses to wear inside? and why should we pay for the glasses when it was THEIR fault? im going bakc with him this weekend to get it sorted and im definitely not paying to get them corrected…

    anyone have any tactics or advice for when i do go?

  27. Has anyone ever had problems with Specsavers High index lenses they are the the ultra thin and clear I ordered 2 pairs of glasses at index 1.74 but when the glasses turned up they were much thicker than my existing glasses which I bought elsewhere 4 years ago. firstly i was told that they were thicker because my perscription had changed even though one eyes is still the same spec and the other has only changed marginly. then I was told it was to do with the size of the frames which are only about 3 mm wider. I asked the assistant to check for me with a technition she did and assured me they were correct. I am still not happy with them and was going to take them to another opticans to check, can anyone offer advice.

    1. I too have just bought high index lenses from specsavers and the seem very thick. How can you tell you have been given 1.74 index lenses ?

  28. I was lured into buying a pair of BOGOF ‘designer’ glasses at the Liverpool Lord Street Branch and took my new varifocal prescription with me.The sales lady advised the frames I had chosen would fit varifocal lenses. Having waited an age I saw another assistant who took my details and then went into a long sales pitch about the different types of varifocal lenses I could have fitted. Then came the shock – varifocal lenses were not included in the BOGOF offer although the previous sales person advised they were.

    To cut a long story short I decided to go with the premium varifocal lenses. I collected the glasses and advised to try them.I have found the distance sight in my right eye to be blurred and peripheral vision also blurred, driving the car is almost impossible as when you look in the wing mirrors everything is blurred.

    I went back to the Liverpool store and saw a very abrasive assistant who told me to persevere for at least two weeks, I told her I knew now that the glasses were not right or indeed varifocals did not suit me and that I was initially advised that normal distance lenses could be replaced. She plonked the glasses on and asked me what I could see. The fire escape nitice was blurred, she turned around and said’ oh I wouldn’t expect anyone to see that’.Everything she said was ‘on the attack’ and most confrontational. I felt as if she had not only personally spent £200 on the glasses but given them to me free as well.No matter what I said there was no changing her.

    Upn returning home I was so fuming I called the store to speak to Scott the assistant manager, basically gave me the same speel to persevere though in a more pleasant manner.Having worn glasses for years I know there is something very wrong with these glasses, I really feel I just want a refund and move on elsewhere.This assistant was no more than a loud mouthed bully with no respect for customer care or feelings.

    This is my first and last dealings with Specsavers, at the end of the day they are salespeople, not professional opticians, I wish I had stayed with my old optician, a bit on the expensive side but as they say you gat what you pay for. I want a refund, no confrontation, no argument, no bullying, how do I go about it anyone?

  29. i also have collected my glasses from specsavers today not happy having ..paid for the thinner lenses and ultra clear coating ….and found out they are actually thicker than the normal glasses i got 3 yrs ago …was told they were higher spec than last prescription ..(only slight differnce so should not have been a problem ….and ultra clear …cant even see my eyes clearly when looking in mirror with light on …. reflecting on lenses is terrible looking had anti reflection coating on all my glasses so ..know its differnt .. so will be taking back on monday to see if the coating was added …
    2nd pair was reading glasses …never had these before but as soon as i put them on it was blurry and could even see th eletter she asked me to read …bring them back in a fortnight if you can see cleary …you eyes just need time to adjust … also cut a bit too much off legs when adjusting ..that they dont even come round me ears properly

    used specsaver last 4 yrs and this is the first time i have had cause to complain

  30. Specsaver this year for me has been such a pain!!!!

    Wednesday 3rd June – I had my Eye Test and Specsavers ordered both sets of lenses 2 reactions lens in silver pair and 1 lens for my pink pair (left lens is a balance lens and did not need changing)

    Friday 5th June – I was called at 5.15 to advise my silver glasses were ready (Reaction Lenses)

