Slickdeals is community-supported.  We may get paid by brands for deals, including promoted items.
Forum Thread

Glasses Lenses Starting to Delaminate - Lab Refusing to Replace Them. What do?

15,176 2,874 October 1, 2014 at 10:55 AM in 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?
Add a Comment
Reply

149 Comments

View Forum Thread

Your comment cannot be blank.

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Jul 2009
I am
> bubble2 18,126 Posts
2,756 Reputation
iamiamian
10-04-2014 at 10:04 AM.
10-04-2014 at 10:04 AM.
Quote from emelvee :
It would be terrible to have to stay away from strip clubs.
The horror, the horror!
Reply
Joined Sep 2006
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 10,138 Posts
1,325 Reputation
larrymoencurly
10-04-2014 at 03:17 PM.
10-04-2014 at 03:17 PM.
Some shops are sloppy and use expired adhesive, don't clean the parts correctly before gluing them, or don't heat them to cure the glue. Optical glue for polycarbonate lenses can be removed without harming the lenses and be reapplied, but my guess is that the optical shop doesn't have that capability.

If the opticial shop won't fix the lens for free, report them to the state regulators for substandard lenses. If that doesn't help, get back your prescription, and if they protest, keep in mind that it's your prescription, not theirs.

What would a place like Zinni Optical charge?
Reply
Joined Jan 2009
I’m evil.....
> bubble2 12,738 Posts
11,124 Reputation
cupcake42
10-04-2014 at 03:29 PM.
10-04-2014 at 03:29 PM.
Quote from larrymoencurly :
Some shops are sloppy and use expired adhesive, don't clean the parts correctly before gluing them, or don't heat them to cure the glue. Optical glue for polycarbonate lenses can be removed without harming the lenses and be reapplied, but my guess is that the optical shop doesn't have that capability.

If the opticial shop won't fix the lens for free, report them to the state regulators for substandard lenses. If that doesn't help, get back your prescription, and if they protest, keep in mind that it's your prescription, not theirs.

What would a place like Zinni Optical charge?
legally all they have to do is honor their warranty and they did his warranty is expired. Case closed.
Reply
Joined Aug 2003
L9: Master
> bubble2 4,298 Posts
360 Reputation
fsyowad
10-04-2014 at 03:43 PM.
10-04-2014 at 03:43 PM.
Quote from cupcake42 :
legally all they have to do is honor their warranty and they did his warranty is expired. Case closed.

So we need to consult an attorney before doing business with your shop?
Reply
Joined Jan 2009
I’m evil.....
> bubble2 12,738 Posts
11,124 Reputation
cupcake42
10-04-2014 at 04:45 PM.
10-04-2014 at 04:45 PM.
Quote from fsyowad :
So we need to consult an attorney before doing business with your shop?
Nope. I'm just saying if they do not wish to go above and beyond they do not legally have to.
Reply
Joined Dec 2006
L6: Expert
> bubble2 1,946 Posts
2,403 Reputation
gt6mk31
10-04-2014 at 06:09 PM.
10-04-2014 at 06:09 PM.
Quote from larrymoencurly :
What would a place like Zinni Optical charge?
$25.95 Rimless frame with magnetic sunglasses
$49.00 1.61 Digital Free Form Progressive (No-line multi-focal)
$14.95 Oleophobic (oil and fingerprint resistant) premium anti-reflective coating
--------
$89.90
$ 4.95 shipping
--------
$94.85


I've ordered no line bifocals three separate times, my husband one, and my mom twice and we've have had no problems with any of them.

I don't notice that the oleophobic coating is any better than the regular non-glare which is $4.95. I will order the cheap non-glare next time. That's what I've had in the past, but thought I'd try this other coating this time.

Also, spare magnetic sunglasses are cheap. My last orders shows I got two extras for $7.90. These are the ones that fit the glasses exactly; not one size fits all.

Shipping is $4.95 no matter how many pair of glasses you order. And the come with the little screw drive with the little socket that fits the nuts on the glasses.
Reply
Joined Jul 2005
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 10,159 Posts
z2g
10-04-2014 at 09:31 PM.
10-04-2014 at 09:31 PM.
Quote from larrymoencurly :
Some shops are sloppy and use expired adhesive, don't clean the parts correctly before gluing them, or don't heat them to cure the glue. Optical glue for polycarbonate lenses can be removed without harming the lenses and be reapplied, but my guess is that the optical shop doesn't have that capability.

If the opticial shop won't fix the lens for free, report them to the state regulators for substandard lenses. If that doesn't help, get back your prescription, and if they protest, keep in mind that it's your prescription, not theirs.

