Evil Eye Doctor Offices!!! (Venting)

Evil Eye Doctor Offices!!! (Venting)

I wear contacts. I am nearsighted and have a slight stigmatism, so I am required to go every 6 months for a check on my lenses. My last check was Nov. 22nd. I told them that I couldn't see, my vision was re-checked, and I was given a new prescription. They switched my brand to the newest, latest, and greatest (or whatever their drug rep is giving them incentives for this month LOL), and told me that they were ordering my 6 months supply. I wrote them a check for $58, that unfortunatley I can't remember exactly what for, the exam or 1/2 the cost of the lenses. They call two weeks later and tell me my contacts are in, can I come in on such and such a day. It was right before Christmas and my son's birthday, money was tight, and I had my trial pair of contacts that were good for a month, so I told them I would schedule an appointment to come in at a later time.

Fast forward to today. I've been calling for 2 weeks and leaving messages requesting an appointment. I finally got one for today. I go in and they make me wait and wait, which I think is odd because I'm just picking up lenses. The place is packed and the techs are all running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I'm taken to an exam room (which is normal: they like for you to put in a pair from the newly-ordered boxes and double check to make sure they are right.), and given an itemized listing of all of their new charges for contacts services. She explains how I must come in every 6 months for a re-fit, that this charge covers this, etc. Fine, fine, because the two week "re-check" when your contacts come in is free, so I'm not bothered. I sign her form. She opens up two boxes of contacts and gives me a pair of new lenses. Happilly, I put them in, and I can see without feeling like I have sand in my eyes again! (These are 30-day disposables and I'd been wearing this pair almost daily since Thanksgiving) She does the customary screening, and I think I'm free to go. Then she tells me to wait here, the Dr. will see me in a few. Okay, fine, whatever. Dr. comes in, checks my eyes, tells me it's a lovely fit, but he wants me to come back in 2 more weeks to see if they still fit after some of the water has evaporated out of them. (huh? This is my 2 week-check.) He goes out and still another tech comes in to do my "education". This is when I stop her and say, nicely because I'm a nice person, "Y'all did this in November. Please, just give me my contacts and solution so I can go back to work." She runs out and comes back with my solution and tells me that the pair I have in my eyes are a free trial pair. Tells me that I must come back in 2 weeks, that they will not order contacts for me now because the Dr. has not re-checked my eyes two weeks after wear to make sure they still have a proper fit. (Now, I've worn contacts for 20 years, and this is the 1st time I've been given this crock!) I insisted that this WAS my 2-week check, that I have contacts that have come in a month ago, that I paid 1/2 for them in November. She gets on the phone and calls the vision center ("Kristal Who? Never Heard of her.") and the business office ("She didn't pay for contacts that day.") No one can explain anything to me, the insist I owe them $75 dollars, and that I come back in two weeks, and THEN they will order my lenses.

I go home and tell Hubby. I'm crying and shaking. Hubby goes through our cancelled checks and our check register for November. There's a check to them for $58. He calls their buisness office and demands to know what I paid for in November, and why I was charged for a contact re-check today that was supposed to be free. They tell him that the lady who answers those questions is on another line and will call him right back. That was 3 hours ago. She has never called him back.

Okay, done venting. I fell better now, the shakes have stopped. LOL

 

That's outrageous! Don't you dare pay that money, Kristal. It's idiotic and stupid.

I hate it when stuff like that happens. My Mum wears contacts, 30 day disposables, and they are mailed to her.

I wouldn't really know what to do in your situation, but I know I wou;dn't pay the money. If they threaten you with legal action etc, you're totally justified. Perhaps you could change opticians? But you shouldn't have to pay for their mistakes. Maybe you could submit an official complaint. When my Dad is unhappy with service in shops, he just walks in and states his case with a brisk tone of voice (the one that whenever he talks to me in it makes my tummy go all squiggily lol) and when they disagree he just goes "Okay. Then fetch me your manager." they usually just blink dumbly and say "The manager?" that happened the other week in Asda when he bought a t-shirt. I felt so sorry for the greeter afterwards but my Dad was right. Your hubby sounds like a straight forward kinda guy. I'm sure he'll come to the store with you and help.

Don't worry - you're right and they are wrong. THEY are the ones who made the mistake - and it's not your fault they are a bunch of tools.

 

Update: Hubby finally got through to them. I was right, they were wrong. They finally took the time to pull up my account on their computer, and told him that
1) The confusion was all my fault for not coming back in 2 weeks like I was supposed to. (poor babies! They should have been profesisonal enough to keep track of their own patients!)

2) They had applied my $58 payment in November to my account as a re-fit fee. It was not supposed to be $58, they don't know why they charged me $58, but it was supposed to be $75 and that's what I should have been charged in November.

3) Since today was supposed to have been my free 2-week re-check, even thought it was really all my fault for not coming back in two weeks like I was supposed to, they will refund the $58 I paid in November, and they are really very sorry that there was confusion.

So, I was right, I was right, I was right!! Ahhh, I feel better now. LOL

Babe, your Dad sounds like my dad. I wish I could make people move like that. People just stand there and look at me when I get mad at them, like, "You poor, crazy woman, sit down before you hurt yourself." LMAO

 

Good! And next time you tell them, 'I know Emma Williams, you know. She'll come over here and kick your @$$!!!'

Or at least 'I know Emma Williams, you know. She'll come over here with her Dad and he'll talk to you in a brisk voice that makes your tummy go squiggily!'