    Saturday 6 June – Collected silver pair and gave them my pink pair to have lens changed (right lens only), I was advised that the process should take around 30 mins. Whilst waiting I was called and told that there had been a problem with the glaze on the pink glasses (I was not told what the actual problem was). Specsavers said they would re-order them and they should be ready by the Tuesday. I said this was fine. My glasses felt slightly odd when wearing them as I just assumed this was the slight change in prescription. Approx 12 midday I look in the mirror whilst in my car and notice that only the left side of the glasses was reacting ( I do not have a lot of vision in my left eye, so had not noticed) . I was quite upset when realising this as I had been walking around outside for quite sometime. I took the glasses off as there was no way that I was going to walk around looking so ridiculous. I rang Specsavers (Redhill) and advised them what I had just found. They advised me that they were very sorry and too come in as soon as I could. That afternoon I was doing my Race For Life (which I would had to do with no glasses on). I told them I would come in after that. I arrived at specsavers around 3.30- 4 o’clock. I took the glasses to the desk and told them how I had picked them up that morning and also about the problem that morning with glaze being wrong on my other set (which they still had). The gentleman I spoke too was very helpful and apologetic. He spoke to the lab then returned to me to tell me that because when the reaction lens are indoors they are clear and the people in the lab had got the two sets of lenses mixed up without realising. He said he would re-order 2 new sets of lenses and in the meantime they would put a clear lens in the left side so I had a pair of glasses to wear. He also stated that as compensation they would thin the lens on my pink pair for free. (Wish was done and I am happy with).

    Tuesday 9th June – Specsavers rang to advise me that my glasses were ready for collection. I went down on my lunch break to pick them up. I asked about the lenses for my silver pair (reactions) which I was told they could not find anything about them being ordered and that the guy I spoke to on the Saturday she could not find. She told me she would re-order the lens and that I would have to wait another week.

    Sunday 14th June – I was finally called and told my glasses were ready for collection which I picked up that afternoon. (I also had a car accident in a car park on the way to pick them up, so if they had not have messed them up the first time that mite not have happened.lol. what a bad day!!!)

    I am quite shocked that both sets of glasses were not checked before they were cut and fitted. Especially are one set were clear and they other reactions. Also, when they found mix up with the glaze on the pink pair did they not wonder where the other lens went too?

    I have never had such a terrible experience with Specsavers.

  31. I have ,together with my husband and son, been a valued customer of spec savers in kings heath, birmingham.Now I am disgusted at service I recieved today, I had taken a pair of glasses there to have lenses changed, and duly paid the 39 pound charge. When going to pick them up today, I told assistant they were a little loose, she told me theyt must have been like it before(which they werent) and went to adjust them. When she returned, she told me nothing could be done because both arms were cracked and must have been like it before AS THEY HADNT DONE IT. She was straight on the defensive, and could do with learning some customer skills. I pointed out that i couldnt say if they were like it before, as I had only ever worn them a handful of times, but if they were cracked when i took them in, why wasnt it pointed out to me by the lady who took them off me, and even if she had overlooked it, why didnt the technitian pick up on it, instead of wasting his time and my money..I now have a useless pair of glassses that have cost me twice..The assistant offered me a discount on new frames and thought that was appropiate…..I want my money back, and expect a reply to this problem, sooner rather than later..If a satisfactory conclusion cannot be reached I shall be cotacting the local radio station my son works at, to be aired on The Ed Doolan show.. Time is of the essence.. J.CARTMELL

  32. I,VE NEVER KNOWN A COMPANY SO DIFFICULT TO TRY AND FIND OUT HOW TO COMPLAIN,,SHAME ON YOU SPEC SAVERS

  33. my 2 year old son does not have very good eyesight as we have found out recently! like any mother i want the best for my children, i am apalled at the way we have been treated in specsavers! jay (my son) his glasses were really thick and i had asked if i could have them thinned down as they would be too heavy on his nose and didnt want him to be put off waring them. we got them and not only were they thick but they didnt fit properly and he was looking over them. no one spent any time fitting them or took any time to even talk to him which i found rather strange, i know they r not in child care but a smile or somthing wouldnt have hurt, after all its a big thing for a child to be given glasses! after taking them back they gave him a new frame and this time got fitted for them properly! got told to pick them up in one week as they had to send them away, 5 days later i got a phone call from them asking me where his prescription was!!! obv they had it or he wouldnt have got his first pair. so it was another week without glasses.
    went to pick up his new glasses eventualy and they were twice as thick as the first pair! not only would they have been too heavy but the lense was sharp an could have cut him! i was fuming and refused to take them, the lady had the ckeek to blame the frame for being square, so why didnt they give him a circular frame? after all i am not the optician! all i can say is i wont be taking my child back there, i am also writing to the head office to take this matter further!

  34. Hi, from what I read I will definitely not go to specsavers to get my new glasses. My prescription is around -9 and -8 so I think will need 1.74 index, is that right?
    Can anyone recommend me a place wher I can get these thin lenses at cheaper price but with good quality? I know only the lenses are 250 pounds at vision express, but maybe somewhere else it is 200? I am an international student that’s why I dont know much about good opticians in England. Thank you!

