I joined a 3 year club, which I paid for, a year ago. I went to renew my contacts online. Two days after the money was taken out of my bank account (which was taken right away), I received an email stating that my rx expired. I called the America's Best store where I bought my membership which is shut down- out of business. I can't even get my free eye exam for a new prescription. The nearest other office is two hours away. They need to refund my bank account ASAP for the contacts, and refund the $100 for the club I joined because they have not met their obligations of the contract. I plan to share this experience with everyone and contact the Better Business Bureau. In calling your organization, I just get put on hold and hung up on. Not a good way to do business.
Went to this place because it was advertised as the best. They had 2 pair of glasses for $69 with free eye examine.
After having the exam and picking out frames, which were $69, with no line bifocals and other extras, the total was $344.45.
So, when I picked them up in 2 weeks, they put them on my face and sent me on my merry way. At last I was going to see perfect and not have to wear my $10.00 readers! Wrong!
After a return to the America's Best, sitting thru 3 hours of trying to adjust these glasses to my eyes and a reexamine, I was told they should be fine. The eye doctor told me it would take 6 weeks for my eyes to get used to these glasses.
I tried my best to make these glasses work but I couldn't see and they gave me major headaches.
I went back and ask for my money back. I was told I would have to pay $45 for the examine even though it was obviously wrong.
Wish I had never heard of this place. I am still wearing my readers and have a prescription that I cannot be sure will work.
My girlfriend and I went to the Blaine, MN store. First we were ignored by the staff for quite a long time. After we were acknowledged we were asked about our insurance and we were told that we were covered through their company. They even looked it up in their (book?) and again said we were covered. They then asked if we were going to get an eye exam because that was also was included in our insurance, which we already knew. So my girlfriend had the eye exam and they never explained what they were doing. After they were done and we found the glasses we both wanted (I didn't need an exam), we were instructed to fill out information with all personal information. Then they were nice enough to let us know that our insurance wasn't covered by them and proceeded to tell us that our bill was $45 and that we had pay for that put of our pocket. We question's them about why they neglected to inform us of this before the eye exam they kept skirting around the question with bogus answers which were basically ramblings and excuses.
They then told us that there was an additional charge for $15 for another exam that we had no knowledge was even performed. In the end we had to pay $61.20 for exams we could've went to another reputable optometrist and got done for $10 (which is our actual co-pay).
On top of all this the staff were extremely rude and s
To whom it may concern: Re: America's Best Contacts and Eyeglasses, is a bad choice or a Twilight Zone: “To Serve Mankind”
Then something changed. Just a few years ago our experience in getting my wife's eyes examined and the process of buying glasses at America's Best in North Charleston, SC was a very pleasant experience that's why we went back in January, 2015.
I suppose we should have been alerted that something was drastically different on this trip when my wife was examined for glasses only as she vary rarely uses her contacts but was harassed about her not getting new contacts being told, among other things, that she could go blind if she didn't get new ones and clean them properly. They the doctor and the assistant spent more time trying to sell contacts than doing the exam.
She attempted to explain she has over 50 years experience wearing glasses and contacts so she knows what to do. But that's not the end.
When picking out frames the associate fitting her said we were "in luck" as the RX only
called for one vision not the tri-focals (progressives) we thought she needed. When the optometrist was questioned about how her eyes can get better at age 67 he condescendingly asked if she knew how many times per day she blinks, that that alone can change the shape of the cornea. Frankly we should have bailed out then but were enamored in hope and suspended logic at least until we returned for the final fitting and pick up.
Oh, I interject here, my wife picked out two eye glass cases marked clearly two for five dollars.
the sales associate asked if she wanted to take them but she deferred to waiting until she
was to pick them up with the glasses. He said he'd put them in a drawer for her return.
So now we get to the best part. The store was busy and no one offered my wife a seat so I found one for her to sit in while she waited to pick up the glasses. I had an errand to run and since it looked like the wait would be a while I left for about 30 minutes. When I returned I could see that my wife seemed agitated so I asked what the problem was. She said her 18" vision was unacceptable. She could not see to play the piano. So the associate asked how large the piano notes? She also continued to condescendingly say repeatedly that close is close and distance is distance, as if there is no middle (then why are thee tri-focals). Also she said she was told the cases would not be the price sold to us but a higher price. I went over to the guy who sold them to us and he confirmed the original deal. My wife told me then the other female associate who had been helping her had told her they do not save eye glass cases, yet the man who had served us disagreed with her confirming the price and he had given them to her as she witnessed his getting them out of the drawer.
