Optical Express - not paying back deposit

[fuzzylogic79]

Hi everyone,

 

Need your help/advice in trying to get my deposit returned from Optical Express.

 

A few weeks back I went in for a consultation with Optical Express - Strand for Laser Eye Surgery. I found the whole experience poor but anyway's I decided to proceed with these guys as they had plenty of branches and I thought bigger they are the better support I will receive. So I paid them £250 deposit, signed a few papers with my blurry eyes due to the dilation drops they give you, it took them three hours to take a deposit.

 

Their terms and conditions state that I have 72 hours to cancel my policy, which I found out later reading the paperwork I was given, within this time I started having severe side effects to the dilation drops, because my eyes are pretty sensitive to light it took me 6 days to recover rather than 8 hours. This sensitivity was a side effect of laser eye surgery so I decided to cancel my surgery. I called up a few days later to talk about this, I was told that the manager will get in touch, no one did, by that time it was too late to cancel anything.

 

Sorry if I bored everyone with the details, but my question is can the deposit be returned under medical circumstances. If I feel that my eyes will be worse off after surgery due to light sensitivity, shouldn't optical express respect that view and give my money back. After a few emails, some customer services person told me that one of their managers has viewed my case and declined returning the deposit.

 

What can I do, if anything, I also paid by credit card.

 

 

kind regards,

[Guest Old_andrew2018]

Bump

[Conniff]

You might have to push a bit, but it is worth writing to head office explaining your situation and making the point that the deposit is not equivalent to any loss have made.

If you use them regularly, then say you will accept the £250 in vouchers spendable in their shop.

 

CC chargebacks are not automatic, if they were then you can bet some would buy things and do a chargeback. But if you get no joy with head office, then it has to be worth a try and I would think maybe with success as you have a genuine reason to cancel.

[digbyjunta]

I agree they are rubbish

When I attended my consultation and was asked why I was thinking about laser treatment and I told them that I do not want to wear glasses any more- also said that I had considered it before but as I have astigmatisms any correction meant that I would still have to wear glasses. Was told (and this was also from the promo material sent) that you could correct the astigmatisms and that I would not have to wear glasses.

So I paid the money and went ahead. I already had my WHICH report so asked all the right questions and got the right answers!!!!

Now after having contacted them a week after and still not being able to read - I am told that as I went in to have my long distance corrected (!!!!!) that is what they did - I told them that at the consultation I was promised 20/20 vision and to me that means not having to wear glasses at all.

Having my distance vision (which really was not the problem with me as the reading side is) was POINTLESS and money wasted as I will Still have to wear glasses. What person has a correction that does not meet the needs- I cannot go shopping or anything as I will still have to wear glasses as I cannot read anything !!!!! I work in an office so there was no point in distance correction I need to be able to read and wanted to without glasses !!!

I walked out of the Norwich store in anger and distress this is not what I was promised.

I have complained to them but Campbell Provan, Customer Care Manager care not and appears not to give a damn as they have got my money !!!

[ragincat]

Sorry this is probably of no use but I have contacted Optical Express Head Office recently over a deposit issue and have had no luck - your case is different so do obviously try but it will be difficult.

 

Writing a letter will probably warrant a phone call. If you get no luck with the person you are speaking to on the phone, ask for someone higher up on the chain, or the teleoperator's manager as the person I spoke to sounded more like a secretary with a manual, rather than anyone with authority. That's what I wish I would have done instead of letting the person on the end of the line wear me down! Good luck, sorry I can't be more helpful.