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Forum Thread
Glasses Lenses Starting to Delaminate - Lab Refusing to Replace Them. What do?
October 1, 2014 at
10:55 AM
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Help
I need some advice on how to handle a situation with customer service from a company.
I bought some glasses in February of last year. The lenses are now starting to delaminate (the back of the lenses appear to almost be separating from the rest of the lens). Considering how much I paid for the lenses because of my prescription (high-index polycarbonate), I strongly feel like they should last more than a year and a half.
However, the lab that made the lenses is stating that they're now out of warranty because it's been over a year, and that the delamination is probably just due to heat. This is what the optician's office says, anyway. The optician wants me to pay for a new set of lenses and get another eye exam since it's been over a year. My position is that in the 15 years I've been wearing glasses, I've never had this happen. It seems to me like a defect in the lenses or the lab process.
I went back to the optician's office after they called me informing me that the lenses wouldn't be free (after I was assured it was going to be a free replacement). I told them that I'm not sure why they would expect me to continue to use their services if the first time I used them, I'm having issues and they refuse to stand behind their products. They told me that they could have the supervisor from the lens lab call me, and that she could explain it to me. I agreed, and they said that I should get a call from them tomorrow morning.
Am I out of line thinking that I should be able to get a replacement at no cost to me? It doesn't seem like something I should be penalized for. What would be the best way to address this with the supervisor?
I bought some glasses in February of last year. The lenses are now starting to delaminate (the back of the lenses appear to almost be separating from the rest of the lens). Considering how much I paid for the lenses because of my prescription (high-index polycarbonate), I strongly feel like they should last more than a year and a half.
However, the lab that made the lenses is stating that they're now out of warranty because it's been over a year, and that the delamination is probably just due to heat. This is what the optician's office says, anyway. The optician wants me to pay for a new set of lenses and get another eye exam since it's been over a year. My position is that in the 15 years I've been wearing glasses, I've never had this happen. It seems to me like a defect in the lenses or the lab process.
I went back to the optician's office after they called me informing me that the lenses wouldn't be free (after I was assured it was going to be a free replacement). I told them that I'm not sure why they would expect me to continue to use their services if the first time I used them, I'm having issues and they refuse to stand behind their products. They told me that they could have the supervisor from the lens lab call me, and that she could explain it to me. I agreed, and they said that I should get a call from them tomorrow morning.
Am I out of line thinking that I should be able to get a replacement at no cost to me? It doesn't seem like something I should be penalized for. What would be the best way to address this with the supervisor?
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just saying...
You think wrong..no flap and zap.
As to OP seems like your lenses are defective... sometimes they add coatings in house (AR/scratch) and then it goes bad. Always try to get factory applied coatings that come that way. There are even lenses some places glue halves together to save processing time.
At a year and a half i can see why you got push back from an associate..best to talk to a supervisor or regional and ask for some relief on paying full price. I think you are entitled to a full replacement or at least a huge discount....make a deal to pay for a new eye exam...win/win as they usually are looking for exams in the chair. Plus you get updated lens Rx.
Had that happened in my shop... i would have replaced them or at the bare minimum given you my biggest discount and chalk it up as did not meet expectations..since it was a lens component that failed.
Tell them the expectation is for lens components not to fail and this was a defect...not abuse on your part.
Be the squeaky wheel.... they will do something you have a case for them to do something rather than nothing.
I can tell you that polycarbonate lenses are easily scratched - so after the back of the lens is grounded down to your prescription then they have to coat the back. They don't normally coat the back of regular plastic lenses or high index lenses, unless you paid extra for anti-reflective or something.
With your high of prescription, I would suggest getting high index lenses next time and staying away from the poly. I have -8 prescription and that is what I would get if I bought new glasses. Since I wear my contacts 95% of the day, I just bought a cheap pair online so that I could walk from the bathroom to the bed, lol.
What do you mean high-index versus poly? I was under the assumption that high-index lenses were poly. Do they also make glass ones? Aren't they substantially heavier? As far as I know, I've only used high-index poly lenses for the past 6-7 years or so and have never had issues with them until now.
My vision's prob one of the worst here on SD, -13.00 right eye -13.50 left eye.
i got my latest ones done in Taiwan, Nikon High Index 1.74 lenses. I think they cost $235.00. Got them last January.
I got a set from lenscrafters back in 2011, they were CR39 1.67 lenses. They're obviously thicker than my High Index and don't have the same clarity. Now i dunno if this is because of the nikon lenses being better, but both have the anti-reflect coating and anti-scratch.
Cheapest place to get lenses done are at BJs or Costco, they use normal CR39 lenses and are very cheap, you can get a pair of lenses for $100.
What do you mean high-index versus poly? I was under the assumption that high-index lenses were poly. Do they also make glass ones? Aren't they substantially heavier? As far as I know, I've only used high-index poly lenses for the past 6-7 years or so and have never had issues with them until now.
Did you get them done while you were physically in Taiwan, or is this something I could order myself? That sounds like an excellent deal.
High index are not poly, they are plastic. But they are much thinner than your standard plastic. Glass is completely separate. i don't have any experience with glass, cause we weren't allow to cut glass in the lab. I would think it would be extremely heavy.