In the meantime I suggested since the original woman was busy someone else could resolve these issues, as I was certain this could be fixed. However, my wife went on to explain that the woman who was busy (who was now directing things from behind a wall) had told my wife to take the glasses home and if her eyes do not adjust she could come back and get new ones with a new free exam but we would have to pay for the new glasses. She also asked what size the piano music is in reference to my wife's inability to see 18" clearly (or the dashboard of a car?). I asked why they had only prescribed only single vision after my wife reminded me of the issue with the contacts and how that issue was as confusing as the rest of the conversation. The young woman's answer was that my wife had indicated she lifted her glasses to read things at 18" when she was wearing contacts and that is why the doctor had only prescribed single vision. What?
Well I'd heard enough and asked for our money back. Who can do business that way? Either America's Best's house is full of clowns or real bad con-men.
I said there was no reason to pay for the accessories either. Then my wife told me the young woman who now was back with her ignorance (I hope) of her own business had tried to get my wife to sign an invoice for the accessories, when we had not signed the debit card anywhere before including when we paid 400 bucks for the glasses a week before. Why? I was getting a little warm under the collar so I suggested they all get a job with a shylock or payday loan place.
Either these people need a job at Good Will to be taught how to work at an honest job or get a job selling whole life insurance.
Now, think, Board of Directors, what if my wife had driven home with those bad glasses your agents had tried to get her to do and she and been hurt in an accident. Think you'd loose that negligence lawsuit? It might have been an intentional act to defraud and putting one in immanent danger of bodily harm. That's a crime not covered under your GL or D&O. Think about it.
Incidentally, I didn't waste my time looking up your names, they are not easy to find. Are you hiding, maybe because there are over 5,000 complaints against America's Best with the BBB and other consumer reporting agencies? .
Epilog : I gave America's Best an opportunity to rectify the situation by sending an e-mail to Corporate to bring their attention to our discontent. We got a call which only seemed to be a cursory response with a redundant attempt to justify the way were were treated. At the end of the day we only wanted an apology and assurance they would look into the mater with recognition that their employees may have not followed procedures, either professional or corporate protocol. Naw, the phone representative only wanted to tell us how stupid we were and the “misunderstanding” was our fault. If you go to this outfit do so at your own risk. A bad eye exam RX can cost you your sight and maybe more. And what happened to “The customer is ALWAYS right”? Is service in retail America now “never having to say you're sorry”?
Went there in 2012 after several experiences with them in the past when I was not covered by my health insurance. Then the experience was pretty much as they said, eye exam and glasses at one price with a few add-ons for comfort, safety, and/or upgrade. No worries, right?
Well, this company has totally went down the toilet. The eye exams were fine as was the initial sign-up for their 3-year 'insurance plan'. The problem came AFTER the exam as I got double dinged for exam even though I paid for the 3-year; with the excuse being that I had an eyeglass and contact lense exam. Well excuse me but I didn't know there was a difference and surely didn't know they both weren't covered. Second, got my contact lense ordered for $99; not unreasonable actually so no complaint there.
But third is the charm, the glasses. I was asked to select frames, any frame. I came back with a nice design and we sat and went over my lenses. I ordered polycarb upgrade or whatever it was and ended up paying $300. Excuse me? $300 for some glasses that are not bifocal or nothing too complex. Now here comes the best part of all, three weeks later I called in asking about my glasses and the response was "Oh, your glasses are here - you need to come in and get them". Um, I thought I would get a phone call not have to inquire about my overpriced purchase.
So, I go there, upset but ready to at least have my glasses for times I dont want to wear contacts; and was asked to try them out. I observed the frame did not fit my head, that it needed adjustment for the arm to fit one side of my ear. I was told, there is no adjustment and that the frames are the way it is. Not only did these frames NOT fit like the one I tried on, but this was too small for my head and hangs off my right side ear (doesn't wrap or connect, just suspends). They threw in a glasses case but I am left with a horrible expeirence in both customer service AND product with their glasses.
Needless to say, I will NEVER purchase glasses from them ever again and I strongly advise anyone out there to be prepared to get in writing up-front what they will and wont do before you purchase or get the exam going. ....
My experience with “America’s Best Contacts and Eyeglasses (ABCE)” was extremely disappointing.
I bought almost $1000 in eyeglasses from their store – eyeglasses and sunglasses. When I received them, I determined quickly that I could not see at all. Since ABCE guarantees their products for 30 days – exchange no charge – I returned them. When I was re-examined, it was determined that my first exam was enormously incorrect. ABCE cooperatively assisted me in selecting new glasses and re-ordered for me. Since I could use the reader portion of my glasses, I kept the incorrect ones with the understanding that I would pay for the ordered glasses but would receive a refund when I picked up the new ones.
