“I just received some excellent service from Lauren in Specsavers John Street Porthcawl. I am disable hard of hearing, partly blind, but when having a hearing test. Lauren was very professional.”
“My wife Carole had an an eye test at Specsavers Haverhill.
I then had new glasses made by a FRIEND from the prescription supplied.
On collection and paying for them, they were found to give my wife Double Vision.
Returning to Specsavers Haverhill we saw Oliver Morgan who on checking the original eye test info, found that the prescription had been printed incorrectly.
Oliver immediately offered to replace the new glasses free of charge.
Every Business can make a mistake it’s how the customer is then treated that counts.
WELL DONE SPECSAVERS HAVERHILL & OLIVER MORGAN”
“This is a complaint about Dorking Specsavers, who I visited for an eye test.
I chose them over my usual optician, because they were closer and because I had had a pleasant experience a year ago being served by a very helpful person on the shop floor when I needed a lens that had fallen out of my glasses replaced.
However, my eye test felt like a conveyer belt. It also seemed to be trying to achieve perfect vision in my lazy eye, and I could feel the lens for that eye being made stronger and stronger through the test. I was told my prescription would be making a sufficient leap in both eyes since my last eye test (at my independent optician’s 2 years ago).
Following the test, someone on the shop floor took over, and encouraged me to have occupational lenses (which come at a price) and despite me telling them I had 3 pairs of expensive frames (Stepper) they marshalled me over to the frames and encouraged to buy new frames for my new prescription and said I could use the glasses I already had for spare for reading. This was a red flag for me as my prescription for reading had jumped significantly so why would I use my old prescription for reading…? I declined on the new frames and detected a drop in enthusiasm. I asked a number of questions to squeeze out some understanding of how the occupational lenses would work. I decided to put my faith in SS and I parted with £370 for two sets of them. The person said they would try and get my glasses back to me in 5 days, I think it was over a week before I heard anything.
I went in to collect them and the glasses were discombobulating to wear. The same person on the shop floor wasn’t particularly concerned or enquiring and advised me to try them for at least 2 weeks even though I was moving my head up and down in an attempt to find focus. I did try for a few days but they felt overly powerful to the point of strain and it was difficult finding a focal point of clarity for reading or looking at a computer. On taking them off I had blurred vision and the beginnings of a headache. After a while I returned to my old glasses, of which I had retained a pair, because wearing the new prescription was also affecting my productivity. I called the Dorking branch and explained. The person I spoke to told me to come in and that they would lessen the prescription to something more comfortable. I mentioned it was much better with my old prescription and that I didn’t want to persist with the occupational lenses. They were non-committal on this point. I work full-time so getting to the opticians again is a faff, plus I could detect from the conversation that they wanted to hold on to the sale and have a second chance and probably didn’t want me to return to my old prescription. I’m aware this would put them in a difficult position but I’m old enough to know who I trust with my health and frankly in comparison to my last optician I was feeling uneasy about my decision to go to Specsavers. A few days later, I rang in again and this time I asked, the same person I believe, for the email of the branch so I could put my concerns in writing before too much time elapsed, as getting there was proving difficult that week. I did persist with the new prescription and occupational lenses briefly on and off but each time I had the same issues. Looking back, I would have thought there needed to have been more scrutiny of the frames and how they sat on my face and more time spent on observing how I read and work and also listening to my initial feedback. No precise science seemed to have been applied in making sure the occupational lenses would work for me. I also note there is zero advice on how to look after your eyes. In an email I also requested transparency on my refund options and a note of my former prescription. I had a reply from the same person I had spoken to who said that they couldn’t send me my last prescription because they didn’t do the test for it. This felt deliberately obstructive because they knew my last prescription and in the very least they could have dropped down an explanation to me in an email even if they couldn’t hand out the formal notice. They chose not to comment on refund options. Instead I was asked by this person in an email to ring the branch ‘to clarify next steps and go through options…’ - basically a ceasing of a paper trail. And this is where the main part of my complaint begins…
