Lookin' Good (Vision Express)

Member Name: Teena2003

Product:	Vision Express
Date:	12/03/06 (7973 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: plenty of frames to chose from, for all the family, good customer service

Disadvantages: not always the best advice given, have to complain sometimes

It was a strange experience at first. I grew up in Germany where we have proper eye doctors we consult for eye tests. He or she in return writes out the prescription and we then go and buy our glasses at opticians. These opticians are allowed to do eye tests but I don't think there are that many people who actually go there in the first place when something is wrong with their eyes.

I take fairly good care of my eyes. I spend a lot of time in front of the computer and despite my flat screen that alleviates glare I still go and have my eyes checked regularly.

I have used Vision Express for at least 10 years, first the Harrow branch, then later the Edgware branch. In December I went for another eye test. I have a pair of prescription glasses, not very strong lenses but it does help me when I have to stare at computer for a long time or drive. I even got a pair of prescription sunglasses.

I had been suffering from headaches for a while and I was convinced it had to do with my eye sight. My right eye has always been the weaker one and the glasses I had didn't quite correct the problem.

I walked in on a Friday early in December. They didn't have an appointment straight away but I had a chance to see someone a couple of hours later. On most days you can actually get an appointment on the day but you can make an appointment with them in store for a convenient time.

After taking my details, or rather checking that the details they had on file for me were still current I was asked into a side room where my eyes were tested for glaucoma. It's a regular test I think is done for everyone over a certain age. I had to sit with my chin on a contraption and air was puffed into each of my eyes. After that came the actual eye test.

If you've ever had a test done you know that you sit in the chair and you have to read letters at different sizes first without, then with lenses. At the end of the test you will either get a clean bill of health or a prescription for lenses.

My eyes are not too bad but there is a distinct difference between my left and right eye and because the 'good' eye has to make up and correct the vision defect in the 'poor' eye and causing me headaches. I didn't really need glasses to wear all the time, only for certain things like computer and driving. I decided to go ahead with glasses.

Vision Express boast a huge range of frames in their stores. I used to have designer frames and their own flexi frames (the ones you can twist and they won't break) before and I don't even look at the cheap frames they offer.

There are always offers in Vision Express for complete glasses, frames and lenses from the cheap frame range but if you really want a nice frame and care what your glasses look like, you tend to go for the more expensive frames.

The walls of frames are divided into women's, men's and children's frames (though some are unisex) as well as a subdivision of cheap, medium price and designer frames. Amongst designer frames on offer are Armani, Gucci, Calvin Klein or Karen Millen. I got my Red or Dead frames from them years ago which I still like and maybe one day will have the lenses changed in them.

I went straight for the designer frames and picked two or three frames and tried them on. In the end I bought the one I picked from the walls first. Of course I knew it wasn't a cheap frame, after all, it was a lovely Gucci frame.

The optician and I sat down at a table and we talked lenses. I always had anti-reflex lenses but secretly hankered for Transitions lenses - the ones that automatically change into sunglasses when you go outside. I wouldn't need to have separate sunglasses if I chose Transitions lenses. I looked at the price and they came in at only about £10 more than the other lenses I would have chosen. There was no question I was having the Transitions lenses put in. This time I still got away with single vision lenses, next time I might not be so lucky as I will most certainly need reading glasses, too, or bifocals or varifocals, eugh.

There are only two colour to chose from, grey and brown and as my frame was slightly greeny-browney-grey we decided on the grey lenses. I was told that the Transition lenses didn't come anti-reflex because it wasn't really needed and if I wanted it then the coating could influence how dark the lenses go when subjected to sunlight. I trusted their expertise and ordered the glasses. Just remember that you might need a pair of sunglasses for the car as the transition lenses can't react through the car windscreen which in a lot of cases already has some UV protection.

While they added up all the different prices for frame and lenses I made the throw-away comment that with the price I was paying for frame and lenses the eye test should have been thrown in for free. It was more or less ignored and I was told that I would get a voucher for up to £79 for a second frame and lenses. I left it at that, paid the rather hefty price (but it's my eyesight and the frames are rather nice) and picked up the glasses later that afternoon, actually, they had already lowered the shutters when I crawled under because I had got stuck in traffic and I was going away for a few days and needed the glasses for driving.

Normally I don't mind them taking a couple of days or so to actually get the glasses done but as they have a 1-hour policy on most glasses and they were able to do before they closed for the night I decided to do with the fast service. Otherwise I had to wait until after the weekend as I was going away the next morning.