The trouble began when I asked for my promised refund. It took at least 10 minutes of explaining to the ABCE employee (who is also the assistant manager) before she understood why I should receive a refund. When she finally understood, she issued the refund in 2 separate transactions. When the second refund didn’t post to my credit card, I contacted ABCE and was told by that same employee (the assistant manager) that they had issued both credits, had proof, and that I should contact my credit card company. My credit card company credited my account with the disputed amount with the plan to contact ABCE for an explanation.
Instead of contacting their own store employee (the assistant manager) for an explanation, ABCE chose to notify my card company that they had issued a credit, relieving them of their obligation. They totally missed the fact that I should have received 2 credits. My card company re-billed the amount they had initially credited and put the ball firmly in my court.
Now, I must scan and upload my receipts along with a detailed description about why I should receive the second refund. This issue is requiring hours of my time on hold, gathering and preparing documentation, uploading files, etc – when a call by ABCE to its own store and employee (the assistant manager) could have solved the problem. Incidentally, I had to return to the store to pick up a pair of sunglasses that was ordered after the first pair (to make sure the new prescription was accurate), the ABCE employee (the assistant manager) asked if I had received my refund. I explained that I had not and had begun the dispute process with my card company, she advised that she was glad – that the matter would then be handled by ABCE staff above her level.
With my rather ordinary prescription for moderate nearsightedness, we knew that bifocal lenses, decent frames, etc. would inflate the "two for $69.95" to something like half a grand, so the actual bill, $473.95, was expected.
What I didn't expect, after 50-plus years of wearing glasses, each pair of which was always at least the equal of the one before it, was that the ones from America's "Best" (and I use that term very loosely) would be virtually useless.
Stupid me, before I left the store I didn't bother to look outdoors through the new glasses at any distance that would be affected. Past experience made it an easy thing to take for granted. While driving home, the issue became much more evident. One set of new lenses was marginally functional at intermediate range; the other, completely useless. Neither pair gave any correction at any distance beyond about fifty yards.
In retrospect, this shouldn't have been a surprising outcome. The eye exam was a whiz-bang in-out affair that took about one-third the amount of time as any other I'd ever had. Instead of narrowing down the parameters with a decent series of increasingly fine incremental changes, as every other optometrist had done, this test involved just a few coarse shortcut measurements per eye, and even those minimal steps were done in such haste that I had to ask for a repeat on several of them.
I brought back both pairs of glasses the next day, along with the old ones, which were checked by the same optometrist who tested my eyesight. He proclaimed that since I could read one of the lowermost lines on a chart projection, it meant that with the new glasses on, my vision was 20/15, the difference between test results and old prescription was only 1/4 of a diopter, which can't possibly make that much difference, blah, blah, blah. He twisted one lens, by slightly distorting the frames, on the supposition that it had been installed slightly off-axis. This did make a small difference at close range, but as soon as I went back outdoors, it again became obvious that I did not have glasses that not only didn't match the old ones, but were, for distance vision, useless. "Give them another try and you can always come back if they're still not right, and we'll see what we can do." Or words to that effect. The sensation afterward wasn't so much one of having visited an optician as a used car salesman.
I'll skip that second trip back for more of the nothing that the first go-around with this outfit yielded, and when I can afford it, I'll take these new frames to an optical provider that doesn't have Mcfranchises all over the country.
Got an eye exam and when I sat down with the rep to order my glasses I asked about having them tinted. She said, "That comes with the basic package." I thought that was really a bargain...only $99.95 and I get them tinted. But when I got the bill it was for $168.00. Being an older prson and knowing I sometimes misunderstand things I didn't question her...Had I agreed to this higher price? I didn't think so. I came home and saw they were charging me for the tint so I called the store. I was told that the basic package is not the $99.95 deal. So then I saw what they had pulled and told them I didn't want the tint. 14 days later I get the glasses and one pair is lightly tinted and one pair is sunglases. Had to send them back and wait another 8 days. When they showed them to me one pair of frames was bright pink! Not my frames and I'm getting pretty fed up with these people. She pulled the orgiginal order and it said pink frames. I told her I didn't care what someone had written on the order I would never have ordered bright pink frames. My husband was with me when I ordered the glasses and he started laughing when he saw these. He also told her I did not order them. She did switch the lenses to the pair of frames I had actuallt ordered.When I tried them on I couldn't see properly, even after adjustments. I told the girl I would bring them home and see if I can adjust to them. I asked her how their return policy works and she told me that I have 30 days after I place the order to return them. I questioned her about that since I had ordered them 22 days ago and had to send them back because of their mistake. She said that is the way it is and if I want to return them after the 30 days the manager might work with me on it. Please do youself a favor and stay away.
