Refunds

[Quillan]

Funny enough my wife has just had a new set of progressive glass's from the company mentioned. She has always has Zeiss lenses because they can get them so thin otherwise she would end up with ones that look like milk bottle bottoms.

I noticed that there are three types of Zeiss lens all of different thickness's. The latest, as I understand it, are 1.5 but the cost was around 850 Euros including the frames (which were 139 Euros) so 600 Euros seems to indicate that you might not have the thinnest lens's or have we been ripped off. My wife now has a problem with distance. The news lens's are great (she tells me) for reading, working on the computer and shopping (i.e. looking at labels) but she has problems with the TV and has to revert to her old glass's which then means she can't read things like the buttons on the remote so she has to keep both pairs with her.

When we collected her glass's they told us about the guarantee and said we can take them to any shop in the chain. It might pay to go to another shop, explain the problem and ask they what they think is wrong without telling them you came from a different shop in their chain.

I think Will is correct because when my wife collected her glass's it was not the person she dealt with and basically she tried them on, the girl asked if they were OK, bent the ear pieces a bit and that was it, in and out in under 5 minutes. The previous time with the same company but different shop the guy spent about 20 minutes with her.

I also have progressive's but nowhere near as drastic as my wife. The first pair I ever had were from Specsavers about 15 years ago and I had exactly the same problem as Belle. Fortunately it was a bit obvious as I walked in to the door frame on the way out of the shop and nearly knocked my self out. Specsavers upgraded the lens's free of charge which fixed the problem.

 

[JohnM]

First, the disclaimer.... I've been out of the profession for over 20 years, so my old addled brain may not be quite right.

 

Now, the pedantry time...... the word is spelt O P H T H almic..... is should be said OFFTHalmic. (Sorry, it's a family thing, my father was a Chiropodist and hated it when people said "shropodist"... "yes" he'd say "just like shemist". Now I like people to get the name of my old profession right).

 

(Belle can now skip a bit......)

 

All spectacles alter your view of things. It is only when the "optical centre" of the lens is right between the eye and the thing you are looking at, that you get no interference to the image.

 

The angle that your specs sit on your face at, can alter the affectivity of the lens. If when you were tested, the trail frame (thing that the lenses drop into) was angled at 10 degrees but the specs they sold you are angled at 15 degrees, THEY SHOULD ALTER THE PRESCRIPTION TO SUIT (but very rarely do).

 

The stronger the lens, the more problems you will get. 8 dioptres is a strong lens, with a cyl as well (that's the astigmatism) I would expect teething problems.

 

Varilux is the trade name, developed by the French company Essilor in the late 60's early 70's. Varifocal is the generic name in much of the world but I expect the French do called them something different.

 

To use Varifocals you do need to move your head more and "forget" that you are wearing them. Despite knowing this, it took me a long time to get used to mine, but now I've got used to them, I like them because of the range (although I will still maintain that optically the BEST are the bifocals that look like a D with the flat bit upwards).

 

So... Specs are a compromise, it is very very important to remember that.

 

So, to Belle's problem.

 

As you've had varifocal / professives before, you are used to the format. So, the "getting used to them" line is a "bit" of a lame excuse from the optician (teething troubles permitted). However, if they are thinner than before, that could have an impact, as the curvature of the lenses may be be substantially different. You say he sent them back for checking, but did he check his measurements? I think you need a second opinion to reinforce your view that you are entitled to a refund. Explain your situation to the new chappy, even offer to pay for his time (he may decline it if he thinks that he will win you over). If new chappy says they are spot on, then sorry, you'll need to just take the best offer, but if new chappy says.... well the optical centres are not the same as your pupilary distance, or the vertical positioning is wrong, or the angle of the frame is wrong, or..... . British Standards used to have a list of error tolerance, WE HAD TO STICK WITHIN THESE, it may be that the UE has something similar.

 

Finally, chains......

An independent optician usually has to rely on a good reputation to keep going so I tend to use them, however, the chains are not bad. As somebody else said, it is the skill of the ophthalmologists / dispensing opticians that count and there are some very good ones in the chains. The problems with the chains is the career path means that the good ones are more likely to move on from your local branch.

 

Edited to correct a typo.

[suein56]

JohnM

That is a most helpful post, you have clarified certain points I was unsure of before, so I am grateful for that. Especially so as I will be needing a new pair of varifocals later this year and, after my initial problem last time, I was slightly worried.

Sue

[bubbles]

powerdeal - it would be much much cheaper to buy about 10 pairs of reading glasses and keep them in different places - a pair by the tv, another by the bed, a pair at the office, a pair in your manbag.

they can be bought really cheaply - mine were 2 euros but you don't have to be as mean as me.

they are only magnifying glasses after all - no great skill in manufacturing them.

such a waste of money to buy varifocal if you don't need the top bit.

and, do you really want to wear glasses all the time?

[JohnM]

Probably, but not necessarily, true. If the optical centres (O.C's) of the lenses are not right in your line of vision, that can create double image which the eye muscles need to correct, that extra effort can make reading hard work.... the stronger the lens the more prismatic effect you get when you are not looking through the O.C's. I'll have to find my books to tell you how much, (it's a long time ago) but me thinks an error of 3mm on a +2.50 dioptre lens would be enough for headaches.

Edited to correct a typo.