...and Direct Optical can lick my sack, too...

The BBQ Pit
1

A while back I posted about how I would like Richard Golden (of D.O.C. optical) to eat a dick.

Today, I relate my saga of trying to patronize a different optical store which advertises itself as an alternative to high-priced optical chains.

No, it’s not See Eyewear, either. They are simply a front for DOC.

It’s Direct Optical, and they have a store near me.

So, I schedule an appointment. This is where I get my first warning. I schedule it for 9:30 am. The day before the appointment, I am called to confirm my 9:40 appointment, and I am told to arrive 10 minutes early to “check in.” They must have a LOT of forms to fill out if I need to be there 10 minutes early, and nevertheless, I asked for a 9:30 appointment.

But, it’s christmas season, and I am trying not to get too stressed out over stuff, since there has been plenty of other stressful stuff this holiday season.

My apointment day arrives. I go in, I fill out about 30 seconds worth of paperwork. I browse. I find some frames (with magnetic clip-on sunglasses) which I like. I am told by the optician goofball that the frames I selected are not particularly sturdy (I had asked about this since my 2 year old likes to yank my glasses off sometimes). She showed me a pair priced modestly more (50 dollars more, for a total of 209) which she assures me are much better. I like them.

Then, I made the mistake…I asked about prices. Basic lenses are included int he price of frames for people without insurance (me). This is warning #2…they nail the ins companies with fees for basic lenses but let lil ol’ me get them for free…how quaint.

I ask about anti-glare coating, since this is something I will always get since the first time I tried it. Oh yes, it’s available. For 60 dollars.

–flashback–
Now, unbeknownst to this woman, I had also asked about glasses at Costco. The only thing that made me try Direct Optical instead was the fact that Costco does not take credit cards, and I have to wait a long time to get reimbursed from my Heathcare Flexible Spending Account, and didn’t want to be out money for longer than I have to be. I found out that at costco, anti-glare coating was 30 dollars, which seemed much more in-line with what I have paid in the past.
–end flashback–

“Wow, that’s RIDICULOUS” I tell her, with a straight face. I wait for a response. I tell her the price at Costco. She insists I am wrong, because “She has checked with Costco.”

So, I wait for my appointment time, all the while calculating how much my inexpensive glasses are going to cost me.

209 for frames
55 for exam
60 for anti-glare coating
lord knows how much for polycarb lenses or anti-scratch coating.

Well over 300 bucks is my guess. I have 173 left in my FSA. I walk out the door.

I go to costco.

Frames (not the exact same ones, probably not quite as sturdy) 99.99
Exam 49
40 for polycarb lenses
30 for anti-glare coating.

220, and I am out the door.

So a big rasberry to Direct Optical. Nailing people on the extras and upselling the frames did not earn you a repeat customer this day.

2

Dude, you’re lucky. Thanks to what has to be the world’s wonkiest prescription, I NEED polycarbonate lenses with a special base curve to center thickness ratio. And because I have grey eyes, I also NEED UV coating. I also wear bifocals.

There is exactly ONE optical store that can do my prescription. I went to Pearle Vision and left with an order for two pairs of glasses in EXACTLY what the optometrist ordered, right on down to the base curve to center thickness ratio. The cost for both came to just over $300 because Pearle was running a promotion for buy one pair get one free. And my new glasses are wonderful.

Shopping around can lead to some great savings. You are allowed to buy your glasses wherever you want; you don’t have to buy them from your optometrist.

Robin

3

Indeed, I know this. Costco, though, has a pretty decent pricing policy. I could have found frames (nice looking ones, too) for as little as 40 bucks.

I’m not upset at what I paid at Costco…I’m upset at the pricing policies of just about every ther optical chain out there. They suck.

4

My point is that some of the major chains like Pearle and LensCrafters usually offer a decent promotion. If LensCrafters had been able to fill my prescription, I’d’ve gotten half-off the entire cost. And since I usually get two pairs, I’d’ve gotten one “good” pair at a decent price, then a “cheapie” replacement pair at an even better price.