On June 5 I ordered Eyeglasses from America Best payed for them that day I didnot have to have an eye exam FREE so they say. I ordered a new frame with new lenes and my glasses I wear now to drop pff when I pick up my new glasses and they are to put new lenes in them and changing lenses -darken when you go outside told me it would be two weeks. I called on Wed and Friday and they ask me if I had picked a pair of glasses NO now I tell them to cancel my order and I want my money back. we are not talking 69.00 what they advertise we are talking 551.68. I also had a neighbor with me and she wanted the 69.00 two pair deal she ended up paying 160.00 ripoff .I called and spoke with everyone working today and they said I would have to come in and gave me an number to call and cancel my order 18004111162. I called busy busy
I was promised the delivery of two pairs of glasses and the merchant lost one of them. My daughter needed transition lenses to begin eye therapy. I am filing a formal complaint against America's Best located in Kendall, Florida. I placed an order with Rohan (store manager) on 7/10 for two pairs of glasses for my daughter.
One had transitions lenses and the other did not. My daughter has a medical condition and needed to begin eye therapy the following week. I advised that that it needed to be rush order since she was leaving out of state next week.
He assured us that both glasses would be ready on time. The following Tuesday I called to make sure the glasses were ready on time. The rep on the phone said that his manager was rushing the order and they would be ready the next day.
The next day I received a phone call to advise that both pairs were ready for pick up. I arrived and waited 40 minutes to be told by a rep that they lost the glasses with transition lenses! How irresponsible!!
The manager apologized and said he would put a trace on them. He said that he will ship them to my daughter overnight once the glasses were located. My daughter left out of state with one pair of glasses on Thursday.
I called this location to check on the status of the missing glasses; he had no update. Later on the day, he called to advise that he found the glasses and would ship it to my daughter overnight. He called later on the day with an invalid UPS tracking #.
7/18, Friday morning, I contacted Rohan, the manager, again. He could not provide me with the tracking # again. He claimed that he had no access to it at the present moment.
I became frustrated and contacted the Customer Care line. The rep provided me we the correct tracking #. Rohan shipped the glasses not overnight as promised but regular UPS shipping and my daughter will not be receiving the glasses until next week, July 23rd. I will never use America's Best services again.
I am very disappointed with the store manager's lack of professionalism. I only hope that Rohan sent the "missing" glasses to the correct address. I cannot speak for other locations only for this particular location.
This is a story about a doctor who lied to a patient in order to push a certain contact lens.
For the longest time, I went to my family’s trusted eye doctor in my hometown. I started wearing contacts about 10 years ago, and went through a variety of lenses at first, working with my doctor to find ones that worked. I have eye issues, including mild astigmatism, that required working around. Additionally, I went on a course of Accutane that resulted in semi-permanent dry eyes, and began law school, which required near-constant screen and small-type reading.
Eventually, my doctor put me on Biomedic XC lenses, and they were like a dream. He recommended I remain on them, as they were the best solution for my situation. (This was arrived at after trying multiple lenses from different manufacturers.)
Fast forward to the present. I moved to Pittsburgh to work, and was in need of a new eye doctor. America’s Best was the default choice, as they were the only place that took my insurance downtown. I’ll gloss over the customer service, as that’s secondary to the story (but it wasn’t great – the staff decided the best time to train each other from scratch on filling orders for insurance and lenses was with a live customer, during the lunch hour).
I made a point of mentioning to the doctor that my old doctor had me on the Biomedic XCs, and those were the ones I wanted to order. His response to me?
“Oh, we have those – we just call them something different. We call them Sofmed 55s.”
It struck me as fishy, especially since he refused to make eye contact with me, but whatever. He’s the doctor, right?
I took home six boxes of them, only to discover that they are absolutely wrong for my eyes. They cause near-constant eye-aches, and I have come to dread putting them in (and I only wear them for about 12 hours a day and take them out every night). These were absolutely not the same lens.
Well, a quick bit of googling showed me – shocker! No “name change” for the XCs. In fact, they’re not the same lens at all! And, what’s this? America’s Best has often been accused of pushing the Sofmeds before?
I am beyond appalled that a doctor would make such a bold-faced lie to a patient, in order to do what… fulfill some sort of quota? I feel like I was taken advantage of, and I feel ashamed for being so trustworthy.
Some may find various ‘models’ of contact lenses to be interchangeable, but I do not, and I urge you not to patronize America’s Best, lest your eyes become mere fodder for quota-filling, too.
They decieve customers using a misleading add for a $69 2 pair glasses with a free exam. The glasses are not free, if you refuse to pay they will charge you for the exam. I ended up paying more than a $100 for me and my wife because we decided to cancle the transaction as we do not desire to buy their service anymore. They said we have to pay for the exam. We did and left the store.