  35. Hi! Having similar problems to Karen and Heather. Picked up new Specsavers glasses yesterday (as I snapped my last pair in half due to trying to straighten them myself after the factory-style-contact-lens-checker told me last week my right eye was dry and to skip the lens and use drops for a week). Paid an extra £60 for the ‘extra thin and light’ lenses and they have come back thicker than my last unthinned pair. No idea if these are actually thin lenses or not. I have a prescription of about -3.75 and the edges of these lenses are a full 5mm thick. Does that seem right? The glasses are rimless at the bottom – not sure if that has any effect on the width. I do have a mild astigmatism as well as far as I know. Want to go in and ask but would like an opinion first if possible?

    Also the prescription is giving me headaches… seems loads stronger than my contacts. My eyes feel strained and dry too. ALll doing my head in as I was perfectly happy with my contacts and didn’t have any problems with my eyes being dry at all. One of the types drops the optician told me to take doesn’t seem right either – makes vision blurry which is perhaps normal, but woke up this morning with swollen eyelids – surely not normal?

    Any knowledge / opinions appreciated!

  36. I HAVE JUST HAD 2 NEW PAIRS OF GLASSES MADE AT SPECSAVERS IN SOUTH HARROW MIDDX,
    ON BOTH PAIRS OF GLASSES THE LENSES HAVE FALLEN OUT ON THREE OCCASIONS I HAVE ONLY HAD THEM JUST OVER A WEEK,ABSOLUTE RUBBISH I NOW WANT A REFUND & WILL NEVER USE SPECSAVERS AGAIN OR RECOMEND THEM

  37. Anyone remember that famous advert – Should Have Gone To Specsavers? Well I shouldn't have gone to specsavers. I had an eyetest with them in november and ordered 2 pairs of glasses with tints and anti glare coatings. I was told they'd take a maximum of one week. 4 weeks later and finally they are ready for collection. Both frames are the same style but one is all creaky and loose. The lenses look like they are about to drop out. They were fitted and off I went. Got home and checked both pairs. one pair the lenses were sticking out a lot all the way round. When I looked closer you can see daylight both above and below the lenses and the frame. I took them back and they put the lenses into new frames (or so they say). The new frames seemed to be loose around the lenses yet again. I was told its not and its because I'm not used to them. Got back home, they lenses were filthy so decided to clean them. I opened both arms of the frames and one lens popped right out. I turned them around to look at the outside of them and the other lens was almost out too. I rang the Specsavers store I bought them from and said that one pair of frames was either too big for the lenses or the lenses were too small. I was told its just me. I asked for a refund only to be told that thats not an option as its the free pair thats faulty! I said that on the receipt it doesn't specify which one was free and that I paid for tints and coatings for both pairs. Then I'm told they'll think about putting the lenses into new frames. I explained that they only did that the previous day and that I wanted a full refund.

    Considering everything I had been very patient and let them do everything they wanted to do. Now I'm told I can't even have a refund and they wont swap the lenses into new frames either.

    Who on earth do I complain to to get a refund? Specsavers have been no help whatsoever.

    Tomorrow is their busiest day (Saturday) and seeing as they are doing nothing to remedy the situation I'm tempted to go the store, and ask in person for a full refund. I'll also bring 20 of my mates from the local rugby team along to stand in the store until I get my refund. Its only a small shop so they cant sell glasses to anyone if they can't get into the store.

  38. HYOORAY. I got a refund. Went back to Specsavers and calmly asked for a refund. I was told no as its the free pair thats faulty. The next person who entered the shop I advised them to buy glasses elsewhere as I bought some here, they are very poor quality and falling apart. I showed the lady my lensless glasses and she promptly left the store. I did this to every customer that came in . 6 customers and no sales later they decided to give in and gave me a full refund.

    I then went to Vision Express. What a complete difference. The staff were approachable and they actually knew what they were talking about. They asked about what type of frames and lenses I was looking for and showed me some special offers and some frames that matched what I wanted. The price of the lenses, frames and coatings were clearly explained, they even had an offer of 2 pairs of frames and lenses for £99. Picked what I wanted, they measured my face and pupil distance (something Specsavers never did) and I paid. Few days later they ring to say they are ready for collection. Both pairs fitted perfectly and it was nice to see the lens actually fitted tidily into the frames instead of the hopeless attempt made by specsavers. Plus no glare whatsoever from their coatings.

    So if your wanting some new glasses go somewhere where you are served by qualified optical people who know what they are talking about instead of the sales oriented, advice lacking and general poor quality cheap tat that is Specsavers. Remember you get what you pay for.

