Does anyone here work as an optical assistant at Vision express?

[RichardMarxisinnocent]

And can answer a couple of questions about what they are trained to do /should be able to do please? I'm trying to work out whether I've been unlucky with the branch I use, or I'm unusually fussy about how my glasses frames fit, or if they are only trained in very straightforward adjustments and thus my expectations are too high.

My questions are:
Are new glasses adjusted to standard /basic alignment ready for when the customer comes to collect them?
What parts of the frames should/would an optical assistant check and adjust when dispensing the new glasses?

Thank you to anyone who can answer.

Just bumping in case anyone can answer

Why don’t you just share what’s actually gone wrong for you? I’m sure lots of people with experience of buying glasses could also help.

I didn’t work at This brand but when people collect glasses they should be aligned so the pupils aligh to the right point on the lens of the individual.this can go wrong and sometimes the glazer gets it wrong so whatever you do it won’t work and the specs need to be sent back and re glazed. It’s about public lens distance. I am a bit rusty I did this job over 20 years ago but take the glasses back… get them to check you can read the board and if you can’t… expect them to be re glazed for free

If you’re not happy take them back and ask for an adjustment/ refund. They’ve refunded me for two pairs of glasses where the prescription just wasn’t right at all (I have complex eye issues and extreme myopia -10 both eyes and they just couldn’t get it right).

This is why I can’t understand people who buy glasses online with nobody to fit them.

When you bought them the dispenser should have put them on your face and measured the distance from the front arm joints to where they need to curve over your ears. They should measure each lens individually and, using a straight edge ask you to look directly at them and mark distances down on the notes, or directly on to the lenses. They then make a note saying such as
arms R - 77. L - 75. This tells where the arm curve needs bending.
Right lens - PD 34 and 14mm above
Left lens - PD 33 and 14mm above
Then the optometrist prescription
Right. Minus 6.25 Add of Plus 2.50
then left eye.

When the spx come back from the glazing lab the prescription in the lenses should be checked on a foscimiter to ensure the lenses are as ordered.

This is what a qualified dispensing optician would do.

Thank you all so far. I'm at work at the moment so will reply with details later today. But just to say the lenses are fine, it's the frame fitting I've had issues with (and I've been back several times for adjustments) and that they were given to me wonky.

You have 100 days to exchange them or get a refund if you can't get them right.

My last pair they forgot about my reaction lenses and I didn't like the new frame after wearing it for a week. So they changed the frame and lenses for me.

I actually used the 100 day refund on the first frames I got after my latest eye test. On about the 3rd time I went for an adjustment the person told me the bridge and frame were too narrow for me (not sure why they were sold to me in the first place if so?). He adjusted them but they still didn't sit right so I got a refund and chose another pair.

For this current pair, PD was measured when I bought them, as were the progressive lens measurements. There was no measuring of the distances to my ears. It seemed odd the varifocal measurements were done when they were not fitted to my face and thus might not be sitting in the right place, but the lenses seem fine, and all distances of vision are fine.

I'll put the issues with the frame in another post, so there isn't a huge wall of text!

On collection of the current pair, the only check which seemed to be done was the fit behind the ears, and they asked if my vision was ok and got me to read something. (This was the same with the previous pair, the arms of which touched the side of my face much too far forward of my ears. The fit of the arms there wasn't checked or adjusted and I noticed it myself after I wore them for a bit. They were able to widen them after I went back. Should the fit of the arms in front of the ears be checked on collection?)

I went back for a couple of adjustments to the current pair as the frame felt tight behind one ear, and was also sitting further away from that eye, which I assumed was linked. After a few days, much googling and watching of YouTube videos, I worked out that the issue was with the angle of the arms - one was at a much wider angle than the other, causing one lens to be much closer to the eye than the other. I had them adjusted but had to explain to the assistant what needed adjusting, as well as the problem. The angle had been widened when the lenses were put in. Surely this should have been noticed before I was given then? Or at least they should have checked as part of fitting them that they were sitting evenly in front of my eyes?

I've been back once more as they still weren't sitting right, asked to speak to the dispensing optician, they said they didn't have one, so they asked someone who I think was an optometrist, who said the front of the frame wasn't straight, so he adjusted it. Again, shouldn't that have been checked when I first collected them?

I've fallen down a bit of a dispensing glasses rabbit hole online, and there is a list of various bits of the fit of frames to be checked and if necessary adjusted. Pantascopic tilt, distance from eyes, the bow of the arms, the bend behind the ear, possibly more. The only check that seems to have been done on mine is behind the ears. I don't recall what's been checked on previous frames, as I tend to go 4 or 5 years between new frames.

There was no measuring of the arms when I bought them, just pupils and progressive lens measurements.

I used to go to a local independent and they spent a good 15 minutes making sure my glasses fit, adjusting the frames, etc. They're always booked up so for my last appointment I went to Specsavers. All she did was tell me to put them on and see if things looked OK, then sent me on my way.

Back to the independent I go and lesson learned!

I'd love to go to an independent but there aren't any near me. I've felt at times like I've ended up telling them what adjustments are needed, even though they are supposed to be the experts not me!

I got some from specsavers and had a bad experience with boots last time so was understandably nervous!
Mine came and my vision was a tiny bit off, so I went back and a woman helped who knew instantly what was wrong after I explained
They needed heights, sent off and redone and they’re perfect now

It's hard to know which opticians in a local area is good, as it depends who they have working there. Some on here have had great experiences with Specsavers, others haven't, same with Boots.

I've been back for 2 further adjustments, first one I asked for someone experienced (they told me they didn't have a dispensing optician which seemed strange). They found the front of the frame was slightly twisted. They sorted it, but surely I shouldn't have been given them in that state originally? I then had behind my ear loosened a bit as it was leaving a red mark.

They still aren't quite right, moving down my nose a bit, I think as the arm lifts up a bit above my ears. But I have no idea why they are lifting above the ears - tightness, looseness, bend in the wrong place? - and don't have confidence that all the VE staff will know and be able to sort it. Some might, but it will hit and miss whether the person I get will know.

Lots of the chains don’t have qualified dispensing opticians who are highly skilled and trained,and cost a professional salary,they use dispensing assistants who have had minimal training in house. They get away with this because they have a qualified optician on the premises. Strictly speaking if these assistants dispense to an under 16, or vulnerable person, they should have their work checked and certified by the optician.

Yep I am learning that dispensing opticians are few and far between. The assistants can do the basic adjustments, but most that I've seen in recent weeks seem not to know the detail of how a minor change to one aspect of the frame can affect the whole balance of the frame (and I wouldn't really expect them too, they aren't qualified, professional dispensing opticians!).

I think I am concluding that i am probably not being overly fussy, Several of the amendments were done while the frame was not straight, so they were never going to sit right after those changes, because the underlying issue still remained.