What do you mean high-index versus poly? I was under the assumption that high-index lenses were poly. Do they also make glass ones? Aren't they substantially heavier? As far as I know, I've only used high-index poly lenses for the past 6-7 years or so and have never had issues with them until now.
Did you get them done while you were physically in Taiwan, or is this something I could order myself? That sounds like an excellent deal.
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How do you normally clean your glasses/lenses? If you often use lens cleaners, alcohol, or windex, it can shorten the life of your eyeglass lenses. Also, some ppl like to clean their eyeglasses with super hot water....this can cause issues too.
Unfortunately, it's customary that lenses only have a ONE year warranty. I think that's pretty accommodating. Because, so much can happen in a year of wear. Usually, when lens coatings start cracking or peeling off, it's due to lens cleaners. Hence, I ALWAYS tell my customers/patients to NOT use those lens cleaners that opticals often sell. In the long run, they will SHORTEN the life of lenses. The best thing to clean your eyeglasses with is just simple lukewarm water and a tiny bit of mild hand soap.
My wife and I have high index and polycarbonate lenses on our old glasses which we still use now. Some are from 3-15 yrs old! None have started to delaminate because we don't use lens cleaners on them. The anti-reflective coatings are even still on them!
So, sorry for your eyeglasses. But, there's not much that could be done with them since it's been over a year and a half.
As to OP seems like your lenses are defective... sometimes they add coatings in house (AR/scratch) and then it goes bad. Always try to get factory applied coatings that come that way. There are even lenses some places glue halves together to save processing time.
At a year and a half i can see why you got push back from an associate..best to talk to a supervisor or regional and ask for some relief on paying full price. I think you are entitled to a full replacement or at least a huge discount....make a deal to pay for a new eye exam...win/win as they usually are looking for exams in the chair. Plus you get updated lens Rx.
Had that happened in my shop... i would have replaced them or at the bare minimum given you my biggest discount and chalk it up as did not meet expectations..since it was a lens component that failed.
Tell them the expectation is for lens components not to fail and this was a defect...not abuse on your part.
Be the squeaky wheel.... they will do something you have a case for them to do something rather than nothing.
I do agree with you though. If OP were my customer/patient and was really upset about this, I would give her a really good discount on new lenses. I couldn't replace them for free because the warranty is only one year though.
What do you mean high-index versus poly? I was under the assumption that high-index lenses were poly. Do they also make glass ones? Aren't they substantially heavier? As far as I know, I've only used high-index poly lenses for the past 6-7 years or so and have never had issues with them until now.
Did you get them done while you were physically in Taiwan, or is this something I could order myself? That sounds like an excellent deal.
If it's the back coating (interior side closest to your eyes/face), it could also be an issue with the coating reacting to the moisture around your face too.
My recommendation to you for your next pair of glasses......pay a little extra for high-end A/R since they will offer 2-3 yr warranties on the coating. This would be a good deal for you since you pay so much for high index lenses.
By the way, did you get a/r coating on your lenses? If so, you should find out which brand since higher end a/r coatings (Crizal, Zeiss, Teflon, etc) will have 2-3 yr warranties.
If you're seeing a new doctor every year, it's unheard of for the new doctor to just update your contact lens prescription without performing a contact lens evaluation and charging you for it. It's actually malpractice!
Did you use vision insurance? I think maybe they billed your vision insurance for the contact lens evaluation and that's why you thought you didn't have to pay for it.
I'm in the 7s, but that shouldn't make a huge difference. Sounds like I might need to find a new optician.
And I seem to remember being told a higher RX had a greater chance of delaminating the last time I bought specs. Got a BOGO deal (if $500 was a deal) and bought one polycarb set and one standard plastic set as my back up. The glasses are now super old and the polycarb set has some very tiny, verticle lines on the bottom of both lenses. I also find that the polycarb lenses sacrifice some visual acuity for their thinness. Not sure if I'll get them again when I replace these. I did one wire rimmed pair with polycarb and one plastic, faux tortoiseshell with plastic lenses if that helps your comparison.
So, if you do have vision insurance, the office billed your insurance for the contact lens fitting. And, you were probably left with a small allowance for your initial contact lens purchase.
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How do you normally clean your glasses/lenses? If you often use lens cleaners, alcohol, or windex, it can shorten the life of your eyeglass lenses. Also, some ppl like to clean their eyeglasses with super hot water....this can cause issues too.
Unfortunately, it's customary that lenses only have a ONE year warranty. I think that's pretty accommodating. Because, so much can happen in a year of wear. Usually, when lens coatings start cracking or peeling off, it's due to lens cleaners. Hence, I ALWAYS tell my customers/patients to NOT use those lens cleaners that opticals often sell. In the long run, they will SHORTEN the life of lenses. The best thing to clean your eyeglasses with is just simple lukewarm water and a tiny bit of mild hand soap.
My wife and I have high index and polycarbonate lenses on our old glasses which we still use now. Some are from 3-15 yrs old! None have started to delaminate because we don't use lens cleaners on them. The anti-reflective coatings are even still on them!
So, sorry for your eyeglasses. But, there's not much that could be done with them since it's been over a year and a half.