I did call and the conversation I had with the same person who I had written to me and who I had initially spoken to on the phone ended with them being condescending to me about my knowledge and my ability to know my own eyes. At the beginning they did admit there had been a big jump in my prescription that wasn’t necessarily beneficial for my eyes and could cause problems and they did offer me another eye test with ´a more senior optometrist’, but I knew that whoever that was would have a bias now, plus I’d have thought all optometrists should be at a high enough level if they are going fo be prescribing. I have since checked that the optometrist who did my eye test has been registered since 2017 and seems to be highly qualified. They might just be one who favours going for the strongest prescription, irrespective. However, my two eyes are quite different from each other and require a little more of a nuanced approach. Towards the end, the adviser inferred I was partly to blame as it was me who had had the eye test, and to hammer home their superior knowledge, as I was enquiring and challenging on a number of points, they threw out some nuggets of information about my eyes that I hadn’t heard before, something along the lines of there being an 8 point discrepancy and my eyes having a condition with a Latin name, but when I asked them to repeat the information and better still write it down in an email, they refused and said they would only go as far as emailing me the new prescription (which they had already sent) and I could work it out for myself and then they slammed down the phone whilst I was mid-sentence asking why she would not want me to possess that information. I gave it a few moments expecting them to call back, then when they didn’t I wrote them an email:
Dear,
How disappointing that you should slam the phone down on me and become defensive when I ask you to put in writing some of the information you were swiftly giving me about my eyes. These are my eyes. Why would you not want to empower me? Thank you for letting me know what your university lecturers told you and that I do not understand or have a degree in optics and that I must be in the 1% that has eyes that do not agree with occupational lenses. Dismissive and invalidating and an attempt at making me doubt my own body. It was clear that I did not want another prescription from Specsavers. I made it clear that I wanted my old prescription put back in. I’m upset that you agree that the prescription is probably too much of a jump but that I should trust you to come in again. I tried to explain to you that I really do not understand why a lazy eye should be magnified to such a degree when it hardly does any work. I even spoke about my reservations to your rep. It completely destabilises my vision. Please send me the points you were making about my eyes so I can make my own informed decision on this matter. Why should I ever trust Specsavers again.
Regards
As I was writing I had a call from the branch. Of course, I was expecting this to be an apology. But it wasn’t the person who had just slammed the phone down, it was the person who had dealt with me on the shop floor and who had encouraged me to buy new frames. They left a message that began with a reasonably passive agressive stance:
‘I believe you’re a bit unhappy with something I’ve done….etc…’ There was laughing in the background, it may have been related, it may not. There was no reference to my call being cut off by the previous adviser even though this person was clearly aware.
Seriously unprofessional. This should have been escalated immediately or the person who slammed down the phone whilst I was mid-sentence should have had the courage to apologise to ensure professional standards were maintained and to restore some faith.
I’ve given it a whole working week for them to follow up. I can see they won’t commit to writing now and it will be a they said/they said scenario. But I am a dissatisfied customer, I do not deserve to be condescended to and have a phone slammed down on me in any instance but especially when I have genuine reservations and I have parted with £370 for an unusable prescription. Since then I have not had a response to my above email either. It has been completely ignored by everyone at Specsavers. I have heard nothing. No manager has stepped in. It does disappointingly support my belief that the health of my eyes are not their main concern. Selling is, and that there is a lack of leadership at this branch. If I had with blind faith had another eye test and allowed them to lower the prescription then none of this would have happened. But I do not have blind faith and when faith is lost, faith is lost and the rudeness now makes this insurmountable.
I will be requesting that my original prescription be returned to my frames and I receive a full refund so I can go elsewhere.”
“I had excellent service from all the staff
I must make special mention to lovely person her name was NELL she went the extra mile to see I got what I wanted
Thanks David”
“Had eyetest today at Caterham specsavers. Reema and Christian checked my eyes. They were very friendly and professional and put me at my ease. Just wanted the lens changed as my glasses were quite new. They didnt pushed me to get new glasses and were very helpful. 5 stars from me.”
“Had my eye test went back to have new glasses fitted , they were worse than my previous ones, went back 2 weeks later after giving my eyes chance to get used to them, there was no improvement, saw this very helpful guy who said they had been set up wrong, so off I went again to see if any improvement, came back after a week , no improvement. I was sent for another eye test to which technician said to me the magnification was too high on previous test so he recalculated his findings and said come back in 2 weeks for new glasses so off I went , came back 2 weeks time , tried on new glasses there was an improvement, but I don’t think it’s a £400 improvement.
My previous visits to Specsavers were very good, this one has been a disaster, so unfortunately I won’t be returning to specsavers for my next eye test”
“For eye tests Spec savers are really good. Great technology and clearly invested money, however, after completing the long sight vision test you can tell the sudden change in tone. The “special” this and “super” that starts being pushed tgen assumed that is what you want whilst Walking back into the shop the £25 eye test whilst looking for just reading glasses turns into £170. If you want an eye test it’s worth just getting the prescription and buying online for a fraction of the price. Staff were always polite, although the enforced Egyptian style / 1980s car salesman sales technique is massively outdated.”
