Complaint Review: 20/20 EYEGLASS SUPERSTORE

I read your report about your glasses and how much pain and frustration you went through in the process of trying to see correctly. I may have some advice for both you and the opticians that were trying to help you.

I am an optician/manager and have taught optical classes.  So I feel qualified to give you some constructive advice for future purchases of progressive lenses.

What consumers don't realize is that there are as many brands of progressive lenses as there are cars.  That is right!  There are as many Manufacturers and each of them has a plethora of different progressives in their arsenal.  This is confusing to the public as all you usually here is the word Progressive Lense and not who the manufacturer is or the type of Progressive you are receiving from that company. 

Each optical store uses different manufacturers as the labs they deal with have contracts with various companies.  So, let's say for instance, you were used to wearing a Varilux lens.  And, the Varilux lense you were using was called The Comfort Lens.  Now, you go to a different optical shop for the first time, and you order progressives, and maybe they are used to using Shamir, or Vision Ease, all different companies, or they do use Varilux but they use Varilux Definity or something in the Varilux family but not the Comfort. 

What happens in a few individuals is something that causes a non adaptive state for any thing less that what you've had before.  Sometines it is smaller frames with a tiny space for the measurement from your pupil to the bottom of the frame.  Or sometimes it is a non adapt to the specific lens type itself.  As in two different manufacturers.

Progressive lenses vary from wide views in the distance, or wide views in the reading, or smaller curves for smaller frames, or backside wave technology for higher minus perscriptions, or even the type of thinness needed for the different RX as in High Plus lenses or High Minus lenses. 

I recommend the Seiko Mx Progressive for High Minus and I recommend the Tegra Outlook for High Plus, and for regular Rx not to high but average, there are needs like, if the person is tall or short, if they play golf or work on a computer, if there job has them driving more or reading more, etc, and then I recommend progressives that fit those needs individually. 

So you see Robert, it truly is hard for the consume out there to know this going in, when they switch companies for there eyewear.  Again, very few have this non accomidative issue, and by your report, and the minor changes in measurments and Rx, it sounds like they tried to exhaust the reasons and really did try to give you satisfaction. 

I would suggest for you, in the future, to call the optical office you dealt with in the past, and ask them exactly what the name of your lens was, and who the manufacturer was.  Then, when you go to a new shop or go back to 20/20, let them know you had an issue with your new lens and that you prefer to use the same manufacturer that you had before.  As in 20/20, I would ask them if they can get the lens/type you had before, and I am sure if they could, they would certainly order that one for you in the future! 

I am planning a visit to Orlando and am going to see the owners at 20/20.  I am interested in working for them.  I hope if it works out, that you might give them another chance to take care of your visual needs, and that I will be able to accomidate you with your specific needs.

As an optician, I am sorry that you had this experience, but through the years, have seen this happen before, and know that there is always a solution.  Whether or not you use 20/20 again, I hope this information helps you with future purchases of Progressive Lenses, and that if you do use 20/20, that you will be a smarter consumer and now know more about what you are actually purchasing!  Yours Truly, Norine

I am a second year optometry student with over 5 years of optical experience prior to begining my doctorate. I agree with the previous poster that discount chains often due make barely passable glasses and try to "adjust" them in order to avoid having to remake the lenses. I have one word of caution to offer in terms of the advice of getting a doctor to do the measurements.

There are many students in my class who have never even worked in an optical and wouldn't know what the optical center or pupillary measurement for glasses means at all. During our third year we will work in the school run facility but it definetely does not make up for years of experience that an optican may have. In addition, I currently work with a doctor who has told me he knows basically nothing about making glasses, ect, since it has been several years since he was in school and doesn't do it on a regular basis. My advice would be to get a good optician from a private practice or something like that to take the measurements as they will probably be the most accurate.

On a related note, for those of you who feel that you are getting a better prescription by going to an ophthalmologist, let me tell you that most of the time this will not be the case. First of all, in the four years that I will be in optometry school I will be training every single semester on how to do proper refractions(ie, how to achieve the prescription), whereas ophthalmologists spend their time learning about surgery and other important matters and refractions are secondarily important. Secondly, most of the time when you go see an opthamologist, you rarely will have the doctor doing the refraction. More likely you will have a technician that has trained for weeks, maybe months if that much. In the 5 years I worked in the industry, the majority of doctor remakes that we had to do because of incorrect refracations came from ophthamology practices, not optometrists.

Okay, I'll jump off my soap box now. :-)

First, I would not bother expecting a usable pair of eyeglasses from this establishment.

I would recommend going to an Optometrist/Ophthalmologist that also sells frames/eyeglasses. Once you have selected a frame request that the DOCTOR take the measurements for the eyeglasses to be manufactured. Preferably with the brand/generation of lenses that were in your old glasses (this is easily identifiable by watermarks that exist on the lenses). This is your best option for obtaining a usable pair of eyeglasses.

Once you have obtained usable glasses go to the store manager, now you have proof they did not make the glasses correctly. Insist on a full refund, if they refuse ask for information on how to contact the district manager and/or headquarters. Write a detailed letter with your complaint and send a copy to the Florida Department of Health at the address below. Luckily you are in Florida and Florida requires opticians to be licensed and certified. While they may not investigate your complaint at least the knowledge you have notified them may put pressure on the store to give you some satisfaction.

Sorry you have had so many problems with these lenses, they are wonderful if fitted properly but the runaround you have received is inexcusable.

Florida Department of Health
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin # A00
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1701

The third problem sounds more like my problem, almost word for word. Any suggestions as to how I can get this fixed?

You have a valid problem. Your prescription has been verified by different doctors with minor changes, these changes likely would have made little to no difference from the original prescription due to the nature of progressive lenses.

The problem could be one of several things that may have occurred.

One - the least likely. You may have been sold a different brand or if the same brand a different "generation" of progressive lens. The manufacturers of these lenses are constantly changing their product to make them more easily worn by new wearers and to "soften" the area of distortion that exists in the lens by its nature. If you were switched to a different brand or generation of lens you may have great difficulty in adjusting to it.

Two - More likely. The "optician" who took the measurements for your pupillary distance (near and far}, the segment height and the actual frame measurements did not do so correctly. If you have returned to the same store and were remeasured by the same optician for your lenses this is very likley the problem. An improper measurement (these measurements are in millimeters) of even ONE millimeter for any of these required measurements would cause distorted vision with progressive lenses.

Three - The most likely. The manufacturing lab technician did not follow the optician's measurements to the millimeter. He/she could have cheated the lens and/or frame to bring the lens within "tolerance" when inspected under a lensometer. Depending on your prescription strength a certain amount of "tolerance" is acceptable under ANSI standards - basically this means your prescription does not have to EXACTLY match that provided by your doctor.

Once you returned to the store with a complaint it is likely the optician attempted to adjust your frame to make the optical center line up correctly. Optical superstores are notorious for trying to "adjust" there way out of having to make a new pair of glasses. They will attempt to adjust nosepads, tilt the frame, manipulate the temples etc. to bring the optical center into focus so they can avoid making new glasses. This is detrimental to you, the customer/patient as the frame was not designed to be "manipulated" into a position of focus. The frame should ALWAYS be properly and comfortably fitted to the patient before the glasses are made - this adjustment MUST remain as provided to the lab technician