Complain about a product or service

Wal-Mart Vision Center

Chris of Phoenix, AZ March 12, 2010

I took my 13 year old son to get a contact exam at Wal-mart Happy Valley. We were called in for the appointment and Dr. Charles L was very nice and did a quick exam. Following my son exam they wanted him to take out the contacts (that had previous been put into his eyes) and then reinsert them into his eyes. It took several tries to get the contacts out. The guy they sent in to help my son didn't really do anything, in fact he said about 10 words to us. I finally stepped in and explained to my son how I put my contacts in and take them out, so he would know where to start. The employee crossed his arms and leaned against the wall and just watched, all the while never really telling my son what to do. At one point he showed him how he took his contacts out, but that was the extent of the interaction.

After about an hour and total frustration, Suzanne came into the room and attempted to try and tell my son what to do, but he was already so frustrated and his eyes were irritated, that nothing was helping. She finally told us to step out of the vision center for a few minutes to give his eyes a break. We walked around the store and returned about 15 minutes later.

Upon our return Suzanne said [to me] "I want you to wait outside, kids do much better when their parents aren't in there with them." So I waited out in the waiting area. An hour later, Suzanne stepped out of the room. I looked at her and she said "he is still in there trying but sometimes you have to leave them alone and they get it."

About 10 minutes later my son walked out into the vision center and said "I can't do it mom." Suzanne said it isn't a problem, it happens sometimes and they just have to come back for another visit.

At that time, she took me to the register and rang me up for a cost of 89.00. I asked for my receipt and my sons prescription. She gave me the receipt but told me I could not have the prescription because my son had not put the contacts back in his eyes after taking them out. I asked why that mattered and she said " It makes him a liability". I asked in what way, to which she did not give me any answer and said "I am NOT giving you this prescription." I said I paid for a service, which is the eye exam. The eye exam produces a prescription and I have paid for that, I would like to have my sons eye exam prescription.

Again, she was very rude and unprofessional and said "I am NOT going to give you the prescription." I continued to insist and she continued to get louder and tell me that it is a policy that they do not give out prescriptions unless the person has the contacts in, takes them out and puts them back in {Although she couldn't show us where it states that it is a policy}. At that time I had enough of the arguing, I asked her to honor the satisfaction guarantee and refund my money to which she replied "I am not giving you a refund for the exam." At that time I took my receipt and left.

I drove home and explained to my husband what had happened, so he offered to go back down with me and talk to Suzanne about it. We walked in and he asked her what her position was on the situation and she said exactly the same things to him that she had said to me. He said "Suzanne, I need to see that policy of not providing a customer with their prescription, in writing please." She stated, "It isn't in writing." He said, "Then we would like to have our sons prescription that we paid for." She said, "No, I will not give it to you"

My husband asked me to go get the store manager, and I did. Once the manager came over Suzanne QUICKLY changed her tone and immediately offered my husband a refund of our money. There was no offer of apology, no explanation to the Doctor on staff of what she had done to a brand new client. Very disappointing experience. We won’t be returning there and have already emailed the family and friends and told them about our experience.

Candy of Asheboro, NC March 3, 2010

I went to purchase some new glasses and I found some that I like so I bought them and I have only had my glasses for five months and the lense on the right side has started to crack at the bottom and the top. I took them back to the vision center and the manager tried to make it my fault that my glasses were breaking and I have taken care of them just like I should. I ask them if they could replace the lense and the manager told me that she put a bevel on it to keep it from cracking more and that did not work cause they are getting worse.

Debra of Fort Wayne, IN March 1, 2010

I ordered a eyeglasses on Monday, 2-8-10; paid cash. Today, on 3-1, I have not received the glasses after being assured they would be available after 10 days. The Vision Center manager, Laura, explained my glasses were being prepared at a lab in Arkansas; apparently it snowed in the town where the lab is located and "no one goes to work when it snows." Ok . . . The order was sent to a lab in Texas, and now it's "stuck" there. Laura has been exceptional in attempting to get my glasses, but no luck. She offered a refund, but now it's the principle, and I plan to let WM know just how they dropped the ball.

Robert of Conway, AR February 25, 2010

I am disabled & was on Medicaid.I went to Wal-mart because of "SATISFACTION GUARANTEED"I had a eye exam & measured for bifocals!Weeks later they came in & I went in to be fitted.When they were done I mentioned how uncomfortable they were to see out of.They told me I would have to get used to them!I tried for quite a while before returning to them to question why I was still having problems.When I put them on they immediately stated "They were made Wrong"Some one measured wrong and had the bi-focal way up in my normal vision!They insured me they would reorder!

One week later I went back to check on them.The Dr.office was Gone!I was told they had leased the space inside of Wal-mart & they had a fallen out and left!The girl that worked in Vision Center,Melanie was very helpful,she tried to re-bill Medicaid again to get me new lenses made right,of course Medicaid refused & I was told nothing could be done!I have called Medicaid,Dr. Riding office in Texarkana,Tx.6 times no one wants to stand up for their mistake!I realize Wal-mart just rented space yet their name brought me to that store!Medicaid is still trying to figure out how to Help!Maybe Walmart should screen who they lease to a little better! Still I am without correct glasses and dealing with the constant eye strain and headaches it causes! I started this adventure in October & I'm still waiting to see correctly! Thank you for your time! I now try hard not to shop at Walmart!We all must be Accountable for what we do!

