Deciding to change my optometrist to save money, I found this place on Google Maps and was pleased to see that there was an optometrist close to my work. Intending to get a contact lens exam with glasses (if automatically included), I decided to call Dr. Tran's cell phone number. The next day, I got a text back from him, and we texted back and forth to set up an appointment the day after.
For my appointment on 02/06/2025, I came into Dr. Tran's office after work around 6:30 p.m. We agreed that I would try CooperVision contact lenses, which I have never tried before, since I have been a loyal Alcon (and Bausch + Lomb) customer since I started wearing contact lenses. He was very quick and efficient with administering the vision exam. Although I felt like it was a rush, I was not too concerned about the accuracy since I felt that my prescription had little to no change. Thankfully, there was no change to my prescription. I ordered the contact lenses to be delivered to his office and paid $470 for them plus the exam with a credit card, and I was given an invoice, receipt and $200 rebate voucher.
On 02/24, I wondered if my contact lenses came yet and thought that perhaps the doctor forgot about them, so I decided to text him to see if they were delivered yet. He told me that he would let me know, so I waited until 03/03 to ask him again. He replied that he would check by going to his office. A few days later, I started to get worried and asked him again if he saw my contacts, and he replied the next day saying that he was trying to figure out what happened to them, and since the rebate was supposed to be submitted no more than 60 days after the purchase date, he would make up the rebate date. I reluctantly acknowledged his response, but I was still worried. It was extremely stupid and irresponsible of me, since I did not notify him that I would do such a thing for fear of making him upset, but I called my bank on 03/07 and disputed the payment I made on the day of my appointment. I did not want him to find out, but I felt that he eventually would and hoped that it would be after I would get my contacts, and then I would try to cancel the dispute, so we would pretend that this never happened.
About a week after opening the dispute, I saw that my transaction was reversed to my relief but felt bad that I did such a wicked thing without telling Dr. Tran, but I just wanted to make sure that I would get what I paid for. Then, I honestly made an appointment with another optometrist that was close to my home with the intention of getting a contact lens prescription and year's supply of contacts. By chance, Dr. Tran texted me on 04/04, which was very thankfully before my appointment, to tell me that my contacts came. I replied to him that I would pick them up, and we agreed that I would come the next day. (I also asked him if I could get a copy of my prescription since I was not sure if he wrote me one the day of my appointment or if I misplaced it.) When I went there, he had 7 of the 8 boxes, and he explained why it took so long, and I believe he told me that he was trying to find the boxes that matched my prescription in his inventory. He told me that he owed me the last box, which he would order. Unexpectedly, he requested that I pay the amount that I originally paid, and I realized I got caught and played dumb, asking him if I did not pay him that amount already since I did. He asked me if I called my bank, and I was a bit shocked and dismayed, at a loss of words. I admitted to him that I did since I got worried that I would not get my contacts, feeling extremely bad for deceiving him and ashamed of myself. He told me that my bank called him to ask him if it was OK to reverse the payment I originally made, and he agreed with the intention that once I received my contacts, I would make the payment again. He knew the whole time what I was up to without letting me know. I paid the same amount again and was given another invoice and receipt with the same rebate voucher as well as the prescription, and I apologized to him multiple times. Later over text, I told him that I intended to un-reverse my payment when I get my contacts and hoped that he would not know what happened but expected that he would. (If he would find out, I still hoped he would after my payment would be un-reversed.)
Finally, on 04/15, Dr. Tran told me that my last box of contacts came, and I picked them up. He handed it to me just when I came in, and I left without so much as more than a goodbye, justifiably so since I pulled the rug under him without warning. From this whole experience, I learned to be patient and communicative, especially when it comes to essential matters such as this. It is always best to communicate your intentions before doing them especially in business. Because of my actions, I felt like I lost his trust of me. I hoped that I really learned my lesson and can apply it to the rest of my life. read more