Why does my Optician sound like a salesperson?

aunt aggie

Has anyone had the experience of their optician talking so much about sales plans, that they actually forget to tell you if you have a new prescription or not??

Really annoyed. I move a lot for work but I usually move my prescriptions to the nearest Specsavers and have had very little hassle. But my new optician just seems to care about getting me on a lensmail plan. Previous opticians had told me that I was wearing contact lens too much and needed to cut down. So that's what I've been trying to do. This person wants me wearing contact lens 5 days of the week and never refers to the condition of my eyes unless its to shop a more expensive brand of lens. This is the second check up where I've felt like I was talking to a sales person rather than a medical professional.

I'm seriously considering changing opticians again but I live in a rural area and I don't have a lot of options.

Just wondering has anyone had similar experiences. Is this the way Specsavers is going or did I just have bad luck? All my good experiences with Specsavers staff were in the UK. Is it really that different here?

Pinch Flat

I use glassss for driving but it's about 5 years since I visited an optician for new ones.

The main ploy is to milk as much out of you as possible. My last optician recommemded frameless glasses - great I thought, but no the lenses cost more because they have to be tougher. Still plastic at the end of the day and all the coatings etc. Ends up costing a small fortune.

The last straw for me was a new fangled retinal scan which is digitally recorded. Costs extra than the bog standard one, and the optician promises to email the scans to me for my records. Few phone calls, emails - nothing.

I'm happy enough to use my old beat up glasses for driving and maybe watching tv / cinema, but my next optical purchase will be online with a prescription.

Daisies

aunt aggie wrote: »

Has anyone had the experience of their optician talking so much about sales plans, that they actually forget to tell you if you have a new prescription or not??

Really annoyed. I move a lot for work but I usually move my prescriptions to the nearest Specsavers and have had very little hassle. But my new optician just seems to care about getting me on a lensmail plan. Previous opticians had told me that I was wearing contact lens too much and needed to cut down. So that's what I've been trying to do. This person wants me wearing contact lens 5 days of the week and never refers to the condition of my eyes unless its to shop a more expensive brand of lens. This is the second check up where I've felt like I was talking to a sales person rather than a medical professional.

I'm seriously considering changing opticians again but I live in a rural area and I don't have a lot of options.

Just wondering has anyone had similar experiences. Is this the way Specsavers is going or did I just have bad luck? All my good experiences with Specsavers staff were in the UK. Is it really that different here?

Unfortunately because every eye test is operated at a loss, companies have to make a profit from selling glasses etc. Having worked for a number of multiples and private practises I can confirm that everyone has sales targets to hit (one of my pet hates of the profession) and depending on the management of the store you can be put under a LOT of pressure to meet these targets.

Personally, I would never neglect someone's eye health to met a target and none of the optometrists I know personally would neglect to check the health of the eyes.

aunt aggie

Daisies wrote: »

Unfortunately because every eye test is operated at a loss, companies have to make a profit from selling glasses etc. Having worked for a number of multiples and private practises I can confirm that everyone has sales targets to hit (one of my pet hates of the profession) and depending on the management of the store you can be put under a LOT of pressure to meet these targets.

Personally, I would never neglect someone's eye health to met a target and none of the optometrists I know personally would neglect to check the health of the eyes.

Its the store management that annoyed me.

I have a ridiculously strong prescription and I regularly spend a lot of money on glasses. I have an eye test at least once a year between glasses and lenses. I know the routine questions they're supposed to ask. This person didn't do that!! She didn't ask me how many hours I wear lenses for, or if I work much on computers. None of the usual warnings either. This person is genuinely neglecting my health.

I'm worried because my optician in England once told me to cut down on contact lens use or they'd cancel my prescription. I did and I hope my eyes are healthier as a result, but that isn't something my current optician cares about. I can never see this place saying that to someone wearing lenses too much.

I understand what you say about it been a business, but I've always considered the person doing my eye test to be a medical professional who then hands me over to a sales person. There should be a separation between the two things. Surely it's the reception staff rather than the optometrists who have sales targets??

Daisies

aunt aggie wrote: »

Its the store management that annoyed me.

I have a ridiculously strong prescription and I regularly spend a lot of money on glasses. I have an eye test at least once a year between glasses and lenses. I know the routine questions they're supposed to ask. This person didn't do that!! She didn't ask me how many hours I wear lenses for, or if I work much on computers. None of the usual warnings either. This person is genuinely neglecting my health.

I'm worried because my optician in England once told me to cut down on contact lens use or they'd cancel my prescription. I did and I hope my eyes are healthier as a result, but that isn't something my current optician cares about. I can never see this place saying that to someone wearing lenses too much.

I understand what you say about it been a business, but I've always considered the person doing my eye test to be a medical professional who then hands me over to a sales person. There should be a separation between the two things. Surely it's the reception staff rather than the optometrists who have sales targets??

If you don't feel comfortable with your optometrist then I would change, even to another one in the practise.

I completely agree with you on the fct that optometrists shouldn't be given sales targets and hve regularly had arguments with management about it. The sad fact is we are trained as healthcare professionals but once you go into the working environment management treat you like a sales person.

But if you feel like the optometrist is neglecting asking certain questions or is not doing a thorough job then ask to see someone else.

Calhoun

About two years ago I went to a local optical express store for my 2 yearly test, would swear k was dealing with Alec Baldwin off glengarry glenrlss as he kept pushing the laser eye surgery.

Told him repeatedly that I have scarring on one of my eyes and it would not be possible, only when he saw it himself did he give it up.

Now here is the thing I spend at least 400 euro on new glasses every 2 years and when I say I don't want something that should be that.

Needless to say next time I needed my eye tested I switched to another provider and gave my business to someone else.