Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/10/2024

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Ordered glasses 9 weeks ago for ****** with insurance, and I am still waiting for them. They will not refund my money. There are many other places to purchase glasses. Go somewhere other than Pearle Vision.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/25/2024

  The patient did purchase glasses 7/10/2024.  The lenses the patient purchased are newer lenses out on the market.  The patient also has vision insurance that requires a specific lab to be used per our contract with the vision insurance company.  On top of the specific lab required by the patients vision insurance company, that lab had to use another special lab for part of the lens fabrication process.  Due to all of that, the process of fabricating the lenses is taking longer. The lenses came in once in August, they were scratched and did not pass our in office final inspection process. We will not hand over custom made product with imperfections to our patients.   We requested the lab remake the lenses.  A member of our staff did call the patient to notify her of the reorder and reason, while offering her the opportunity to wear that product while we reordered it so she didnt have to go without.  We have been in communication with the patient throughout the order process and had options for her as well.  We have a zero tolerance no refund policy.  The patient signed off on that policy before being seen or purchasing anything.  The policy also prints on our receipts.  We will attach the sign off document and the receipt for reference.  We have communicated all of this to the patient.  We are not able to provide any form of refund.  We will notify the patient when the glasses come back in and are ready to be picked up.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/06/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a pair of sunglasses from Pearle Vision in May. I immediately had trouble seeing out of them. They had to remake them because the lines were off. I still could not see out of them correctly. I had to push them up on my nose in order to see, otherwise everything was blurry. I could not read out of them at all. I had to take them off to read or everything was a complete blur. I kept calling asking for another exam because ****************** "tweaked" the prescription from what she actually read during the exam and gave me a different script. This gave me the feeling that I did not have the correct script. I was referred to a specialist because she thought maybe I had a cataract, but I could not get in to see them until late August. ****************** told me if I did have a cataract that she would give me a refund on the sunglasses, which were $467. Upon finding out that I do have cataracts and need surgery, and that I most likely will not need glasses, I called to inquire about the refund. I was told that they will not give me a refund, but will only remake new glasses for me, even though I told them that I likely will not need glasses according to the doctor. They are refusing a refund even though ****************** told me she would refund me. No wonder they have an "F" BBB rating!

  Business Response

  Date: 09/09/2024

  To whom it may concern,

  The patient did come in for an exam in May.  The patient acknowledged our zero tolerance no refund policy before any services were rendered by signing our consent to treat policy.  We have that signed document scanned into the patients account. We will attach that signed document with our reply.  Also, our receipts print our zero tolerance no refund policy on them as well.  The patient did have some concerns that needed to be addressed after purchasing glasses.  We did troubleshoot at that time and the doctor did refer the patient out. We let the patient know that if cataract surgery was performed, we would gladly remake the glasses she purchased at no charge, to the new prescription as it is expected to be different after cataract surgery.  Even with it taking longer for the patient to get in to see the other doctor, we still are honoring the remake at no charge.  We will not provide a refund as we do have our zero tolerance no refund policy in place due to the custom nature of our product. 

  Thank you,
  Pearle Vision Oak Creek  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/09/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Consent to treat is not the same as "no refund". If you have a no refund policy, it should be VERBALLY stated to the customer. When I signed a consent to treat with the technician, that was for the doctor to treat me. That has absolutely nothing to do with the purchase of glasses. Purchasing glasses is not a TREATMENT. It is a purchase. No one gave me anything to read when I made the purchase of the glasses. I did not read anything, nor was I verbally told that there was a no refund policy. If I was, I would have changed my mind and NOT purchased the glasses. I would have gone elsewhere to purchase glasses that does have a refund policy (which, by the way, is pretty much everywhere else). 

  As I stated, ****************** told me she would refund the glasses if I needed cataract surgery. Isn't she the franchise operator? Doesn't she have the final say? Have you even talked to her? Doubtful. I called to talk to her, but no one will let me talk to her. Also, as I stated, I am having the light adjustable lens surgery and have been told I most likely will not need glasses for any purpose afterwards, which is why I am requesting the refund.