  39. Welshman you made me laugh. I may have to try your tactics, camp outside the store with my 3 kids!

    In short, i went to D&A for a test and brought from Specsavers, the glasses is wrong! I knew right away. The GOOD eye, i can only see through from the top half, the bottom half is blurred. The lady i spoke too gave me a list of excuses and is ultimately blaming D&A prescription.

    What can cause a lens to be half blurred? These are single vision lens.

    What are my rights to a refund? Both lenses are wrong and frames deformed (see below) and way too heavy.

    What if my prescription is wrong, who pays for the correct lenses? These are 1.67 thin no one will make any thinner for me. Isn’t there a consequence to givin out wrong prescriptions?

    In the process of trying to fix the problem, this lady told a man to adjust the frame. He’s made the bridges come out and he cutted away the metal handles and melted the plastic. The glasses handles are now deformed, with melted plastic in the inside of the frame!

    It’s now really uncomfortable, digs in the nose and ears. These glasses are 3 times the weight of the ones i have now. I originally had chosen a titanium one, which the sales assistant said i couldn’t have as its semi frameless. The ones im wearing are semi frameless! I asked her to read the numbers in my glasses and she said there weren’t any! ( I later find out there is) These are the figures that say how long the bridge and lens and length of arm, so i could pick the same dimensions.

    More importantly Vision is really crap…The optical centre is now raised and it was measured to be at the top of the frame. I am also confident the PD is wrong. as the original lady took 3 measurements all different and she decided to take the middle. I have a lazy eye that’s not of equal distance to the nose as the other eye. This was not taken into account so the BAD eye lens is wrong too.

    I have a very strong prescription, i would of brought at D&A, but they’ve increased their cost its now at least £125 for one eye, my last glasses made with them took 8 weeks and when they came back there weren’t perfect, vision slightly off. I have 10 years worth of presciption, they dont vary by much either up or down by a bit. axis roughly same.

    I orginally went to Asda as i read that thread, and saw on website “one complete price for single vision lenses “whatever your prescription” so not true, i spent ages picking out 2 frames and waited over 20 minutes to be seen, and then i filled out all the forms only for the computer to crash! The computer crashed because it couldn’t take my prescription. Apparently they can only make up to 5, and I’m a 7.50 cyl. (the second figure, if i had help from the NHS i would be a voucher D, as in max help)

    I have also been to optical express for a laser consultation, it lasted one and half hours only to be told NO they would offer implants at 6k. I knew they can’t give me perfect vision, i would have been happy to be at the level where i can buy cheap glasses. She did an eye test and wouldn’t give me the prescription, her only comment was she would have prescribe it less. D&A said it only went up by a bit! I had a look back at old pres. its jumped by 2 bits.

    Any advice? I haven’t managed to go to D&A as the weather not exactly helped!!!!! It shouldn’t be such a trauma just to get a pair of glasses. Thanks for reading.

    1. cherish999 –
      The lady in specsavers is right, if they have checked the prescription of the lenses and it is identical to the prescription that you have given them, then its D&A fault. However if you have given them a prescription and when checking the lenses it’s different then it’s the labs fault for making the lenses up wrong. Also any damaged frames should be replaced with no quibble!
      And I know it can be frustrating with a high prescription I am +10 in both eyes, but it is true going for a semi rimless frame the lens can look chunky and of poor quality, and I’m sure all the assistant was trying to do is give you something that looks good. I have done it before and not taken advice of the staff (when I didn’t work in optics) and I has so unhappy because I went for a frame to large and my lenses came roughly 1.1cm thick! All they should be there for is to advice, but if you have had semi rimless previously and were happy with it I would have dispensed it but, everyone is different (you might have had thinner lighter lenses last time??) or the frame you chose might have been wider (generally the smaller the frame the thinner the lens come out)

      Ok well i hope that’s helped and good luck in finding some nice glasses!

      😀

  40. I had a test and paid for my ne spex at Specsavers last December (2009). They took 5 weeks to arrive because they were sent the "wrong ones", though no-one told me. The were wrong, so *I went back for adjustment. Still wrong, see *. Still wrong, see *. Had them taken off me, for three weeks, got them back, see*. See*. Had new eye test on July 8th, glasses sent off marked urgent by the optician. Now 31st September, and nothing, nor amny explanation. If this is service, then I've been doing it wrong for 70 years. They are Cheap, Rubbish And Pointless. Nic Jamin

  41. I had my new glasses in April with ultra clear lens but they are always dirty , WHY?

    JOHN

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.