America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses Reviews
I joined a 3 year club, which I paid for, a year ago. I went to renew my contacts online. Two days after the money was taken out of my bank account (which was taken right away), I received an email stating that my rx expired. I called the America's Best store where I bought my membership which is shut down- out of business. I can't even get my free eye exam for a new prescription. The nearest other office is two hours away. They need to refund my bank account ASAP for the contacts, and refund the $100 for the club I joined because they have not met their obligations of the contract. I plan to share this experience with everyone and contact the Better Business Bureau. In calling your organization, I just get put on hold and hung up on. Not a good way to do business.
Went to this place because it was advertised as the best. They had 2 pair of glasses for $69 with free eye examine.
After having the exam and picking out frames, which were $69, with no line bifocals and other extras, the total was $344.45.
So, when I picked them up in 2 weeks, they put them on my face and sent me on my merry way. At last I was going to see perfect and not have to wear my $10.00 readers! Wrong!
After a return to the America's Best, sitting thru 3 hours of trying to adjust these glasses to my eyes and a reexamine, I was told they should be fine. The eye doctor told me it would take 6 weeks for my eyes to get used to these glasses.
I tried my best to make these glasses work but I couldn't see and they gave me major headaches.
I went back and ask for my money back. I was told I would have to pay $45 for the examine even though it was obviously wrong.
Wish I had never heard of this place. I am still wearing my readers and have a prescription that I cannot be sure will work.
This place is a big ripoff
My girlfriend and I went to the Blaine, MN store. First we were ignored by the staff for quite a long time. After we were acknowledged we were asked about our insurance and we were told that we were covered through their company. They even looked it up in their (book?) and again said we were covered. They then asked if we were going to get an eye exam because that was also was included in our insurance, which we already knew. So my girlfriend had the eye exam and they never explained what they were doing. After they were done and we found the glasses we both wanted (I didn't need an exam), we were instructed to fill out information with all personal information. Then they were nice enough to let us know that our insurance wasn't covered by them and proceeded to tell us that our bill was $45 and that we had pay for that put of our pocket. We question's them about why they neglected to inform us of this before the eye exam they kept skirting around the question with bogus answers which were basically ramblings and excuses.
They then told us that there was an additional charge for $15 for another exam that we had no knowledge was even performed. In the end we had to pay $61.20 for exams we could've went to another reputable optometrist and got done for $10 (which is our actual co-pay).
On top of all this the staff were extremely rude and s
To whom it may concern: Re: America's Best Contacts and Eyeglasses, is a bad choice or a Twilight Zone: “To Serve Mankind”
Then something changed. Just a few years ago our experience in getting my wife's eyes examined and the process of buying glasses at America's Best in North Charleston, SC was a very pleasant experience that's why we went back in January, 2015.
I suppose we should have been alerted that something was drastically different on this trip when my wife was examined for glasses only as she vary rarely uses her contacts but was harassed about her not getting new contacts being told, among other things, that she could go blind if she didn't get new ones and clean them properly. They the doctor and the assistant spent more time trying to sell contacts than doing the exam.
She attempted to explain she has over 50 years experience wearing glasses and contacts so she knows what to do. But that's not the end.
When picking out frames the associate fitting her said we were "in luck" as the RX only
called for one vision not the tri-focals (progressives) we thought she needed. When the optometrist was questioned about how her eyes can get better at age 67 he condescendingly asked if she knew how many times per day she blinks, that that alone can change the shape of the cornea. Frankly we should have bailed out then but were enamored in hope and suspended logic at least until we returned for the final fitting and pick up.
Oh, I interject here, my wife picked out two eye glass cases marked clearly two for five dollars.
the sales associate asked if she wanted to take them but she deferred to waiting until she
was to pick them up with the glasses. He said he'd put them in a drawer for her return.
So now we get to the best part. The store was busy and no one offered my wife a seat so I found one for her to sit in while she waited to pick up the glasses. I had an errand to run and since it looked like the wait would be a while I left for about 30 minutes. When I returned I could see that my wife seemed agitated so I asked what the problem was. She said her 18" vision was unacceptable. She could not see to play the piano. So the associate asked how large the piano notes? She also continued to condescendingly say repeatedly that close is close and distance is distance, as if there is no middle (then why are thee tri-focals). Also she said she was told the cases would not be the price sold to us but a higher price. I went over to the guy who sold them to us and he confirmed the original deal. My wife told me then the other female associate who had been helping her had told her they do not save eye glass cases, yet the man who had served us disagreed with her confirming the price and he had given them to her as she witnessed his getting them out of the drawer.