  Did you realize that you have an "F" rating on the BBB website? I wish I had realized that sooner. You just provide a boilerplate answer and refuse to take any responsibility for anything. If you have a no refund policy, perhaps you need to train your staff to VERBALIZE it to your customers. You can't just rely on it being on a piece of paper that no one actually reads. You just rush customers through everything and say "sign this", but don't give anyone a chance to read it. Then it's your loophole when something goes wrong. "Oh, we have a no refund policy, you signed it". Bullcrap. You didn't give me a chance to read it or tell me about it. That's bad business and totally unethical.

  
  Regards,
  
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/27/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 6/2/2022, I purchased a pair of Silhouette brand eyeglasses from Pearle Vision in *********, ** for $792.25. The purchase included a 1-year protection plan that Pearle Vision insisted I had to purchase because they claimed the lenses often scratched, shattered, or cracked. I have purchased this brand from other opticians and never had a problem.I received the glasses shortly after purchase but I had to return to Pearle Vision twice. Despite asking for a thorough fitting when purchasing the glasses, both the frame and lenses were off. One month after receiving the glasses, a scratch appeared on the lenses. I tolerated it as long as I could, then went back to Pearle Vision for a replacement pair of glasses under the protection plan. The customer service at this ********************** is substandard so I dreaded going back.I paid $50 under the protection plan for replacement glasses on May 12, 2023. I was told I would receive a call when the glasses arrived, and that it could take up to 3 weeks. Over the course of the next 4 months, I called and emailed several times asking about my replacement glasses. I was given a litany of excuses: the lab broke the lenses while inserting them into the frame; then the frames were on back-order and "maybe the lens will break again". Pearle Vision never called me during this period and did not answer my emails asking for an update.When the glasses finally arrived 4-months after placing the order, my prescription had changed, but even if I had the same prescription, it is unacceptable to wait 4 months for a pair of glasses. Pearle Vision blamed the lab, but my purchase contract was with Pearle Vision, not their lab. My requests for a change in prescription or a refund were denied, so I am trying to resolve this through BBB before filing in small claims court.I am requesting a refund of $497.95 ($413 lenses + $34.95 protection plan + $50 cost of replacement). Receipts can be provided upon request.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/09/2023

  The patient purchased her glasses on 6/29/2022. She purchased a protection plan that covered her
  eyewear for damage, breakage, scratching or natural wear and tear for up to a year from the original
  purchase date. The protection plan allows one replacement of the frame, and one replacement of
  the lenses at a $25 copay each per frame and lenses, totaling $50 to replace the whole pair. The
  damaged product must be returned in exchange for the new product. The new product replaces
  exactly what was originally purchased. The protection plan does not cover prescription changes.
  The patient came in on 5/12/23, she paid her $50 copay to replace her frame and lenses under the
  protection plan. The replacement pair did take longer than the normal order time frame given of 3-4
  weeks. With Silhouette drill mounts, we typically tell patients a time frame of 6-8 weeks due to the
  nature of how they are made. To process an order for a Silhouette drill mount, we have to order the
  chassis from the manufacturer. Once the chassis arrives in the store, we then have to ship it to the
  lab. Once the chassis arrives at the lab, they start the process of making the glasses. There are
  additional steps in making drill mount eyewear that expand the time frame it takes for them to arrive
  back to us at the office. We did have issues with the lab regarding the patients order. The lab lost
  the replacement chassis we shipped to them not once, but twice. Due to that, we had to outsource
  the patients replacement eyewear to another lab. We ate the cost of the 2 lost chassis and having
  to use another lab. To activate the contract and have the damaged pair replaced using a protection
  plan, the copay must be paid. The copays for protection plan replacements are non-refundable. We
  have a zero tolerance no refund policy. This was not a brand-new pair of glasses that the patient
  paid for. This was a replacement pair. While we understand that the time frame was longer than
  expected, we still provided the patient with her replacement pair of glasses under the protection
  plan. Our team stayed in contact with the patient throughout the replacement pair order process. As
  far as the purchase contract the patient referred to in her complaint, Pearle Vision fulfilled that
  contract. She was wearing the pair of glasses she purchased on 6/29/2022 for almost the full year.
  There isnt anything that wasnt fulfilled from her original purchase. The patient chose to use her
  protection plan to replace her glasses before the protection plan expired. While the process took
  longer than expected, we still fulfilled the replacement order. We are including copies of the original
  purchase receipt, the protection plan replacement receipt, and a scanned copy of the **** (Pearle
  Eyewear Protection Plan). At the bottom of both of the patients receipts you will see the notice of
  our zero tolerance no refund policy. Highlighted parenthesis on the protection plan brochure show
  where delays in the order process or availability in product is excluded from the protection plan
  policy. There is nothing further that we will do for this patient.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/18/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  1. There is a reasonable timeline in which an eyeglass orders should be filled. Four months far exceeds the definition of reasonable, as most prescriptions are only viable for one year.

