“i had an appointment this morning; yesterday i had a reminder to say i had an appointment; left my home 8-30, for my appointment at 9-55 as iv got to travel by bus, a lovely lad on recepition, but could not find my appointment; could find my account but nothing else, it had been given someone else; assistant manager blamed computer , id say human error, and i think i should have been fitted in somewere and not late afternoon when would have been no way of getting home would not recomend specsavers”
“I came to Specsavers to get both distance and working glasses. My first impression was great — a nice range of frames, friendly assistants, and reasonable prices.
But when I collected my glasses, something felt off. I couldn’t wear them for more than five minutes. When I went back to the doctor, I was told that “the glasses were perfect but my brain was too surprised to adjust to new reality.” The doctor agreed to make them a bit “less perfect.”
Round two: the distance glasses were fine, but the working pair had distance lenses by mistake. Round three still didn’t work — I couldn’t see my computer screen clearly. I asked for another doctor’s opinion, but met the same one again, who said the glasses were perfect and “the new glasses are just a little bit stronger and that’s can’t make any difference.” Now they claimed the problem was the frame.
I tried one more time with a new frame, but round four was even worse. I called, hoping to speak to a supervisor, but no one ever called me back.
After months of waiting and a few hundred euros spent, I’m giving up and going elsewhere. A really disappointing experience after what started so well. I should have read all those reviews before going to them in the first place!”
“I have just been duped by Specsavers, your buy one pair £70 or over get a second pair free is a con, I have paid for 2 sets of Lite, one being the Lite 511 for distance at a cost of £170 plus £60, and the other being Lite 505 for reading total cost of £530, then a deduction of 120 for free thin and lite whatever that means making a total cost to me of £410.00, when they brought me my glasses there were only 2 pairs one for Distance and one for Reading, when I asked where the other pairs were I was told that I would have to pay for them as the one I had ordered were part of an offer and therefore if I wanted another pair I would have to pay for them, which is outrages and on top of that the glasses did not have anti sun glare which I specifically ask for and I feel I have been conned and I will certainly be taking this further and will not recommending Specsavers to anyone as your website is misleading the public. I look forward to hearing from you”
“I bad an appointment few years back and was told I needed glass which I never brought but then two years later I went and was told my eye are fine??? Plus Slagging man united off in there advert are you sure you don't need glasses doesn't your company sponsor Sutton united.
Vision express much better company.”
“My initial complaint about the front line service is more or less irrelevant now. I submitted a complaint, twice, using on website. No response. Used your chat online. Provided details, was asked for phone number and told someone would get back to me. Nothing. Made my experience know on your Facebook site, three times. Finally got a response. Obviously didn't want the negative write up. Was told it was a PR site and that my complaint would be passed on to Specsavers on the Moor, Sheffield. Had phone call two days later. No initial apology but merely informing why they accommodate my special needs - fair enough. When I asked why so long to respond or non-response to my initial complaint, was told they just received it from head office. Come on! You didn't care about the complaint until I went on Facebook. It was only then I received an apology. I am summarising the conversation over the phone...I hope yo record phone calls "for training purposes," Listen to it the arrogance and "how dare you complain" tone leaves a sour taste. The recording would make a great training example on "how not to talk to your customers."
The reason why I am making an issue of this is, what if one of your customers with a serious complaint about the eyes/prescription or hearing aid, etc., had reason to
complaint? You ignore them and hope they will go away? Based on my experience, quite a few probably will have. The optician was great, your frontline service.....MUCH TO BE DESIRED. I will continue to use your Facebook site and make this an issue in the absence of a satisfactory explanation about your poor/initial non-response until I made a pain of myself.”
“Staines branch- Awful company with staff that have NO customer service skills. Glasses literally fell apart as the bonding agent they used didn’t hold the frame and metal hinge in place. The frames have NO warranty and manager wouldn’t do anything about it. I’ve had to pay for a new pair of glasses. I would avoid this company!!!”
“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.”
“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”
“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”
“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.”
“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”
“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 !!!!!!”
“Losing $145,000 to a scam shattered me. I felt helpless and completely broken. That’s when I found Mrs. Mercy. Her team’s professionalism stood out right away. They didn’t sugarcoat anything—they gave me a clear roadmap and followed through with constant updates. I didn’t expect much, but they came through and recovered a large amount of what I lost. Their support made all the difference.”
“Losing $145,000 to a scam shattered me. I felt helpless and completely broken. That’s when I found Mrs. Mercy. Her team’s professionalism stood out right away. They didn’t sugarcoat anything—they gave me a clear roadmap and followed through with constant updates. I didn’t expect much, but they came through and recovered a large amount of what I lost. Their support made all the difference.”
“I'm probably never going to use this Specsavers again. They've pretty much failed me on all fronts.
- glasses that don't fit and hurt my head, my ear makes clicking noises from them digging into my temple but they still slip 100 times a day and leave red marks on my nose.
- lenses that don't work or are not my prescription and make me go cross-eyed or close one eye to read defeating the purpose of having bifocals, having to read books at arms length because things are not in focus in the reading section of the lens.
- lenses that are blurry, have chromatic abrasion so words have red and blue light coming from them which hurts my eyes and makes them water. The glasses actually cause double vision.
- I don't think they suit me because nobody helped me choose a glasses frame
I wanted to get a second opinion on my eye test but they just got the same guy to do the eye test again. I've tried to adjust to the glasses by wearing them all day everyday but they're not working properly, so something is going wrong either with the prescription or with the glasses frame.”
“There was no option for no stars
My bed ridden mothers hearing aids were not working , after a doctors referel , spec savers Darlington refused to help her at home , they abandoned her in the last weeks of her life”
