Complaint Review: Sterling Optical - Bay Ridge New York

I went to a local provider listed by my insurance company to get an eye exam and glasses. The fast talking salesman tallied up a bill for 605.00 for progressive lens glasses and frames. He insisted I needed color change coating and scratch protection. He kept running down this list of what the expenses were and in the end had only knocked off 50.00 for the frames.

he immediately asked me how I was going to pay for this. Stymied, I said well I can only pay $200.00 which I did on a credit card. He then wrote me a receipt with a balance of 404.00. The following Monday, I contacted my insurance company and they said this was totally wrong and asked me to send them my receipt for the 200 as well as the receipt with balance owed from Sterling Optical. I did that.

I then called Sterling and told them what I had done and within 10 minutes the manager said there had been a big mistake and I only owed 90.00, making the total $290.00 instead of 609.00. I went in to pick up the glasses and asked if I could please understand why the overcharge, which they would not tell me.

Then I asked if they would please tell me what the breakdown of the $290.00 was and they would not. I did not get the glasses, walked out and reported this to the insurance company. In conversations with the insurance rep. I have learned that Sterling Optical first said I got the 200 back, causing me to go to my Bank and get a statement that Visa had not put $200.00 back into my account.

When that was told to them they said "she can get her money back if she brings the glasses back. I never got the glasses!!!!! I am still waiting for my insurance company to reinstate my benefits because of this situation which they said they would; however now they say they need to investigate because Sterling told them I already had the glasses.

I have filed a Consumer Fraud Report that is in progress and if I cannot get my money back or get reinstated through the insurance company I will take this to small claims court for Kings County. In the meantime I have headaches and my eyes burn because I need the new prescription filled.

Dionne
Statan Island, New York
U.S.A.