Empire Visionworks — Local services in City of Corning

I recently had my annual eye exam at Visionworks Corning; it was my third visit to this practice. Aside from a long wait time, Dr. Crittenden did a fine job with my refraction. It wasn't until I tried wearing my new glasses that the problems started.

After a few weeks with the new glasses, I noticed that I wasn't adjusting to them; I had constant headaches that just weren't going away. I returned to the store hoping that a minor adjustment would solve the problem.

The optician verified that the lenses were correctly manufactured and started making adjustments. She snapped the temple off my glasses, quipping "well I guess you won't have any headaches now." Despite the optician's certainty that the glasses were made correctly, she scheduled me for another exam.

I showed up for the second exam, before which the technician verified the Rx again; she determined that the glasses were made correctly. It was only after the full eye exam that Dr. Crittenden found the problem: the lenses were reversed (left in right, and vice versa). I struggled to understand how this could ever happen. Surely a manufacturer that constantly has to distinguish between left and right has multiple safeguards in place to prevent such a ridiculous mistake.

Back to the waiting room I went to await an optician to reorder my eyeglasses. She graciously added the blue light filtering coating at no charge; I intended to order it but the original optician was too rushed to sell it to me.

I picked up my new, new glasses a few days later (for those keeping track, this is the fifth visit). As soon as I saw the frames, I was appalled; there were multiple chips in the finish, with one that appeared to be painted over. It appeared they tried to give me used eyeglass frames. Obviously, I rejected them. Visionworks' solution was to order a new set of frames and install my lenses.

Back to Visionworks I went, for the sixth time. Fortunately the new frames appeared to, indeed, be new. The optician installed my lenses and adjusted the frames, and I am pleased with the end result. I'm sure it's understandable, however, that I will not be back.

Why did it take escalation to a new eye exam to discover a swapped prescription?

Why is Visionworks filling orders with obviously defective (used?) eyeglass frames, and billing insurance for new ones?

The level of disregard for quality and incompetence is astonishing. The local staff were reasonably gracious through the process, but I've wasted enough time with Visionworks' mistakes that I just can't abide returning next time.

Do better.

P.S. I don't need a response from corporate's review...

I have never been treated worse in my life!!! I went in for new glasses and contacts a few weeks ago. I couldn’t get into Walmart eye enter (who is superbly better than these guys!!). My eye glasses were covered by insurance and I paid out of pocket for the contact lens exam. I didn’t have any form of corrective lenses due to a theft situation. I left without corrective lenses as well. Typically they have to order my lenses because of the prescription but Walmart always finds something for me so I’m not leaving blind not these guys. Then I get a claim denial from my insurance for the contacts which I already paid for so they are trying to pocket money I presume!!! Notified my insurance company! But then today I go in to pick up my glasses and trial contacts my appointment is at 10 at 1030 I still haven’t seen the doctor and I get an emergency call from babysitter to come pick my daughter up and I let them know so that I can come back later and the employee literally demanded while stepping in front of me that I remove the contacts immediately and return them. Who does that!!!! Seriously the worst experience I have ever had in my life I will never go back here I felt objectified and fearful as a paying customer that’s just wrong in so many levels. I’ll stick with Walmart they just treat people like people not prisoners!!!!! I would of gave them 0 stars but it’s...

As a healthcare provider myself, I know that sometimes providers run late and I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, but I would never do to a patient what happened to me at Visionworks: I arrived for my late afternoon appointment about 3 minutes late. I was told that the doctor was running behind 30 minutes, but since I arrived late I would have to reschedule my appointment because "the doctors don't work past 5:00." That is not good customer service. Period. If I have a patient scheduled and I'm running late, I may offer a rescheduled time, but if they are willing to wait then I work late - I'd have gladly waited for the convenience of not having to come again. That cost me an hour of leave time that was completely wasted. And this isn't to criticize the staff at the store - this is a management issue. Another issue with Visionworks is the phone system - it is virtually impossible to talk to a live person at the store to solve a problem - all you can get is a computer system and at most a promise that "someone will return your call" - which never happens. Even though customers and staff and the store have complained endlessly about the phone system, the management has done nothing about it. It is not the store I am critical of - it is the management that have created a customer-UNFriendly business. My business may be...