ComplaintsforEye Clinic of Fairbanks

• Initial Complaint

  07/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I ordered a new pair of glasses (second pair from this business, first pair there were no issues), I paid about $700 for this new pair, Flexon with Cable Temples, they took 3 months to deliver them, and they delivered them broken, (the break was not noticed until i took them off a few hours later and the ear piece fell off). I called them that day and asked what can they do, they replied bring them in tomorrow and we will look at them. That went well, i was informed that they will need to order a new set of Temples from the factory, 6 months later still no replacement, i go in and ask what's going on, they had informed me that they had significant issues with staff not doing their jobs, and they will reorder (actually put on order for the first time since it wasn't actually done 6 months earlier). 3 months later, still not ordered, 1 month later, put on order again, 1 month later still not delivered. 1 month later (its been a year since the full glasses put on order the first time) I am now told "Too Bad, we do not work with that distributer anymore." Asked to talk to a manager, i was given a BAD attitude about that request, finally talked to a manager and she talked with me and told me that she would look into it and get back to me. Never got a response. Went back a few weeks later talked with another manager, with the sales person assaulting me during my conversation with the different manager. She told me that she would contact me the next day, she never called... that was 3 weeks ago today (today is 21 July 23).

• Initial Complaint

  05/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Received a bill in April 2023. Paid half with a check. Check was cashed. Got another bill that should have been the other half but its the full amount. The number for billing questions doesnt work. Tried calling the local Office and it doesnt work. Emailed a photo of the bank statement with the cashed check and showing it was received and no one has responded. Horrible customer service. I just want to pay the rest of my bill.

  Business response

  06/02/2023

   

  Thank you for submitting a claim.  I am the Administrator and this is the first hearing of this.  Our incoming phone lines were down and after 3 weeks of occasional dropped calls, GCI has fixed the problem and the phones are back working as should be. This was fixed on 5/27/2023. This was a 5 day repair process. 

   

  I have submitted your concern to the collections manager, and she will be addressing this with you directly. Possibly the statement went out before the payment was posted. If you sent your payment to the ******* lockbox address, it can take up to 2 weeks to receive it at the Fairbanks location for payment posting. 

   

  Thank you. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  03/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I went to the eye clinic of Fairbanks for contacts and glasses, big mistake. These people are incompetent. I paid $295 and was advised because I'm ordering a year supply of contacts that my insurance will not cover my glasses, so I paid the fee thinking I'm going to get my contacts and I'm paying out of pocket for the glasses, I have VSP insurance by the way. I was given a trial set of contacts and was told I'd be called when my contacts came in, my eyes were dilated so I couldn't tell that the prescription wasn't right. Well, they take my glasses to change the prescription because I wanted to keep the frames. I figured it was ok that the trial set was blurry when my eyes were no longer dilated because they are just the closest prescription they had until I got my actual contacts in. Two weeks pass by no call about my glasses or contacts and my left contact starts hurting me and I can't see out of it, the prescription gets blurrier than they were originally and I honestly believe they gave me the wrong prescription, which they know, and I ask them to replace my left contact because it's uncomey doctor prescribed. I ended up wasting my time because I leave with no resolution. I still don't have my glasses and I can't see out of my left eye these contacts are only good for two weeks and that time has passed.fortable and blurry, they wouldn't give me a replacement because the doctor left for the day, mind you I had been waiting since 3 o'clock it was now past four dealing with all this. They tell me I will need to schedule another appt. to have my eyes revaluated because they might have given me the wrong prescription and on top of that they never ordered my year supply of contacts that we talked about before. Then to top it all off they got my glasses back from the lab and they never called me to tell me they received it and that the place they shipped my glasses off to that was supposed to add my new prescription put in a whole different prescription in the frames than what they doctor prescribed. I ended up wasting my time because I leave with no resolution. I still don't have my glasses and I can't see out of my left eye these contacts are only good for two weeks and that time has passed.