In the meantime I suggested since the original woman was busy someone else could resolve these issues, as I was certain this could be fixed. However, my wife went on to explain that the woman who was busy (who was now directing things from behind a wall) had told my wife to take the glasses home and if her eyes do not adjust she could come back and get new ones with a new free exam but we would have to pay for the new glasses. She also asked what size the piano music is in reference to my wife's inability to see 18" clearly (or the dashboard of a car?). I asked why they had only prescribed only single vision after my wife reminded me of the issue with the contacts and how that issue was as confusing as the rest of the conversation. The young woman's answer was that my wife had indicated she lifted her glasses to read things at 18" when she was wearing contacts and that is why the doctor had only prescribed single vision. What?
Well I'd heard enough and asked for our money back. Who can do business that way? Either America's Best's house is full of clowns or real bad con-men.
I said there was no reason to pay for the accessories either. Then my wife told me the young woman who now was back with her ignorance (I hope) of her own business had tried to get my wife to sign an invoice for the accessories, when we had not signed the debit card anywhere before including when we paid 400 bucks for the glasses a week before. Why? I was getting a little warm under the collar so I suggested they all get a job with a shylock or payday loan place.
Either these people need a job at Good Will to be taught how to work at an honest job or get a job selling whole life insurance.
Now, think, Board of Directors, what if my wife had driven home with those bad glasses your agents had tried to get her to do and she and been hurt in an accident. Think you'd loose that negligence lawsuit? It might have been an intentional act to defraud and putting one in immanent danger of bodily harm. That's a crime not covered under your GL or D&O. Think about it.
Incidentally, I didn't waste my time looking up your names, they are not easy to find. Are you hiding, maybe because there are over 5,000 complaints against America's Best with the BBB and other consumer reporting agencies? .
Epilog : I gave America's Best an opportunity to rectify the situation by sending an e-mail to Corporate to bring their attention to our discontent. We got a call which only seemed to be a cursory response with a redundant attempt to justify the way were were treated. At the end of the day we only wanted an apology and assurance they would look into the mater with recognition that their employees may have not followed procedures, either professional or corporate protocol. Naw, the phone representative only wanted to tell us how stupid we were and the “misunderstanding” was our fault. If you go to this outfit do so at your own risk. A bad eye exam RX can cost you your sight and maybe more. And what happened to “The customer is ALWAYS right”? Is service in retail America now “never having to say you're sorry”?
Went there in 2012 after several experiences with them in the past when I was not covered by my health insurance. Then the experience was pretty much as they said, eye exam and glasses at one price with a few add-ons for comfort, safety, and/or upgrade. No worries, right?
Well, this company has totally went down the toilet. The eye exams were fine as was the initial sign-up for their 3-year 'insurance plan'. The problem came AFTER the exam as I got double dinged for exam even though I paid for the 3-year; with the excuse being that I had an eyeglass and contact lense exam. Well excuse me but I didn't know there was a difference and surely didn't know they both weren't covered. Second, got my contact lense ordered for $99; not unreasonable actually so no complaint there.
But third is the charm, the glasses. I was asked to select frames, any frame. I came back with a nice design and we sat and went over my lenses. I ordered polycarb upgrade or whatever it was and ended up paying $300. Excuse me? $300 for some glasses that are not bifocal or nothing too complex. Now here comes the best part of all, three weeks later I called in asking about my glasses and the response was "Oh, your glasses are here - you need to come in and get them". Um, I thought I would get a phone call not have to inquire about my overpriced purchase.
So, I go there, upset but ready to at least have my glasses for times I dont want to wear contacts; and was asked to try them out. I observed the frame did not fit my head, that it needed adjustment for the arm to fit one side of my ear. I was told, there is no adjustment and that the frames are the way it is. Not only did these frames NOT fit like the one I tried on, but this was too small for my head and hangs off my right side ear (doesn't wrap or connect, just suspends). They threw in a glasses case but I am left with a horrible expeirence in both customer service AND product with their glasses.
Needless to say, I will NEVER purchase glasses from them ever again and I strongly advise anyone out there to be prepared to get in writing up-front what they will and wont do before you purchase or get the exam going. ....
My experience with “America’s Best Contacts and Eyeglasses (ABCE)” was extremely disappointing.
I bought almost $1000 in eyeglasses from their store – eyeglasses and sunglasses. When I received them, I determined quickly that I could not see at all. Since ABCE guarantees their products for 30 days – exchange no charge – I returned them. When I was re-examined, it was determined that my first exam was enormously incorrect. ABCE cooperatively assisted me in selecting new glasses and re-ordered for me. Since I could use the reader portion of my glasses, I kept the incorrect ones with the understanding that I would pay for the ordered glasses but would receive a refund when I picked up the new ones.