“Specsavers told me my need for yag laser treatment was not bad enough for the NHS however going privately at freedom vision solved my problem within a week. Will not be using spec savers again.”
“So I’ve been with them for a number of years I get a repeat prescription delivered every 3 months pay monthly. I phoned my local branch to see if they had any spare in store was told no , but then told I could order my prescription today but would need to pay £36 today I already pay monthly so this was a shock to me , let’s just say I’m looking for a new optician today one not very satisfied customer”
“I went into spec savers to collect my designer glasses on Friday 8/8/25 . The assistant named Dee in FELTHAM branch was so helpful and was very impressed with her. Thank you”
“Had eye test 3rd April 2025 Still waiting for glasses after wrong prescription TWICE still waiting for sunglasses it is now 8th August 2025 over 4 months now, summer near enough gone what a nightmare this place is Were going to ring me twice but must have lost my phone number having to ring them. still no sunglasses. Old glasses still better than new ones
Would not recommend city centre store Milton Keynes”
“Got my glasses in Red Deer in Feb and then the frame on 1st pair started to come apart. Went to the Edmonton store in Londonderry Mall and they swapped the frame no charge. My glasses are brand new again; Thanks Specsavers”
“Home visit: my mother who is 85 was told (in an earlier telephone call) that reading glasses would be approx £30, so she knew beforehand that there would be a payment. On the day, she was given a selection. "I'd like a cheaper pair," she said. She was charged £70 for the glasses. On top of that a home visit 'fee' of £30 (her previous Specsavers home visit was free). £70 for reading glasses is outrageous. And the home visit 'fee' is unwarranted, as nothing had changed in her circumstances since the last (free) home visit.
Specsavers is a thoroughly disreputable company that took advantage of my mother's age and vulnerability.”
“Initial eye test booked and cancelled on the morning of the test- unforeseen circumstances. Then offered a further appointment another 4 weeks to wait. Got a call to offer earlier appointment in one week so waited and waited for the time slot given but no one showed up. Appointment had been looked on the system but not forwarded to who was coming out to do the test so they didn't come. A further test was booked for another 2 weeks away. Test was done and new glasses x 1 pair ordered at a cost of £530 with the advice glasses would be there withing 2 weeks. That was over 3 weeks ago and when I enquired they have a back log so another 11 days before the,glasses will be here. Again unforeseen circumstances was cited as the reason but the courteous thing would be to contact people who cannot get out to have their eye test done and inform them of the extended wait. Not a good service at all , system seems to need to be looked at and revised or employ more staff to cope with the volume of customers”
“2 out of 2 glasses did not work, its all a game to get you to add "special" stuff.
How hard can it be to make reading glasses, and driving glasses? lots of excuses, they just want to keep bringing you back to try to upsell.
VERY Disapointed.”
“Just an overall sense of the place being very busy, staff inexperienced , waiting times long. waiting for a call back which never came and being told had been given glasses that were too strong on previous visit.”
“After reporting a very poor experience at one of Specsavers shops after being charged for what should be free NHS batteries to hearing aids supplied and fitted by Specsavers I have received no response from both their web site nor their chat line.”
“I am writing to raise a concern about a recent glasses purchase made for me (I’m 17 years old). I was told the lens thinning was optional, and I made it clear multiple times (3 times) that I didn’t need it. However, the staff member continued pressuring my father, who didn’t understand it was optional since she described it as if I did not get it would have massive and serious impact and ended up paying £60 for something we didn’t want or need.
I have had a similar prescription before and never required thinning and had unevenness. I believe this upsell was misleading, especially considering I’m under 18 and eligible for NHS support.
I would like a breakdown of the charges and would appreciate a review of this situation to determine if we are entitled to a refund or adjustment.
Date of experience: 15 July 2025”
“I visited Specsaver Square One today, I had wonderful experience. The staff were friendly, accommodating, smiling and professional. They make me comfortable throughout the exam process. The doctor is excellent, took time to explain everything clearly which, I appreciated so much.
I got a very good deal, highly recommended for anyone looking for affordable eye glasses, great customer service.”
“Absolutely disgraceful - I waited for 45 mins for them to answer
After 25 minutes of waiting I was told I was next in line - really - then waiting for a further 20 mins !!!!!!”