TAMMY of MARTIN, TN February 22, 2010

I have been a customer of the Wal-Mart vision center going on now for 8 years. But, now that they are not willing to work with me on my needs I am taking my business elsewhere. I have come to the conclusion that all they care about is making sure they make that buck! I have ordered 3 frames in the last 2 years because they do not last long even though they have guarantees attached.

Now once again for the 4th time my side of my frames have broken. I call to report this and go down there to get it taken care of but to my surprise all they wanted to do is shove a eye exam down my throat telling me there was nothing they could do for me. They didn't even bother to try and order them. I repeatedly told they lady that I didn't have 400 lying around to get another exam and glasses if I did I would get one done. All I wanted and needed is the frames, now how hard is that???? Apparently to hard because they did NOTHING to resolve or help me with my issues.

Jane of B'ham, AL February 19, 2010

First, I took my prescription in to get new glasses. I was looking at the frames & with the help of an employee picked out a pair I liked. She didn't ask me any questions, what I was looking at most of the day, computer, etc., only took the one measurement, didn't look to see that they were too big for my face, stuck out too far away from my face, etc. When I received the glasses, I put them on, terrible, couldn't stand to even look up. They did nothing, said just try them for a week. So I did; took them to the opthalmologist; she said they didn't fit at all, to take them back.

So i returned them, asked to speak to the manager, & she said, "oh yes, they should never have given you these frames for progressive lens, & they don't fit. So they did them over. Now the ones I have do fit, but I cannot get used to the lenses, way too much distortion, hard to read print on computer. This may just be the brand, but they clearly do not know what they are doing. I will never go back there. i hope I will be able to get a refund this time.

Melissa of tipp city, OH February 17, 2010

I don't understand how you can go get glasses and complain they don't fit! Try them on first and get them fitted! I have been wearing glasses for years and I know that if they don't feel right to say something! If you schedule an appt for an exam and don't specify you also want contacts then yes, it is a pain in the doctors butt because those appts take longer! Use your brains people and Walmart is not the only place to get exams and most optometrists price match!

Terri of Bloomington, IL February 17, 2010

I went there to get an eye exam, it was clear that the dr did not want to sell me contacts he did everything in his power to try and talk me out of them before he even did an eye exam. i told him i wanted both contacts and glasses. reluctantly he did the exam.(i felt more like i was a bother to him) he gave am a trial pair that fit good so i went and picked out glasses also the staff member did not measure my face to see if they fit or offer to help find a pair that would fit better but instead told me that after they are made they can be fit to my face..went back 2weeks later eye dr gave me another pair of contacts with this pair i can only see clearly out of 1 eye my right eye the left eye is all blurry..

he then wanted to give me a prescription for contacts that were for 2weeks when from moment number 1 i told him that i wanted daily wear disposables...he made me sit in a chair and wait for him before he wrote the prescription after 10mins and him seeing other patients. i got mad and a staff member went back and got the prescription from him. i believe this prescription is not correct because the first pair of contacts he gave me were multi focal ones and these since i can't see out of 1 eye don't believe that they are.so i can't trust this perscription..

as for my glasses the girl said she made them as fit to my face as she could...which is not fit at all they are way to loose on my face. as she said "the glasses are to big for your face" i should never have been sold them. i am completely unhappy and want either the correct prescription for daily disposable contacts and a new pair of eyeglasses (i will give these back). or i want my money back...i will never go to walmart vision center again...my eyes are not something for someone to play with...

Jannette of Auburn, CA February 16, 2010

Starting in Nov. 2009 I shopped for my 2nd set of glasses @ Walmart. My 1st glasses would not fit, they fell off my face instantly over and over again and I was told they were "uni-glasses" and would have to make a new selection. I did and finally @ Christmas was given my new glasses that "looked and fit fine" but I was wearing my contacts and never used the new glasses until Feb. 2010 and was totally shcocked to find I could not see any words clearly ...a big blur.. and immediately had an eye exam with Dr. Timothy P Ophthalmology and was told that the glasses had very little vision correction, possibly due to the small size of the glasses.

I went back to the Walmart eye doctor Dr. Howard E on Feb 10,10 and had another eye exam and was told the 2 doctors were in agreement, that the manufactor should never have put my perscription in such a small frame. Now I am told by Gayle that "I can live and learn" well, I paid 500.00 and have glasses that are absolutly worthless to me! And I definately think this is unjust, bad, unlawful business, BBB needs to investigate..

Oscar of Wilmington, NC February 13, 2010

After posting the below post and filing a complaint with the State Board of Opticians. Walmart Vision Center called me to stop by, sign a Form (Vision Center Request To Access Records) where they did give me a copy of all my dispensing records in their Vision Center. The form is numbered (HIPAA VCOP-08) for vision center use only. So Folks, don't be shy. Ask for it and you should receive the information you request or all files in your personnel folder.

I bought a pair of eye glasses from them and they refused to give me my PD - pupillary distance measurement. This is part of my personnel health records and i should be entitled to a copy of all measurements they took.

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