Back at home in the evening I was surfing the net - as you do - and checked out the Vision Express website. It's nothing too exciting but I was a little taken aback when the page opened and the first thing that stared at me was "FREE EYE EXAM when you buy prescription glasses". I was a little ticked off, checked if there were terms and condition or restrictions to the offer but it appeared to be valid for everyone and every store. I was had, I paid the price for a private exam (£20) and although mentioning in store about a possible free exam (without knowing about it - would have printed off the page otherwise) it was ignored.

I used their contact page on the website, filled in all the relevant boxes, explained what had happened (disguised as a query) and that I hoped they could help me.

Less than an hour later my mobile phone goes off. It was my local Vision Express branch enquiring about my being 'unhappy' with the price of the eye exam. What I thought was strange that they claimed it was not policy in all stores but they would honour the offer if the customer mentions it. I then replied that I had mentioned a free eye exam with the expensive glasses I had bought and it was ignored. Anyhow, they refunded the price for the eye exam - after all, I was £20 worse off than I should have been. Very good customer service I thought.

That should have been the end of the story - but it wasn't.

The first time I noticed something wrong with my glasses was during my holiday with my family who live in Germany.

The lenses changed when sunlight hit it (even when it was cloudy they seemed to change, simple UV light does that) but I felt irritated, like there was a nasty glare coming from the snow I was walking through. I blamed it on the snow, that it was too bright and my lenses couldn't cope.

But that wasn't the end of it either. I took the glasses on holiday with me to Las Vegas. We are talking middle of the desert, no snow at the best of times. I didn't pack separate sunglasses knowing that I had transition lenses in my glasses and they should do the trick. I was wrong. I nearly had an accident and got run over while crossing the road because I couldn't see where I was heading. I was totally blinded by the glare and was better of not wearing any glasses - which I did most of the time.

After my return from Vegas I went into Vision Express to complain and also have prescription lenses put into my sunglasses. I explained at length that the transition lenses were useless to me as the glare was blinding me. I felt I had been sold the lenses under false pretences. The young lady in the store told me that there hadn't been complaints about the lenses before. I wasn't letting go and agreed to have the lenses coated with 'anti-reflex'. Of course it cost me an additional £11 per lense I should have been told about.

My sunglasses were ready within a couple of day and they are just perfect. The lenses are in a Guess frame from a few years ago, I didn't go for a completely new pair, just the lenses into the old frame. The lenses are brown and they give me the sharpest vision and depth perception ever. I keep them in my car as the transition lenses don't change through windscreens.

I finally got my other glasses back the other day. I had words with them and was not happy at all but I just couldn't see through them in the sun and something needed to be done. I am still angry that I was told I could do without the anti-glare on the transitions lenses and I will complain to Vision Express via their website again, just mentioning in general comments, not actually naming the store. I wonder if the emails go straight to the stores if you name them so they can deal with it.

I checked on the Transitions website and I was furious when I read that they actually recommend anti-reflex coating on their lenses to make sure that you get the best out of it.

Since the new coating was put on I feel the lenses react even better to UV light and go extremely dark even when the sky is full of clouds. The change in the colour is so gradual I only notice how dark the glasses are when I walk into a shop and I stand in the dark.

Vision Express have always been good to me and I will recommend them to others who want their eyes tested. Just make sure you know what you want, don't let them talk you into frames you can't afford - I love stylish frames and had allocated a certain amount of money for new glasses, and I stayed under.

Compared to Boots they have a much wider variety of designer frames but are still lacking the technology that Specsavers have with their little computers showing you what you look like with the glasses on a computer screen. At Vision Express you still have to rely on a simple look in the mirror to see whether or not you like it.

I have been in and out of Vision Express over the past three months with complaints about the glasses and they have been absolutely fantastic. They helped me all the way and although I was a little irate that they didn't suggest anti-reflex coating for my transitions lenses straight away, I still recommend them as opticians.

I hope that I won't have as many problems with any future glasses but they behaved exemplary when it came to dealing with my complaints. I can be rather direct and short tempered at times.

Vision Express deal with contact lenses and contact lense wearers but as I do not wear any I cannot comment on that side of the business at all.

For more information on Vision Express and where to find their stores you can visit www.visionexpress.co.uk

For more information on Transitions lenses feel free to visit www.transitions.com

© Teena2003/Minnitee

Summary: eye tests and frames for all the family