The trouble began when I asked for my promised refund. It took at least 10 minutes of explaining to the ABCE employee (who is also the assistant manager) before she understood why I should receive a refund. When she finally understood, she issued the refund in 2 separate transactions. When the second refund didn’t post to my credit card, I contacted ABCE and was told by that same employee (the assistant manager) that they had issued both credits, had proof, and that I should contact my credit card company. My credit card company credited my account with the disputed amount with the plan to contact ABCE for an explanation.
Instead of contacting their own store employee (the assistant manager) for an explanation, ABCE chose to notify my card company that they had issued a credit, relieving them of their obligation. They totally missed the fact that I should have received 2 credits. My card company re-billed the amount they had initially credited and put the ball firmly in my court.
Now, I must scan and upload my receipts along with a detailed description about why I should receive the second refund. This issue is requiring hours of my time on hold, gathering and preparing documentation, uploading files, etc – when a call by ABCE to its own store and employee (the assistant manager) could have solved the problem. Incidentally, I had to return to the store to pick up a pair of sunglasses that was ordered after the first pair (to make sure the new prescription was accurate), the ABCE employee (the assistant manager) asked if I had received my refund. I explained that I had not and had begun the dispute process with my card company, she advised that she was glad – that the matter would then be handled by ABCE staff above her level.
The issue remains unsolved.
With my rather ordinary prescription for moderate nearsightedness, we knew that bifocal lenses, decent frames, etc. would inflate the "two for $69.95" to something like half a grand, so the actual bill, $473.95, was expected.
What I didn't expect, after 50-plus years of wearing glasses, each pair of which was always at least the equal of the one before it, was that the ones from America's "Best" (and I use that term very loosely) would be virtually useless.
Stupid me, before I left the store I didn't bother to look outdoors through the new glasses at any distance that would be affected. Past experience made it an easy thing to take for granted. While driving home, the issue became much more evident. One set of new lenses was marginally functional at intermediate range; the other, completely useless. Neither pair gave any correction at any distance beyond about fifty yards.
In retrospect, this shouldn't have been a surprising outcome. The eye exam was a whiz-bang in-out affair that took about one-third the amount of time as any other I'd ever had. Instead of narrowing down the parameters with a decent series of increasingly fine incremental changes, as every other optometrist had done, this test involved just a few coarse shortcut measurements per eye, and even those minimal steps were done in such haste that I had to ask for a repeat on several of them.
I brought back both pairs of glasses the next day, along with the old ones, which were checked by the same optometrist who tested my eyesight. He proclaimed that since I could read one of the lowermost lines on a chart projection, it meant that with the new glasses on, my vision was 20/15, the difference between test results and old prescription was only 1/4 of a diopter, which can't possibly make that much difference, blah, blah, blah. He twisted one lens, by slightly distorting the frames, on the supposition that it had been installed slightly off-axis. This did make a small difference at close range, but as soon as I went back outdoors, it again became obvious that I did not have glasses that not only didn't match the old ones, but were, for distance vision, useless. "Give them another try and you can always come back if they're still not right, and we'll see what we can do." Or words to that effect. The sensation afterward wasn't so much one of having visited an optician as a used car salesman.
I'll skip that second trip back for more of the nothing that the first go-around with this outfit yielded, and when I can afford it, I'll take these new frames to an optical provider that doesn't have Mcfranchises all over the country.
I don't know where to begin with the complaints.
Got an eye exam and when I sat down with the rep to order my glasses I asked about having them tinted. She said, "That comes with the basic package." I thought that was really a bargain...only $99.95 and I get them tinted. But when I got the bill it was for $168.00. Being an older prson and knowing I sometimes misunderstand things I didn't question her...Had I agreed to this higher price? I didn't think so. I came home and saw they were charging me for the tint so I called the store. I was told that the basic package is not the $99.95 deal. So then I saw what they had pulled and told them I didn't want the tint. 14 days later I get the glasses and one pair is lightly tinted and one pair is sunglases. Had to send them back and wait another 8 days. When they showed them to me one pair of frames was bright pink! Not my frames and I'm getting pretty fed up with these people. She pulled the orgiginal order and it said pink frames. I told her I didn't care what someone had written on the order I would never have ordered bright pink frames. My husband was with me when I ordered the glasses and he started laughing when he saw these. He also told her I did not order them. She did switch the lenses to the pair of frames I had actuallt ordered.When I tried them on I couldn't see properly, even after adjustments. I told the girl I would bring them home and see if I can adjust to them. I asked her how their return policy works and she told me that I have 30 days after I place the order to return them. I questioned her about that since I had ordered them 22 days ago and had to send them back because of their mistake. She said that is the way it is and if I want to return them after the 30 days the manager might work with me on it. Please do youself a favor and stay away.