  Business response

  03/19/2023

   

  I will forward this on to the Optical Manager for a resolution and immediate attention.  I was not made aware of this at this time.  We will properly handle your concern, and yes we are 50% short staffed and the wait does take longer.  The vendors also have a shipping delay, back to us.  We are told they are short staffed as well and ship from the ************************************************ Manager to ask for is *****************************. We do have over 300 optical incoming calls a day and we strive to return calls within 48 hours. We focus on our face to face customers during opening hours 9am-5pm and return calls before and after open hours.   We have 4 optical shop staff, doing a 9 person job.  

   

  Regards. 

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  02/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I purchased new eyeglasses last August (2022) and within a week or so, the prominent sparkly design on one of the arms began to peel off. I dropped off my glasses at the Eye Clinic Optical Shop for repair. The shop ordered new frames to replace the old ones. When I picked the new *******, the gentleman who helped me said I should choose different frames next time, in reference to the peeling off design. Within the next week, the design on both arms started peeling off and eventually came off completely. I now have the raw, ugly brown under layer showing prominently, to the point where I'm embarrassed to wear the glasses in public. On 1/30/2023, I wrote to the shop manager stating that I need new frames due to the defective ones. Seeing no response, I resent the message two days later. To date, as of 2/9/2023 I have received no response. I would like replacement frames of a different kind. I'm done with the peeling off designs on these.

  Business response

  02/20/2023

   I am getting this notice as received on 2/22/2023.  This seems weeks later. 

   

  We have no issue with you receiving a replacement frame, as we do not make the frames and choices are made by the customer.  If a frame decal comes off, it was suggested to not order the same one again.  Our optical vendors provide what is ordered. 

  As far as lack of response, we do respond as can with over ***************************************************************** town, a 7 person retail job now has 3  with 2 of the 3 in training.  The August 2022 optical manager is no longer with us. We are struggling to reply to and fix all errors made during that time.  Still 6 months later we are struggling to get to all customer needs, first come first served.  We do our best to regain the maximum efficiency and customer satisfaction we hade before the pandemic that has crushed the optical side of business. 

   

  Management for retail optical has changed as well as phone extension names. 

   

  Respectfully. 

  Customer response

  03/03/2023

  How do I go about getting different replacement frames, considering the lenses are fitted to my current frames. I would have loved to have gotten different frames when the first ones failed but wasn't offered that option at the time. Please let me know what my next steps are. 
  
  I can appreciate the staffing shortage, busy business situation. I think it would be helpful to have an automated email response set up letting customers know that you received their message but it might be a while until you can respond. 
  
  Thank you,
  
  ******

• Initial Complaint

  10/17/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ordered a pair of glasses on August 5, 2022. My mom paid for the glasses. I still have not received them. My DOB is 9/5/1973. My mom called repeatedly, we got excuse after excuse, promises and that they were in the mail and still I do not have my safety glasses that have been paid for. ****** in the optical shop claimed that the people responsible for the ***** were fired. I simply want the glasses that we paid for. The excuses abound, but the real glasses do not appear in my mailbox. Please help me.

  Business response

  10/29/2022

  Yes we have had many optical staff leave the state and the optical manager was terminated, after a no show for 17 work days, she was terminated for abandonment of post.  This manager had placed the order with no follow up instructions for the ones left to clean up the orders that were left incomplete.  No excuse, just facts. I will send this on to the current optical manager that has been cleaning up all orders left neglected.  We are at 3 staff in an 8 staff retail optical business, with 400 incoming calls to the optical shop daily, with just 1 person to answer all the calls. We have found no one experienced in optical in Fairbanks to hire.  The job requires licensed experienced opticians.  *********************** the current optical retail manager will research and rectify the issue.    ***************************************

   

• Initial Complaint

  09/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  4/8/22 after eye exam we ordered eye glasses. Was told 2 to 3 weeks for delivery. Called a month later left a msg. Did recieve a msg back saying it would probably be 2 more weeks. Called again No return call. Went into ************* of optical did talk to me. Tried on **************** made eyes cross, sent back . Another month & was Told at first they sent back glasses as could find nothing wrong, then said opps misunderstanding the glasses were redone & after trying on was veery blurry..now next week have an appt with the dr to see if prescription was correct.. dr said oh I know what happened& please wait for my call..this appt was july 28..no call no nothing , I did leave another msg last week ..no call back. It has been 5 months without the new prescription glasses.I really dont know where to go from here. They did call a month ago for the balance payment ( our down payment in April $221.00+ insurance has pd some) ****** is ************ told them no more money until we get our glasses. Is my complaint valid?

