shouldn't have gone to specsavers!! (Specsavers Opticians)

Member Name: *klsy*

Product:	Specsavers Opticians
Date:	15/05/06 (3124 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: cheap specs???

Disadvantages: waitin more than 1/2hour for booked apointments - poor service - refusal to refund faulty products

I have been in and out of the West Ealing branch of Spec Savers where the service is chronic - I have seen 4 different optitians (the last being there senior optictian as I asked for a refund and was told I couldnt have one but they would get him to retest my eyes and see if they could rectify the problem)
Basically I went in as I was aware that I could not see as far as I should be able to with my contact lenses - I have moved down to London recently so needed to find a new opticians, and chose specsavers west ealing as it is neat to where I live and I have never had a problem with the specsavers in Aberdeen (apparently they are a franchise so I shouldn't have relied on this!)
Anyway the first apointment I had with the first Optitian who gave me one very rapid eye test which was apparently for both my contacts and my glasses at the same time (ever since I have had contacts - going on 12 years now - I have always had separate tests for these even if one straight after the other with the same optomitrists - but as I don't know why I didnt query it further) I was told by the Optitian I needed to change to a defferent type of lense as I was wearing them for quite long times and got two pairs of glasses (one of which arrived in three days the other took nearly 3 weeks!). I also at this time asked about my astigmatism and was told I didnt have one and asked about the veins in my eyes as I have had previous problems with these and was told no probs. great.
Or not....
One week later I went back for a check up with optitian number two for the contacts and was told I was alergic to them and had to not wear any for a week and take some eyedrops twice daily that the optitian recomended to me - she mentioned my astigmatism and the veins at the back of my eyes which were slightly enlarged and this was why I had to have the new type lenses and couldnt go back to the old ones which I hadnt thought I had a problem with initially.
One week more I went back for another checkup - this time I also brought up the fact that my new glasses were causing headaches and felt like my eyes were being strained - was informed by optitian number three that I was probably not used to the glasses and just needed to give my eyes time to adjust. My eyes were still apparently bumpy under the eyelids due to the reaction to the lenses and she asked me how often I was taking the eyedrops - when I said twice daily (what op no 2 had told me) she said well that wont do anything you have to take them at least 4 times a day I was a little irritated.
anyway when I finally got my second pair of glasses - with reaction lenses - and the headaches were getting worse I was understandabley fed up - as I was unable to wear my contacts and had had to revert to wearing my old glasses as I could not wear either of the new pairs as the headaches were getting so bad - I called spec savers and asked to talk to the manager - I outlined my problem ie that I had paid nearly 300 pounds and could not wear either pair of glasses and asked for a refund to be told I couldnt have one but would have to come in for a retest with the senior optitian.
Didnt seem like I had much choice so I went in and was informed 1- my prescription had gone up so much my brain couldnt cope with the change and so would need a slightly less than full strength prescription
and 2 - I needed to have the glasses specially fitted so that my eyes look thru the focal point in the centre
also I was given another eye test which did not match the results of the previous one funnily enough.

Anyway I am now currently waiting for two new pairs to this new prescription but this time I have also asked the advice of another unaffiliated optitian and he has told me that 1-this is rubbish, as I am short sighted my eyes can take a step up in prescription to something stronger that what I require without causing problems and also as my change from previous prescription was only one step up in one eye and two in the other it wouldnt apply anyway
and 2- all glasses should be fitted properly before you leave the optitians in every case so that you are looking thru the focal point so the fact that i wasnt initially is down to there incompetance and is probably what was causing the headaches.

Summary: had glasses 20 years&contacts for the last 12 - specsavers have provided the worst service