I strongly urge folks looking in the area, to continue looking. I cannot speak for LensCrafters nationally; this is concerning my visit to this specific store in the Mall.
My experience: I have worn glasses for thirty years and contacts for 16 years. I was in the military, and with my travels I've been to maybe twenty different optometrists. I assure you this LensCrafters was the worst among them.
Short version of my review: Overpriced, rude, inadequate exam, incomplete exam despite full cost; deceptively offered more for my cost then after payment said I would not get what the sign said.
Longer version of my review, if interested:
(1) Overpriced - Cost is about $50 higher than other local optometrists for eye exam and so-called "contact lens fitting".
(2) Rude - Counter clerk was nice, but the optometrist was rude. For example, you know the drill about which looks better, one or two? You better not ask this guy for a do-over, because he's not interested in your nuanced needs. Laughable.
(3) Inadequate exam - Quickly ran through the exam (which is better one or two) and wrote something down. Did not ask in the end whether I could read that bottom line, just said, "You're all set."
(4) Incomplete exam - This is perhaps the point that upset me the most, this or the one I'll get to next. I was there for a contact lens prescription. For this, one needs to get the eye exam (which is better one or two) and also what LensCrafters called a "contact lens fitting". Please note that this alleged contact lens fitting cost me an additional $80. What did it include? I had brought in the empty package from my contacts from two years prior to my visit. The optometrist wrote exactly what I bought in an empty box of, gave it to me as his prescription for my contacts and said, "You're all set."
(4b) So what did he not do as a part of the $80 mandatory surcharge for a "contact lens fitting"?
- Did not ask whether I was having any problems with my former contact prescription, which I was. They moved around too much, and I also wanted to know whether a newer type could be better for my astigmatism as well as oxygen flow.
- Never saw a contact in my eyes. Amazing to charge $80 to fit something that he never ever brought into the room. The big window sign says "free" pair of contacts with exam (and the $80 surcharge for the free contacts, of course). I went in with my glasses, and he didn't give me any contacts to "fit" them or to just give them to me "for free" both of which are on gigantic window signs right next to us, and I left with my glasses.
(5) Deceptively offered more for my cost then after payment said I would not get what the sign said - again, that it was mandatory that I pay the "contact lens fitting" fee, even though they did no such thing, and that I would not be getting that "free" pair of contact lenses for my $80 either.
Before paying, I asked the desk clerk whether I had to pay the $80 surcharge for what they call a contact lens fitting. He said that I did.
As I was paying the desk clerk, holding only my prescription for the contacts I had two years ago, I asked the kid, "Why does that big sign we are standing next to say that I will get a 'free pair of contacts' with the 'contact lens fitting' charge of $80?"
The clerk said that I should have. So I told him I did not receive anything - no "free pair" of contacts, no contact lens fitting. He went back to ask this optometrist. When the clerk came back out he relayed that the optometrist said they don't carry the brand I used to use, so he couldn't fit test them or give me the "free" pair. THERE ARE TWO KEY CONCERNS HERE:
#1 I had to pay $80 for a fitting, which he refused to do
#2 That $80 was supposed to include a "free pair" of contacts, which he refused to give me.
And I did not want a prescription for my old brand and strength. I wanted an actual eye exam and a properly fitting contact lens prescription. They are a despicable place to do business, based on my experience. read more