Deposit Refunds

Happy New Year!

I have still not received a call from OE in relation to the return of my refund - I will chase Lynsey Shaw again - just glad my bank have been helpful!!

If you haven't seen it have a look at the Observer Newspaper on Sunday, I think the other papers have picked it up now! Scarey!!

www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/03/...-but-all-blurred-now

Another update! My refund was not returned as promised by OE on the 24th December. No surprise there!

My husband spoke to Lynsey Shaw this morning and she said she has escalated it with their accounts team but it won't be until week commencing the 5th Jan! Even then it will take 3-5 working days to show on my account.

Lynsey apologised and thanked me for my patience!!


So they can take your money via an instant transfer but it takes weeks and weeks to get a refund!

I am sure they must be breaking the law keeping peoples deposits in the way that they do!

I can only say again, I am glad they have not touched my eyes and I can still see with specs!

I went to OE White Rose store in Leeds in November and was told by the optom that I was suitable for further assessments for RLE as the guideline had changed from 50 to 40 (I'm 42), and I would probably need a toric lens. I was asked to pay a deposit of £500 and if I wasn't suitable I would get it back.

I paid and later went for an assessment at Bridgewater hospital in Manchester, but the optom there told me because of my age and size of my eye I wasn't suitable, but she would speak to the surgeon.

It took two weeks for them to call me back to say definitely no.

So I'm waiting for them to call so I can get my deposit back.

I'm also confused about the age thing? Was I not suitable in the first place!

It has taken me a while to update as I have been ill with flu!

I have had no response from OE and have absolutely no faith in the fact they said they would refund the money today.

My bank has been really good after I explained everything that happened, and as I paid via credit card that takes the money directly out of your account on a certain day following a transaction they agreed not to take the money out and investigate on my behalf,

I have sent the bank all the information in relation to OE's shoddy treatment and practices.

When I looked through the paperwork they insisted I sign I am so relieved and the fact that they almost bullied me into having it done or lose my money!!! They had also changed the paperwork on the day of my arrival for the op, which should have made me more careful!

Sasha Thank you for all your help! I am so glad I found this website but wish I had seen it earlier I would not have gone near OE.

I am absolutely shocked by being treated so badly by Optical Express. I am 46 and decided on RLE surgery on the 7 July in Brighton after being told I was suitable. I paid £500 deposit on the day on my credit card and paid another £500 cash on the 19 July, total £1000. The balance was being paid by direct debit.

I couldn't have the operation until September because I was going on holiday and they said I could get an infection from swimming.

I arrived at London Westfield Optical Express in September, but I had a cold, so I couldn't go ahead. I went again on 22 October - but after waiting 2 hours, the surgeon Dimitris Kazkos told me that I was not suitable for the operation because my pupils are 8mm and the lenses are only 6mm and I would have glare. I was told I would get a full refund.

I was annoyed that no one told me this on my first visit - before I paid my deposit! I didn't even know who my surgeon was until the day.

I was told on the phone that I will get refund within 2 weeks, then after calling back I was told it's going to be 24 working days. Well, I should have received the refund on the 24 November and today is 9 December. All I get on the phone is "sorry, money is on the way this week"

I have called many times and getting nowhere....

The service has been the worst I have ever experienced and I cannot believe such a big company tells lies this way. Please could you advise?

My email: (edited)

I called OE again this morning and was told they sent an email to my Gmail account on the 5th December and another one yesterday. I spoke to 'Robyn' who said that as I have a Gmail account emails from OE would go into the Spam folder!!!!

There were two emails in my Spam stating they will refund my money no later than the 24th December, but I have absolutely no confidence at all that his will happen. And why are they not refunding immediately?!

Important point here, if they know emails sent to Gmail addresses will go into Spam, this is being done deliberately!!

Keep up the good work Sasha - this company need to be annihilated!

Still no response from Optical Express via e-mail nor telephone calls! Very Frustrating!
I cannot believe these people can get away with this!

If they cannot even refund monies - how can they be trusted with your eyes!

Update to my post on the 3rd.

Just 1 hour after I had posted here I did get a call from Lawrence at Optical Express - to say that they would refund my money but it would be within 28 days. I said No, I want someone to contact me tomorrow and confirm my money has been refunded. I have had no calls and no contact!

Today I called Hugh Kerr (General Ops Director for OE) and left a message with my details and demanding my money back. Again no response! I have now contacted my credit card provider and am also speaking to trading standards.

I am horrified that I was bullied by Lawrence in the phone call on December 3rd to give in and have it done, telling me I would lose my money so I should just go ahead!! How can these people get away with this? Lawrence stated that the most important thing to OE is caring for people's eyesight, but having dealt with them this is clearly absolute rubbish and the only thing they care about is their profit margin - they clearly have no morals.

When I think I could have damaged my eyes forever for the sake of not wanting to wear glasses!! How stupid!

I am so thankful that the surgeon at Bridgewater refused to do the surgery on the day!

But, I still want my money back ASAP

Sasha thank you for your help and advice.

For anyone still battling to get their payment refunded, I have just discovered that even if you paid the deposit on a credit card and the balance on a debit card, you are entitled to claim the full amount back from your credit card provider:


www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulati...-consumer-credit-act
Please note, this needs to be actioned within 120 days of the transaction

In brief, I wanted Lens replacement and paid £500 deposit in Doncaster a few days after my first consultation on the 18th Sept '14.

The optometrist said I was suitable and I had an appt booked in Nottingham on the 1st November. I was told if the surgeon could not do the surgery they would give me a full refund.

I paid the £4,452 balance on the 13th November over the phone.

I went to the Bridgewater hospital in Manchester on the 15th November. After a number of hours waiting and more scans I was ready (as I believed) to go down for the surgery, but the optometrist took me into a room and explained that the surgeon didn’t want to proceed without a second opinion as there could be a risk of retinal detachment - BUT, I could see a retinal specialist who would make the final decision and that would cost me another £210!

She also said I needed to be aware if I ever get floaters or a grey shadow across my eye I would need to go straight to the hospital as it could be a retinal detachment as I am so short sighted.

I said hang on, I am not happy to have anything done if the surgeon is not happy!

I called later to get a refund and was told to wait for someone to come back to me - I had 3 messages on my voicemail at work, but when I called the number on numerous occasions there was no response. This morning I called the sales line and a chap called Lawrence called me back.

They are refusing to refund my money as I am not prepared to see the retinal specialist. I am 49 yrs old and do not have cataracts. I only have one pair of eyes and if they need a second opinion this surgery is no longer an option!

Please could you advise.