On June 5 I ordered Eyeglasses from America Best payed for them that day I didnot have to have an eye exam FREE so they say. I ordered a new frame with new lenes and my glasses I wear now to drop pff when I pick up my new glasses and they are to put new lenes in them and changing lenses -darken when you go outside told me it would be two weeks. I called on Wed and Friday and they ask me if I had picked a pair of glasses NO now I tell them to cancel my order and I want my money back. we are not talking 69.00 what they advertise we are talking 551.68. I also had a neighbor with me and she wanted the 69.00 two pair deal she ended up paying 160.00 ripoff .I called and spoke with everyone working today and they said I would have to come in and gave me an number to call and cancel my order 18004111162. I called busy busy
I was promised the delivery of two pairs of glasses and the merchant lost one of them. My daughter needed transition lenses to begin eye therapy. I am filing a formal complaint against America's Best located in Kendall, Florida. I placed an order with Rohan (store manager) on 7/10 for two pairs of glasses for my daughter.
One had transitions lenses and the other did not. My daughter has a medical condition and needed to begin eye therapy the following week. I advised that that it needed to be rush order since she was leaving out of state next week.
He assured us that both glasses would be ready on time. The following Tuesday I called to make sure the glasses were ready on time. The rep on the phone said that his manager was rushing the order and they would be ready the next day.
The next day I received a phone call to advise that both pairs were ready for pick up. I arrived and waited 40 minutes to be told by a rep that they lost the glasses with transition lenses! How irresponsible!!
The manager apologized and said he would put a trace on them. He said that he will ship them to my daughter overnight once the glasses were located. My daughter left out of state with one pair of glasses on Thursday.
I called this location to check on the status of the missing glasses; he had no update. Later on the day, he called to advise that he found the glasses and would ship it to my daughter overnight. He called later on the day with an invalid UPS tracking #.
7/18, Friday morning, I contacted Rohan, the manager, again. He could not provide me with the tracking # again. He claimed that he had no access to it at the present moment.
I became frustrated and contacted the Customer Care line. The rep provided me we the correct tracking #. Rohan shipped the glasses not overnight as promised but regular UPS shipping and my daughter will not be receiving the glasses until next week, July 23rd. I will never use America's Best services again.
I am very disappointed with the store manager's lack of professionalism. I only hope that Rohan sent the "missing" glasses to the correct address. I cannot speak for other locations only for this particular location.
This is a story about a doctor who lied to a patient in order to push a certain contact lens.
For the longest time, I went to my family’s trusted eye doctor in my hometown. I started wearing contacts about 10 years ago, and went through a variety of lenses at first, working with my doctor to find ones that worked. I have eye issues, including mild astigmatism, that required working around. Additionally, I went on a course of Accutane that resulted in semi-permanent dry eyes, and began law school, which required near-constant screen and small-type reading.
Eventually, my doctor put me on Biomedic XC lenses, and they were like a dream. He recommended I remain on them, as they were the best solution for my situation. (This was arrived at after trying multiple lenses from different manufacturers.)
Fast forward to the present. I moved to Pittsburgh to work, and was in need of a new eye doctor. America’s Best was the default choice, as they were the only place that took my insurance downtown. I’ll gloss over the customer service, as that’s secondary to the story (but it wasn’t great – the staff decided the best time to train each other from scratch on filling orders for insurance and lenses was with a live customer, during the lunch hour).
I made a point of mentioning to the doctor that my old doctor had me on the Biomedic XCs, and those were the ones I wanted to order. His response to me?
“Oh, we have those – we just call them something different. We call them Sofmed 55s.”
It struck me as fishy, especially since he refused to make eye contact with me, but whatever. He’s the doctor, right?
I took home six boxes of them, only to discover that they are absolutely wrong for my eyes. They cause near-constant eye-aches, and I have come to dread putting them in (and I only wear them for about 12 hours a day and take them out every night). These were absolutely not the same lens.
Well, a quick bit of googling showed me – shocker! No “name change” for the XCs. In fact, they’re not the same lens at all! And, what’s this? America’s Best has often been accused of pushing the Sofmeds before?
I am beyond appalled that a doctor would make such a bold-faced lie to a patient, in order to do what… fulfill some sort of quota? I feel like I was taken advantage of, and I feel ashamed for being so trustworthy.
Some may find various ‘models’ of contact lenses to be interchangeable, but I do not, and I urge you not to patronize America’s Best, lest your eyes become mere fodder for quota-filling, too.
They decieve customers using a misleading add for a $69 2 pair glasses with a free exam. The glasses are not free, if you refuse to pay they will charge you for the exam. I ended up paying more than a $100 for me and my wife because we decided to cancle the transaction as we do not desire to buy their service anymore. They said we have to pay for the exam. We did and left the store.