My family has frequented Harbor View Eye Care for over 15 years for eye exams, contacts, glasses,…read moreand high-end Maui Jim sunglasses. Upon my recent visit to my hometown, Dr. Meengs gave me an 8:30 am, fast exam, fitted me for contacts, and explained everything in a friendly manner (5 Stars to that man, he is awesome!) But then I went to the front desk and the customer service took a verticle nosedive into Hell.
An older man by the name of Brian took my paperwork. After Meengs returned to his office, Brian gestured toward a display and shortly said, "You need glasses. Pick something." I finished about, found some frames, and asked for lenses slightly weaker than my full-power prescription because I've struggled with migraines in the past. Brian simply said, "No." I pointed out that Meengs had agreed to do so. But Brain looked at my paperwork and said, "Only for your contacts. And I wouldn't have agreed to that. You should be wearing your full prescription." At this point, I thought I was speaking to a senior optometrist. After all, he had just voiced disagreement with Meengs' prescription. Sensing I would get nowhere, I asked for my written prescription so I could excuse myself. He gave me a paper for full strength glasses, which I hadn't even tried. Then he refused to give me a paper for the weaker contacts that I was actually wearing at that moment! Flabbergasted, I left, feeling as though I had wasted my time and money.
Over the next week, Brian called me several times. He kept telling me, I needed to pay for glasses so that he could order them. Consistently, I asked for the slightly weaker lenses, the same strength as my contacts. Repeatedly, he dismissed anything I had to say and stubbornly told me, "No," and, "That's not legal," and "I won't change your prescription." Given how forceful and finite he spoke, I began to think that perhaps he was a new owner... I did not want to deal with such a pushy and unfriendly individual. Except he had sent in my Maui Jims to be fixed; I had to go back to pick them up!
On the morning of my flight, I went to get my sunglasses. Although I approached him as friendly as possible, Brian was short with me. He overcharged me for the service of sending in my sunglasses. I asked for an itemized receipt, which he spent 5 minutes doctoring. I did not want to go around with him over $50. Except this time, my retired businessman-father was with me and he wasn't having it. Brian refused to go over the receipt. He REFUSED to give my father a PEN, (seriously!) He told us, "[we] should just leave," because he did not care what we had to say about how he treats his customers, "[he] was there to make money," and we weren't buying contacts or glasses.
In the end, I went elsewhere to an ophthalmologist, and without issue, got what I needed. Both the ophthalmologist and an optometrist agreed, there is nothing illegal, nor liable, about selling weaker lens than a prescription, one simply won't have the best vision possible. 20/15 vision isn't worth migraines, not even 20/20 imo.
So what's the best part of this customer's nightmare??? Brian is an OFFICE MANAGER!!! This stubborn, inhospitable man who voiced disagreement over my exam and my prescription is NOT an optometrist! Harbor View Eye Care is a nice store with a great location and an awesome optometrist, (Meengs.) BUT the 'non-owner office manager' is a grade-A.rrogant sob who has no business calling the shots on anyone's prescription, let along giving any type of medical advice. He should have referred to the DOCTOR who was literally down the hall or asked for additional paperwork if he felt anyway liable for filling a customer's request. Get this powertrip away from people or at least some hospitality classes!
