Ripped off

I had my last test with SpecSavers and found them thorough. But I couldn't believe all the extras to fill the prescription for distance glasses. 2 pairs for $269 ended up at around $500

Hence, that is the reason why I cancelled the familys Extras cover recently , the benefits/rebates rather save it ourselves. Probably more of the individual than the company as my brother always found them good.

The Specsavers I go to is AWESOME. The optometrist I see owns that shop and she is friendly, professional and thorough. I always have the option of opting out of all the extras, and my Medibank covers everything

Lucky I have no need for glasses yet but I have had the pushy ones who say this and this is wrong and you need to buy x. I am lucky the one I go to doesn't sell glasses at all so he's really independent, just he can get the super basic ones if you really wanted them for minimal price.

Always get them to write down what they say you need and say thanks I will compare at a few places first. There are some really good online places if you know what you need.

I have no need for glasses yet but thank you for the post - very informative and it'll definitely be on my mind when I do need them :)

I had that issue with OPSM about 5 years ago and I have never been back. My eyes had only worsened by .25 which I was not that fussed about since I only use my glasses for meetings where I have to be able to read slides projected on the wall (which I did not find I was having any difficulty with) but I felt that I was pressured into replacing my lenses in my glasses. Since I could not find anything I liked on their walls I said that I wanted to keep my old frames (which I really liked) rather than selecting a new set and they charged me extra since I was advised they since I did not buy those frames from them they did not have a stencil of my old lenses in their system and they needed to cut do more to cut lenses specifically for my frames (I don’t remember exactly how much but it was around $100. Note, I bought that pair overseas but all other glasses previously I had gotten from OPSM).

When I got my glasses back 2 weeks later (I was advised there was a delay with the lenses). I found that they were happily presenting me with a pair of glasses which had been butchered. My metal frame which had a thick appearance for the front on view had been bent out of shape and then bent back in one place on the left hand side of face (near the nose) and the bend had left very visible stress marks in the paint on the metal (about 1 cm wide). When I said that it was not acceptable to be presenting me with my frames back with that damage on them I was advised that I had to wait for the manager to call me to confirm the next steps. When I got a call back I was told that they can just redo the paint work on my glasses (though I was advised they would not be the same colours-they were two toned- but they could try to get a similar match) and they would not charge me for the repaint or I could buy a new pair of frames and I would not need to pay for the new set of lenses for the new pair of frames.

I was not happy with just a repaint of my old pair since I was concerned about the structural damage made to the metal when it was bent out of shape (as it looked like it was bend pretty far out of shape) and because I had paid so much extra so that I could keep on using my old frames. So I ended up making a complaint to head office. After that I was offered for OPSM to repaint my old pair so that the damage would not be visible and on top of that they offered me a complete new pair just in case the old pair new paint job made them look too different and in case the frames were not as strong as they were before. I took this offer.

I had always gone to OPSM since I had always thought that their service was superior but I never really felt how pushy their sales were until I didn’t feel like getting a new pair of glasses when the sales person wanted me to. The following disappointment after they destroyed my frames after I had paid extra too keep them and the sales person just presenting them to me without mention of the very visible damage which I saw the first moment I looked at them which has led to me never entering my local store since. If they had advised me of the damage rather than just pretending ignorance until I pointed it out to them (whoever did it should have put it as a note on the return) or if they had offered to replace them as the first offer I might think differently about the experience but I found that their approach made it so much worse.

Sorry, rant over!

My family went to a local optometrist (now part of a franchise) for over twenty years. When he left and a new guy took over the service really went down hill. I was sold incorrectly fitting frames that hurt like hell, he insisted I'd always had prisms in my frames (extra expense) when I hadn't, and when I mentioned my illness just in case it had an impact on my eye health he started testing out coloured lenses on me, even getting me to come back the next day for more. He would say that some people get these and they help out with x symptom, and I would say I don't have that, well they help out with y symptom, I don't have that. 'Oh well sometimes people don't have any symptoms and they get better with these'. Grrrr. They lost the custom of every member of my family over that.

At my new optometrist when choosing new frames, I said I wasn't bothered by the cost because I just wanted to feel confident in them. And they led me over to the cheapest display first, which I ended up getting!

I had this happen with a small local optometrist where I was given glasses for computer when I didn't even need them!! I go to spec savers now to have my eyes tested and have found them to be really good.

i used to go to Optical Superstore, they are not bad but recently they have too many locum staff and it went downhill. The OPSM next door is not bad, I had to go there because they have an optometrist who is good with kids. I didn't have to pay anything, she didnt' try to sell me anything ..i guess it depends?

The OPSM I use is brilliant. Fantastic and super caring staff who will try different things to make the cost as painless as possible - I know it is expensive for quality lenses and frames but you only have one pair of eyes.

I wonder if the Sales Staff work on commission and whether that is the reason why they may be so pushy? I don't like that kind of service either. I have recently been to the Lions Eye Centre in Perth, always lovely service, absolutely non pushy and although their frame variety is only small, they do have a range from 'cheap' to expensive

My father recently went to OPSM after I had an experience with unfriendly pushy staff at Optical Superstore and their lack of selection, especially for people with petite faces like mine ( Though the prices are great), the cost of OPSM ended up being almost 3x that of what we have usually paid in the past at Optical Superstore so they are more expensive for sure but the service was exceptional, very friendly and helpful staff. If you are getting classes with the special multi-focal lenses I would say go for OPSM though as they use gadget to properly measure, at Optical Superstore (at least the one near me) the sales person does it by hand and with her own eye which can be inaccurate and lead to issues we have found.

I have recently started wearing glasses only need them for using the PC at work or if I'm reading. There are several stores at my local shopping centre including OPSM and Specsavers. I ended up going to OPSM my glasses cost over $300 after the health care rebate. All there frames are quite expensive to start with. I am happy with them though and often take them into the store for a clean or to tighten the screws. Staff are always friendly and helpful. I would like a second pair though but don't want to fork out another $300+ dollars. Was thinking about getting the script and going to specsavers to see if I could get another pair cheaper. It would be useful to have a second pair so I could have a pair at work and a pair at home.

Every time I went to OPSM, never liked their service. The staff is not welcoming or friendly . They don't have enough variety of frames for real spectacle user's needs.

Never tried OPSM but am considering Specsavers just because of their advertising.

Yes I have had some bad experiences when purchasing glasses from OPSM. I think we feel vulnerable when shopping for something thats medical and a necessity. We want to look good but also treat the eye problem we have. I hate selecting glasses and as they are so on your face to speak - its a BIG purchase.

I never go alone now, I take my husband who is really down to earth and honest with purchases and how they look.

I go to Supersavers who have a decent range to suit my budget. I find the youngish sales assistants very honest in what suits me and I love the iPads that I can take a pic of myself in the different glasses and so I can refer back to them when deciding.

I love my latest glasses so much and like a lipstick they add a pop of colour to my face :)

I have always gone to Specsavers. They are the preferred anyway for my private health fund, but I find them good value, good options, and great service. Fast to order and come back. Good after sales too. Should have gone to Specsavers...

hmm I always found the assistants at Specsavers have no idea what they are doing with frame fittings. They are just like pick whatever but most people don't have a clue with what suits their face measurements. They NEED to be guided.

There are specific dimensions on the frames, it's a bunch of numbers that tell you how wide things which are meant to help you find the perfect pair. I learnt this from an independent optometrist I when to, where the guy who did my eye test also helped me fit my frames.

I found OPSM prices to be expensive.

I've found Optical Superstore to be great.