I recently moved to Issaquah, Washington, from San Francisco. Glasses that I like for their cool blue frames had scratched lenses. All I wanted was to replace the lenses. Not complicated. Or at least one would so think.
I was not looking for an eye exam. Didn't need it.
Per Issaquah Vision, I was required by Washington law to have a complete eye exam before I could get the lenses replaced. OK, maybe an eye exam couldn't hurt, maybe even a good idea given that my eyes had not been examined for three years.
So, the Issaquah Vision staff, all 500 of them, about a dollar apiece as it turned out, gave me multiple tests. I stared into multiple retinal and probably also renal tests on their computers for about an hour. Great! I'm done with this. Let's talk about replacing my lenses. I had the frames, the glass was merely scratched.
Not done yet. Had to hang with the one of the Dr. Cassidys. Same drill I have been through a thousand times. Look into the optical thing, clearer as one, clearer as two, flip the thing back and forth, whatever.
OK, now I am done. Please replace the lenses and let me out of here. $500 for the visit. You gotta be kidding me. But whatever. Take the credit card and let me go. So I left.
Only to discover that I had left my Visa card behind. Duh.
After getting some food, I returned to Issaquah Vision to pick up my Visa card. Thanks, sorry I left it, see you later.
Not so fast. Holding my credit card, an older guy in the glasses area (don't ever get your eyes checked by someone who is selling glasses), call him Dr. Zhivago, said I had to sit with him to review my glasses situation. By that time I had had it. Recovered my credit card and said order my lenses. This entire exercise was ridiculous.
Issaquah Vision had all of my contact info but I had a good pair of backup glasses so wasn't thinking much about new lenses in my cool blue frames - until today - ten days later.
Now about today, March 2, 2017, I drop by Issaquah Vision (full radio silence in the meantime) about 10AM to pick up my glasses which had to be done by now. Had to be done. Just replace the lenses and give me my glasses.
Oh, you are here for your glasses? Not ready yet, we have the new lenses but they need to be cut to fit your frames. Are you kidding me? Kiss me ass, I said and stormed out.
Then I returned and said you get those lenses into those frames ASAP, which they said they would do by noon. I was making a lot of loud, unhappy customer noises. Then they said by one. OK, I was running errands and that would work.
So I return in the afternoon to Issaquah Vision (by the way the receptionist was very nice), Dr. Zhivago handed me my glasses but made noises about fitting them properly to my frontal lobe, face, etc.
These were frames I had worn happily for two years. No adjustment needed.
Next, I demanded a copy of my eyeglass prescription. That took ten minutes for Dr. Zhivago to print.
Exceedingly furious by this time, I grabbed the prescription and headed up the street to Virginia Mason optical. Guess what? My new prescription was about a hair off for my left eye compared to new glasses. I had no need for the eye exam and it turned out to be useless. $500 for zip.
In short, anyone who goes to Issaquah Vision for help with their vision - or replacement lenses -- is a fool. Enjoy getting ripped off for excremental service.
BTW, Dr. Zhivago is merely an employee that fits glasses. The real culprits for this miserable operation are the two Dr. Cassidy's who run the place. If you have vision problems, use an icepick. You will be better off both for vision and financially.
Rick Brown read more