  2. Pearle Vision (PV) told me that it usually takes 2-3 weeks to fill Silhouette eyeglass orders. It took less than 2 weeks to receive my first pair. PV never informed me that it could take 6-8 weeks to receive the replacement (it took 4 months), nor is it on any of the receipts I received. Pearle Vision never contacted me during those four months. I initiated all contact. My email to the manager (attached) went unanswered.

  3. PV gave me 2 different reasons for the delay, and now, in their response, they claim a third reason.  

  4.  Even if a problem at the lab level caused the delay, that is not my problem. The lab is a 3rd party, contracted by PV. My agreement is with the retailer I purchased from.

  5. A reputable company would have kept me updated on any delays and/or offered compensation. Despite, PV's contention that they fulfilled their obligation, the replacement glasses are useless to me.

  6. I never received a **** from PV, so their quote of the fine print in meaningless. Regardless, most customers do not go through pages of fine print. Unscrupulous companies will often take advantage of these types of legal grey area. My signature is not on any of these documents.

  7. I have attached copies of the receipts I received, one of which differs from the receipt submitted by PV as an original. When I went in to PV to order the replacement glasses, I was quickly ushered out because it was a Friday afternoon, around 3:00 pm, and the employees were anxious to get out and close the store. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/19/2023

  We have reviewed the patients response.  Our original response stands. 
  1. This was a replacement pair. While we understand that the time frame was longer than expected, we still provided the patient with her replacement pair of glasses under the protection plan. Our team stayed in contact with the patient via telephone throughout the replacement pair order process.
  2. The replacement pair did take longer than the normal order time frame given of 3-4 weeks. With Silhouette drill mounts, we typically tell patients a time frame of 6-8 weeks due to the nature of how they are made. To process an order for a Silhouette drill mount, we have to order the chassis from the manufacturer. Once the chassis arrives in the store, we then have to ship it to the lab. Once the chassis arrives at the lab, they start the process of making the glasses. There are additional steps in making drill mount eyewear that expand the time frame it takes for them to arrive back to us at the office.
  3. As we stated, we did have issues with the lab regarding the patients order. The lab lost the replacement chassis we shipped to them not once, but twice. Due to that, we had to outsource the patients replacement eyewear to another lab. We ate the cost of the 2 lost chassis and had to use another lab.
  4. Pearle Vision is the original retailer you purchased your original eyewear from.  The replacement eyewear which we are referring to, is contracted for replacement through our warranty company when you purchase a protection plan (****), which you did.  The brochure attached for the ****, which stands for Pearle Eyewear Protection Plan, lists the details of the replacement.  This was a replacement under warranty, not a new pair of glasses.  The glasses were only new when you originally purchased them on 6/29/2022.  As provided in the original response, we are referring to the document that explains the contract of the **** purchased states under the terms and conditions in general exclusions: (12) Incidental or consequential damages, including but not limited to, any delay in rendering service under this contract or loss of use during the period that the product is at a repair center or otherwise awaiting parts.  The contract states we are not held responsible for any delay in rendering service under this contract or loss of use during the period that the product is at a repair center or otherwise awaiting parts. Therefore, we are not held responsible for the time it took for your replacement pair to come in.
  5. While we understand that the time frame was longer than expected, we still provided the patient with her replacement pair of glasses under the protection plan. Our team stayed in contact via telephone with the patient throughout the replacement pair order process.
  6. The patient purchased a **** (Pearle Eyewear Protection Plan).  It is listed on her original purchase receipt from 6/29/2022 as Pearle Eyewear Protection Plan.  That is how she was able to get a replacement pair.  Without the ****, there would not have been any replacement available.
  7. Our office closes at 5 pm on Friday, not 3 pm.  No employees rushed the patient out.  When the patient came to pick up her replacement pair, she refused to allow the Assistant Manager to adjust the replacement eyewear.  The patient stated to our Assistant Manager when she tried to adjust them, You dont have to adjust them, they are of no use to me, and she left.
  
