Let me to start by saying, hell is shopping for eyeglasses in my size. My bridge is between adult and child. So when I found a pair of frames that fit here, I was delighted. I made an appointment with the optometrist, got my eyes checked, and bought the frames, about a year and a half ago I think. (Edit for owner: more time than that, don't remember)
I have to split up this review between the optometrist and the owner of the store. The owner seems to be the only front end person working at London Optical but does a pretty good job of cycling customers In and out and taking care to help them find good frames. He is friendly and personable. Then I came in about a week later for a frame adjustment and he acted really put out. This should have alerted me as any eyeglass store will usually adjust frames for free, customer or not.
The optometrist, seemed to feel that finding something further wrong with my eyes (which are difficult as is) was somehow a challenge set for her. I heard her say a-ha! when she finished my appointment as though she had found something new and interesting. But because new glasses take a little while to get used to, and progressives even more, I didn't notice the problem with the prescription right away.
After about a month I realized that the lenses had started giving me headaches after about 6 hours of use. Who needs usual glasses that they don't use all day - but only for six hours? Still I thought it was computer use or something else. Finally I called and asked to be rechecked as the prescription was wrong. I was simply told no. Just no. (Realize future customers that the lens markups are huge. It takes a few bucks or as much as a few more bucks, to make lenses that are sold for $800 dollars. Same with frames.) A recheck at a convenient time should not have been a bother. I was...upset.
I needed a second pair of glasses for midrange sight and opted for bifocals instead of progressives. I see fine up-close. I went elsewhere. This time the glasses felt wonderful. Clear and perfect with no headaches. Made for computer use and adjusted to my up-close vision, but, the full eye check Rx did not match the one from London Optical.
So, nice owner until there is a complaint, and not so great optometrist?
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Response to Gregg L. Owner's comment
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First, let me say I just saw your small note asking for my full name etc. My apologies for not seeing it sooner, I assume your vitriolic reply could have been avoided.
Your reaction to my review was fairly extreme. What if every restaurant responded in this manner to a review? It was my experience, and that is it. If someone gives a restaurant one star because of a bad experience, say, getting sick after eating a meatball, it is not slander. This is a site for reviews. I happened to come across London Optical again recently while looking for more stores selling frames, and left this review. It has been a while.
Unfortunately, this was my experience. It was strange but true. I was surprised as much as you apparently are. As I said, I found you very personable. And helpful, at first visits. Perhaps the next time I was in you were in a bad mood? When I called for a recheck it was a woman who said no. Again, I was very surprised, but as I had a lot of life going on, it was not worth calling again, as the answer seemed definitive.
Addressing the costs of frames, labor, and lenses; I do have a good knowledge of mark-ups. I learned about the full process from an optometrist elsewhere. Some lenses take more work than others, but some are very simple. And, many frames, no matter the name, are made quite cheaply, and even marked up for wholesale, let alone retail. Anyone can research this. Or ask a neutral optometrist. So that, hopefully was not the problem when I called for a recheck.
As for using an alias, I believe this is against Yelp policy. It is a shortened version of my name. Like Sue for Suson, or Beth for Elizabeth.
The buyer beware statement about a different business, was simply a warning for folks to be careful. I have seen, more and more, that sales people have left themselves off the standard moral chains, so to speak. However, I am willing to edit this part out and will do so, so no one will think it was you.
You have many great reviews, and one medium one. I would think you would be proud. This review was not an attack in any way. The experience was what it was.
If you wish, I can take down all but a few short lines, and keep this follow-up. The follow-up is important, as such a response for a review could scare off other reviewers for being honest - without accusations, complaints or repercussions from business owners. Especially when a person gives a medium review of 3 stars, not a 1 star. Please think about that for a moment. I hope cooler heads will prevail. read more
