Unfortunately, my experience at the Eyeglass World store located at 6079 S. State Street in Salt Lake City has been nothing short of a nightmare.
I first visited the store on Saturday, May 10 for an eye exam. An eye doctor examined me after a wait of approximately 45 minutes, despite the fact that I had scheduled an appointment. The doctor is an elderly gentleman, and while he was courteous, his lack of ability to focus on the task at hand soon became apparent.
A steady stream of walk-ins repeatedly interrupted my exam, and I did not receive a complete exam. Dr. Holloway gave me a trial pair of toric contact lenses. When I asked him if there was a "top" of the toric lens, he told me there was not. I put the contacts in, and while the Doctor was assisting other customers, I had to remove them due to intensely blurry vision and pain. Once I had the contacts out, I noticed a bar on the surface indicating that there was a "top" to the lens. I told the doctor I had not worn contact lenses since I was 12 years old, and needed instructions on their use and cleaning. He gave me a two pages without explaining them or checking the appropriate boxes indicating type of contacts and use instructions. Before leaving, I had to request a case, solution, and rewetting drops. I paid for my exam ($79.00) at that time.
I wore the contacts over the weekend, never seeing quite right. I returned on Wednesday the 14th to select frames for regular and sunglasses, and to schedule an exam with the regular doctor to address the blurry vision in my trial contacts. The frames were not on the floor in the color I wanted, but I was told that they could be ordered. At this time, I paid for the managers special, with an up charge for sunglasses. The bill, minus the cost of the exam, came to $527.55. When I returned for my second exam the next day, I waited to see the doctor for one full hour, again despite the fact that I had scheduled an appointment.
After my second exam, I discovered that the first doctor had issued me an incorrect prescription. The difference between the initial and second prescription was significant. At this point, I was anxious to get my corrected prescription to the lens makers. I was told the frames I had ordered had not yet arrived.
The doctor instructed me to discard my first pair of trial lenses, and that a pair in my prescription had to be ordered. Now, two weeks later, the correct trial contacts still have not arrived.
The following Friday, I called to ask if my glasses would be ready in time for me to pick up before I left town the following day. At that time, I was told I would have to return to the store to select different frames because the ones I wanted were unavailable. I received no call from eyeglass world informing me of this fact; I suppose I was supposed to intuit this information. I returned to the store to select different frames the following morning. The glasses were supposed to be ready for me to pick up the following day, Sunday, May 18th.
I arrived at the store that day to find the glasses were extremely blurry. I was disappointed, but dissatisfaction had now become a firmly established pattern at Eyeglass World. At that point I left town for business travel. When I returned, I found my second pairs of glasses to be equally unsatisfactory. At this point, I was handled by a person I assume to be the lab foreman.
He informed me that my optical center had been measured incorrectly, and set about making my third pair of glasses. While the third pair shows a significant improvement, they are still unsatisfactory. My right lens still appears blurry, as if the surface is rippled or smudged though they appear clean. He instructed me to wear the glasses for a couple of days before he would re-make my sunglasses.
I have visited the store many times, and I have been dissatisfied with Eyeglass Worlds products and services every step of the way. I want out. Store management has informed me repeatedly of their no refund policy. At this point, I have no interest whatsoever in store credit, as I hope never to return to the store again after the conclusion of this unpleasant experience.
I noticed during my three plus hours of waiting time (most of it time when I should have been working) at the store that the phone is answered with the phrase guaranteed lowest prices. Is $606.55 a fair price for two pairs of glasses. Is it a fair price when the glasses have been incorrect three times? As of this point, I have dealt with both store management and corporate. They flatly refuse a refund, and are terse, to say the least.
I must say that with only one exception, the staff members at the store have been courteous, and seem genuinely embarrased that I have had such a deeply dissatisfying experience. They do not, however, care about much but money, and the retention of it, even after repeated blunders. These hacks must be stopped!
Tim
SLC, Utah
U.S.A.
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