  In closing, there is nothing further that we will do for this patient. Please refer to the **** brochure provided as an attachment to the original response.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/11/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had an eye exam and ordered new lenses on 11/14/2022. The lenses were to be in in 3-4 weeks. On 12/9 I call and was told they had "broke" but they were reordering them. The week of Christmas I was told they had come in. When I tried them on the prescription was wrong, which the manager agreed it had been wrongly inputted and they would have to be ordered again. Today, 1/11/2023 they still do not have my lenses and I have asked to have my order canceled and take my prescription elsewhere to be completed. They refused stating they have a no return policy. They also said I would have my lenses by now and I don't. I wish to order my lenses from a office that is competent and believes in customer service.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/23/2023

  To Whom It May ************************ was seen at our office on November 14th
  , 2022, for an eye exam, and she purchased lenses
  for her own frame. Before being seen for any services or purchasing any products, ***** signed off on our
  policies for consent to treat, HIPPA, and understanding she is responsible for all out-of-pocket expenses up
  front at the time of service. Before moving forward with the purchase of new lenses for her frame, *****
  signed off on the patient own frame waiver releasing liability in the handling of her frame. The signed
  documents included in this response from the patients supporting this are numbered 1 and 2 in the attachment.
  

  ***** was aware of our no refund policy; it is stated at the bottom of her itemized receipt that was
  reviewed with her before she left the office. The documents included that support this are numbered 3 and
  4 in the attachment. Our product is custom made. Prescription lenses cannot be resold, that is why we have a no refund
  policy.
  

  The credit card was charged $364.95 on 11/14/22, which $364.95 was the exam and glasses with
  the protection plan. We did refund the protection plan (*****) to ***** on 12/21/22 as a courtesy because
  ***** stated she didnt want the protection plan. The protection plan is not custom made, and that does not
  impact any of the custom-made product. The documentation ***** submitted for the amount being
  requested to refund is incorrect. Due to the custom nature of our product & services we do not issue
  refunds, but if we did, the amount would only be $281. The supporting documentation included for this is
  numbered 5 in the attachment.
  

  We left a message for ***** on 1/18/22, we needed to discuss her order with her. We were offering
  to provide her with a new frame (in exchange for her used damaged one) to cut the lenses to for her to
  keep since the wear & tear of her existing frame was causing sizing issues when ordering the new lenses,
  as well as an issue with a set of lenses coming in with a scratch and the wrong prescription. We are not
  obligated to provide a frame for the patient as she signed the waiver on our patient own frame policy
  releasing us of any responsibility, but we wanted to do something for the patient considering the time it was
  taking for the product to come in. We give a 34-week time frame on orders whether they are new, or
  being remade for not passing inspection. Due to reordering product for *****, that order time frame
  restarts any time a remake is processed. We have not heard back from the patient. We have lenses here
  to be cut to a frame, but due to the issues we have had with her own frame, we wanted to use a new one
  instead. The patient has not called us back.
  

  Thank you,
  Pearle Vision Oak Creek

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/24/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I have read the response.  I acknowledge that is my signature on the receipt. However, I did not take it to mean that no matter how screwed up the process is, through no fault of my own, I was obligated to be at their mercy. Also, as noted, I was charged and then refunded another line item that was not agreed upon. 

  
  

  They claim to have a 30 day satisfaction guarantee after you receive their product however will not provide customer satisfaction during the process. 

  
  

  To be clear my frames were not and are not damaged.   This entire issue is on their end and not providing any useable product well after 8 weeks.  

  I have not received any product and specifically stated with my final inquiry as to my products availability, to cancel the order as they had not filled it in any reasonable amount of time. 

  The voice mail that was left with me, after I told them to cancel the order, around the middle of January, stated they wanted to discuss my last visit.  I did not call back as there is no reason to discuss my last visit. 

   

  I was told I would have a product, that I paid for up front, that was not delivered in any reasonable amount of time. I want a refund and my vision benefits reinstated so I can go to another clinic where I feel they are competent and ethical. 

  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************