Look around for coupons and check websites. No need to whine about price.

Robin

5

Why do you need UV coating for grey eyes, MsRobyn? I’ve not heard that before. Heaven knows my prescription is difficult enough – polycarb lenses, thin lenses, bifocals, tons of astigmatism – but I’ve always thought UV coating was strictly optional.

6

Grey (and blue) eyes lack protective pigment, leaving me susceptible to certain kinds of eye cancer, as well as cataracts, of which I have a family history. Since I refuse to get sunglasses as my optometrist would prefer, we agree to disagree and I end up with UV coating on my prescription. I just accept it’s for my own good.

Robin

7

I’m not sure if we’re speaking the same language here…I DID use the available means to get a fair price on eyeglasses. I don’t consider 225 out the door to be unfair. I DO consider well over 300 after all the “extras” for single vision glasses to be unfair, greedy, and generally assholish. And if I knew going in that that would be the price, I would have stayed away. What I’m pissed (not whining, but pissed) about is the same old shit in the eyeglass industry, telling me I’m going to get reasonably priced glasses and then nailing me in the ass when they think I’m not paying attention.

8

LensCrafter’s. They can eat a dick, too.

I bought some glasses from them about three years ago. Mostly because the one-hour turn around was attractive and the best pair of glasses I currently owned was busted (and a couple years old). One hour turned into two fucking weeks - which they didn’t tell me know until the things were supposed to be ready. Seems the vision in one of my eyes is so poor that they had to special order the lens. Even more, the damn things were “estimated” by the sales associate at about $250 after all the discounts I was eligible for. When I went to the counter to write the check, the “actual” cost was over $400.00. What a damn scam.

9

Hm. Lenscrafers told me that the reason that it would take 2 weeks for my daughter’s glasses was because they had to special order the frame. Sounds to me that they don’t want to keep inventory on hand so they reel you in with the “one hour” promise and then tell you the real truth after you’ve spent 45 minutes picking out a frame, getting your eyes measured, doing paperwork, etc. Bastids.

My daughter is due again for her annual eye exam. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Costco so I’m heading there.

Oh, and I thought they accepted AMEX at Costco…

10

Truthfully, when I went to Lenscrafters, their optician (who is supposed to be certified) had never heard of the base curve to center thickness ratio. That’s why I went to Pearle. They may be slow (it took ~10 days), but they delivered.

Robin

11

They do, but I don’t think the optical department does. I know for sure the optomoetrist doesn’t, because I was specifically told they accept cash or check.

12

I was looking at glasses just yesterday at Lenscrafters. A pair of half rims, with no frame on the bottom of the lenses. They wanted to charge $25 dollars to polish the lenses on the outer edge, where they are visible. $25? It takes you less then an hour to put together the entire dang glasses. How much does that polishing machine cost?

13

We don’t have any DOs here, but we do have LensCrafters. I hate that fucking place.

A year ago I bought some nice frames and had them fill my light prescription. I’m not kidding when I say my prescription is light: I have better than 20/20 in both eyes, but each is slightly different so I wear glasses for comfort. Anywho, I think the total then was $300, but I had a $50 off coupon and all was well.

Well those glasses got scratched to hell over the last year, so I went in for a new eye exam and to get my lenses replaced.

Sign #1 that things were fucked: I waited in an empty waiting room for an hour past my appointment time to find out that my prescription was exactly the same.

Sign #2: I give my prescription to the clerk and explain that I want to use my same frames. First she tries to tell me that I can’t reuse the same frames, I tell her why this is silly (hello? Is their product so crappy that it is defective after a single year?). She then tells me that they can fill the prescription, but it will be $325.

I ask her why it is more than when I bought frames and lenses. She tells me they have a $75 fee if you don’t buy new frames.

I look at her like her head as turned into a magical, Nazi unicorn and say, “Wow, that’s fucking rediculous. I hate Walmart, but I think I’m just going to take my prescription there since they will only charge $100 for this.” And I left.