  Customer response

  09/23/2022

  This has been resolved to my satisfaction. Dr ***** called from the eye clinic of fbks & said the optical shop has some problems that they will hopefully resolve. He gave me a number & the name ***** in the billing department that would refund our money that we paid up front . They would make it right with our insurance company that also paid on the acct. He suggested we cancel our order & take the prescription to be filled somewhere else, so *** can get his glasses he needs. He was very professional & kind dealing with us.

• Initial Complaint

  08/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My husband had an appointment with the eye clinic of Fairbanks on August 1. The appointment was great with the physician. He ordered and paid for contact and received a trial pair to get him through until his contacts arrived. We noticed three days later my husband was having migraines and his eyes were twitching. The clinic gave my husband the wrong prescription contacts and they were far to strong for what my husband had needed. We also noticed the charge didnt go through on our account for the contact he had ordered in office. We have spent the last 10 days leaving voicemails and getting the we will call you back from everyone in the clinic with the no call backs. I have left 3 voicemails and spoke with reception 5 times alone. No one has contacted us back about if they ordered my husbands contacts and getting him the correct trial. This has been above and beyond horrible service and the eye clinic of Fairbanks does not care at all about this situation.

  Business response

  08/27/2022

  This is the first I have heard of this concern, and will direct the complaint to the Optical Retail shop manager. The Opticians do dispense the Rx given by a provider, however as humans all can make a mistake, which would be confirmed as an error and delivered back to the provider for review. 

   

  For the call back concern, we do return calls in the order they are received.  Just as with other businesses, we are working half staffed with covid staff call outs and we will not allow sick staff to be working around patients and customers.  We do protect the public and their health.  *********** shop usually can and does work with 5 sales staff, currently due to illness and covid call outs we have 1 person to handle over 400 incoming calls a day and ******* walk in customers.  

  An immediate response will be communicated with the patient, due to PHI we are unable to discuss with the wife. 

  Business response

  08/31/2022

  This patients situation was handled in the last two weeks, and I spoke with ***** herself when she came in to pick up ******** contacts this week. She was happy as a clam and had no complaints at the time. Furthermore, as was explained to both the patient and the patients wife, we attempted to order the contacts several times and could not proceed with ordering them as the PTs card declined every time we attempted to place the order. They were also provided with several pairs of trials per their request after everything was brought to my attention 2 weeks ago, so Im assuming the incorrect trials they received were given at the time of the appointment, not by the optical department. I will reach out to her today to follow up on the situation and determine what else we can do to appease them considering I personally handled the entire situation and was under the impression that they were satisfied. 
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/21/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Hello My mother, ******************************************, prepaided $1,100.00 dollars for future eye exam and glasses on 8/28/20. Due to Covid restrictions, she lives in a state nursing home, the exam was not performed until 3/24/21. The final ****, after insurance, was to be approximately $695.00. I asked about the refund multiple months then on 8/8/21 my mother died which delayed request further. I supplied the business with a death certificate and all documents requested on approx 9/16/21. At which time they said a refund check was mailed in Aug, which I never received and requested the check canceled and resent. On 10/19+20/21 I talked again about the refund and was told the "Burden of Recipient" was on me and find it thru ************ I asked for Any documentation: invoice, exam notes or copy of sent check and could get Nothing.I am in charge of closing the estate of my mother and need this refund concluded.I only want what due to her. If more information is needed contact me.Thank you

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