What would a place like Zinni Optical charge?
I don't know what you're talking about. What adhesives are you talking about in regards to ophthalmic lenses? When surfacing the lenses to insert into eyeglass frames, adhesives aren't used. As far as anti-reflective coatings and hard coats, they aren't done in the optical labs that usually do lens surfacing. Actually, the lenses are often ordered with the hard coats already applied to the lenses. For the a/r coating, they are usually sent to special labs that specialize in a/r coats.

Adhesives? Only used for maybe repairing broken eyeglasses?
Reply

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Jan 2009
I’m evil.....
> bubble2 12,738 Posts
11,124 Reputation
cupcake42
10-05-2014 at 05:43 AM.
10-05-2014 at 05:43 AM.
Iagree with z2g.
Reply
Joined Feb 2007
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 7,353 Posts
2,746 Reputation
boltman2007
10-05-2014 at 07:18 AM.
10-05-2014 at 07:18 AM.
Quote from z2g :
I don't know what you're talking about. What adhesives are you talking about in regards to ophthalmic lenses? When surfacing the lenses to insert into eyeglass frames, adhesives aren't used. As far as anti-reflective coatings and hard coats, they aren't done in the optical labs that usually do lens surfacing. Actually, the lenses are often ordered with the hard coats already applied to the lenses. For the a/r coating, they are usually sent to special labs that specialize in a/r coats.

Adhesives? Only used for maybe repairing broken eyeglasses?
Actually Luxottica experimented with and sold glued lenses with two halves... in an effort to speed processing times...it failed but could be used elsewhere in the industry.

Multi-part systems, such as laminating
and fusing, where two or more pieces
are joined to form the final lens

Luxottica also has in-location AR systems so not all go to AR lab outfits.

I agree typically no adhesives are user to fabricate eyeglasses...only in very rare cases.
Reply
Last edited by boltman2007 October 5, 2014 at 07:24 AM.
Joined Sep 2006
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 10,138 Posts
1,325 Reputation
larrymoencurly
10-05-2014 at 12:39 PM.
10-05-2014 at 12:39 PM.
Quote from cupcake42 :
legally all they have to do is honor their warranty and they did his warranty is expired. Case closed.
Actually that's not always true, as some lawsuits, including class actions, have shown.
Reply
Joined Sep 2006
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 10,138 Posts
1,325 Reputation
larrymoencurly
10-05-2014 at 12:48 PM.
10-05-2014 at 12:48 PM.
Quote from z2g :
I don't know what you're talking about. What adhesives are you talking about in regards to ophthalmic lenses? When surfacing the lenses to insert into eyeglass frames, adhesives aren't used. As far as anti-reflective coatings and hard coats, they aren't done in the optical labs that usually do lens surfacing. Actually, the lenses are often ordered with the hard coats already applied to the lenses. For the a/r coating, they are usually sent to special labs that specialize in a/r coats.

Adhesives? Only used for maybe repairing broken eyeglasses?
Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey :
"The lenses are now starting to delaminate (the back of the lenses appear to almost be separating from the rest of the lens)."
I'm not sure how lenses would be held together except with adhesive, and a Google for "optical adhesives" returned info for such products from Norland and Summers.
Reply
Joined Jan 2009
I’m evil.....
> bubble2 12,738 Posts
11,124 Reputation
cupcake42
10-05-2014 at 12:48 PM.
10-05-2014 at 12:48 PM.
Quote from larrymoencurly :
Actually that's not always true, as some lawsuits, including class actions, have shown.
It would have to be a ongoing issue with lots of others having the same issue. Not one person who is in happy.
Reply
Joined Sep 2006
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 10,138 Posts
1,325 Reputation
larrymoencurly
10-05-2014 at 12:50 PM.
10-05-2014 at 12:50 PM.
Quote from cupcake42 :
It would have to be a ongoing issue with lots of others having the same issue. Not one person who is in happy.
It would have to be just one defective product. Lenses get scratched often, but it's unusually rare for them to delaminate. Somebody screwed up at the factory.
Reply
Joined Aug 2003
L9: Master
> bubble2 4,298 Posts
360 Reputation
fsyowad
10-05-2014 at 01:27 PM.
10-05-2014 at 01:27 PM.
Can the op post a picture of the defect?
Reply

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Jan 2009
I’m evil.....
> bubble2 12,738 Posts
11,124 Reputation
cupcake42
10-05-2014 at 04:35 PM.
10-05-2014 at 04:35 PM.
Quote from larrymoencurly :
It would have to be just one defective product. Lenses get scratched often, but it's unusually rare for them to delaminate. Somebody screwed up at the factory.
I disagree. I have seen how people have mistreated lens over the years and it's usually operator error. A defect from the lab is usually occurs before the one year point.

But it's ok for us to disagree. Hug2
Reply
Page 8 of 10
Start the Conversation
 
Link Copied

The link has been copied to the clipboard.