in being HIGHLY f*cked off at the treatment DS and I received at optician's? (bit long - sorry)

[Numberfour]

i suspected my 4 and a half year old son needed glasses so took him to see the optician on friday afternoon.

the optician did not introduce himself to me when we went in to his office. he asked DS to sit on the chair, told him he was going to put on the eye measuring glasses thingy and then proceeded to whip different lenses in and out, asking DS what he could see, but not explaining to Ds what he was doing.

He asked Ds to look at a pen point he held up. "Look at the point!" he said a second time. no please, no explanation, no kindness.

he then told me DS is very far sighted in one eye and will need glasses - "thick ones". he appeared to be in such a rush, that i eventually said it seemed that he was in a hurry so i though it best that DS saw somebody else. optician said no, he was not seeing anyone else and was not in a hurry.

he continued his examination, cut me short when i asked a question and then afterwards explained to me what was happening. twice throughout the whole procedure he explained to DS what he was doing.

afterwards, the shop assistant sat on her arse behind the counter and pointed with her pen where we could choose Ds's frames from. when we had selected a pair, i asked shop assistant for second opinion on suitability of shape of frame, she just said yeah and nodded, carrying on filling in the form.

i nearly burst into tears during the exam. i am obviously upset that DS needs glasses. (he is so excited so it is a me thing not a DS thing!) but the optician was so blunt and uncaring about the whole thing.

the entire experience was atrocious. I have worn glasses and contact lenses for nearly 30 years so it is not as if I am new to this - just appalled at how bad the treatment was/

or am i being oversensitive about it? mountain out of a molehill stuff/

if i am, all well and good, i accept that!

if not, should i lodge a complaint or just take my business (and DS) elsewhere?

yABU but i understand why.

The optician wasn't a monster, just matter of fact.
The assistant was in the middle of paperwork so probably distracted.

i think I would have left during the examination when the optician was rude.

Is this the optician you normally see?

This is the way things are in a lot of places these days so don't think it's you being oversensitive at all.

Go somewhere else. Explain in writing why you will not be giving them business and tell them how they need to change. You may get a gifgt voucher to apologise, but I wouldn't want to give them any of my money.

Good luck. I wish some things in life were really like how they are on Peppa Pig!!

i think you're right........

ps

both the optician and the assistant are there to provide treatment/assist customers - thats their job.

so maybe you are being a little sensitive but if you are not happy, vote with your feet, not worth being upset over though

my post was to christmasspirits, btw.

no, ginger, i land up seeing different optician's each time i go. have never had one introduce themselves to me.

WowOoo, might just do that.

also was really surprised that they asked for payment upfront (for non scratch covering on Ds's lenses and for contacts for me0. normally only pay on collection. DH reckons they could be going insolvent so just can't be arsed to be civil.

thanks for the replies, everyone. off to shower and do some tidying up.

YANBU

Take your buisnes elsewhere!!!!!!!!

You are not being over sensitive.

I have a "wilfull" DS1 with an anxiety disorder, and he needs peopel to be slow, freindly and prfoessional with him. (Professional so he realises he can't mess about and refuse to do as we need him too)

If he's been treated like this at four it woudl have set us up for years of missery.

(Actually I think he was - he went with DH,and they didn't mamaged to actually finish examining him!)

I have found Vission Express really good over the years, and I'm not usually fond of chains.

The "thick glasses" tihnk is horrid, isn't it! The optician flashed up a lense infront of me to show me what DS could see ( or not!) - I didn't want a quick flash, I wanted to spend a while taking in what it was like to be my DS.

After he got his glasses, aged four, we needed a new pair every month, so we have become a familiar face at the optitians. Take your prescription, have a wonder round and find a place you like.

Bug Hugs.

Go somewhere else - there's no reason to pay someone if you didn't like the way you and ds were treated.

My optician (optometrist?) was really good with ds, very patient and had all sorts of tricks to get ds to do what he needed to do. Ds co-operated beautifully.

Could you ask other parents whose children need glasses to recommend someone?

I would have gone elsewhere. I view trips to the opticians like trips to the dentists. You want your dcs to have a good experience and not be frightened of going.

seriously why give them your buisness, walk out simples!!

You'll get people who are good with children and people who are bad with children. Dentists, opticians, doctors... go to the ones who are good!

I also say YANBU. The optician said he wasn't busy - I don't know why he had to be so abrupt. I'd have been furious on your ds's behalf - even if he was excited, it could have been a much more interesting visit for him - and would have probably had to say something there and/or walk out. There are plenty of opticians to go to. I'm sorry you had such a horrible time.

Unless your DS was upset or in anyway bothered then YABU to be so pissed off about the eye exam, but YANBU in the slightest to want to take your money elsewhere to buy the frames. I would also be tempted to look for an opthalmology referral via the HV given the optician said your DS was "very" far sighted.

thanks, everyone

DS has been referred to an opthalmologist by this optician (oops about the errant apostrophe above.....).

i think i might leave things as they are. i don't need to see the optician again for DS and i can always take my own prescription elsewhere

edam, yes, of course: optometrist.

Once you have seen the opthalmologist and got your prescription, I would really advise you to go and check out other opticians. You really do need to be happy about the optician you choose. DS2 (age 3.5) wears glasses and we visit them VERY regularly. We have two sets and they both get broken or mis-shaped often and in order to get them to sit correctly on his face (without slipping down his nose) we have to visit the optician to get them straightened! You really don't want to feel uneasy visiting when you have to go regularly. We chose Specsavers as the staff in our local one were very helpful. There are also a lot of employees there so we can just pop in and there is always someone free to help - no appointment necessary which is always good. We weren't very happy with out local Vision Express and got the impression they didn't like the hassle of children! But I'm sure it varies from town to town, so visit a few and look at the glasses and make your mind up from how helpful they are

Thanks, Jellyjuice, that was the exact impression i got: optometrist i went to did not seem to like the hassle of dealing with children. Exactly that!

i will go to them again to fetch my lenses and pick up DS's specs (getting an interim prescription pending the opthalmologist's appointment and full prescription) and then after that, I will not go back.

I'd vote with my feet too. Yes, they were "just doing their job" but I expect - and have mostly had so far - people to make a special effort with small children in these circumstances. I think we've probably been quite spoiled so far. That's a good thing!

I would complain to their Head office definitely.

No YANBU. I use to work in an opticians and the attitiude of the assistant would've been considered well out of order.

I would lodge a complaint and take your business elsewhere.

YANBU
DS2 was recently prescribed glasses and our optician was wonderful, spent 2 hrs examining him, using pictures instead of letters.
I would definitley go somewhere else, ask other parents of children with glasses where they take them.
It is a big deal for children to get glasses and should be dealt with sensitively.

YANBU, and tbh if the optician seemed to be rushing through it that much I would not be convinced by his results.

I had an eye test once as a teenager, ended up getting glasses as was rushed for answers by the optician. I did not really need those glasses and only ended up wearing them for a short time until I had another eye test.

At least you have a referral and can hopefully get somebody nicer

thanks again, everyone
my very first thought was that i would get a second opinion, but thankfully DS is off to the opthalmologist so i think that will sort it.