RIPPED OFF by Lenscrafters!

I've always had my prescriptions and glasses done at Lenscrafters, and
they've always been absolutely, spot-on with the accuracy of their
prescriptions and grinding. We've spent thousands of dollars there
over the years on glasses for myself and my family, and never been
even slightly disappointed.

Until now.

About a year and a half ago, I bought some bifocals at LC, same place
we always went. I got a second pair just to use with my computer at
work. This was a pair of single vision glasses made specifically to
focus at 24 inches, the distance to my computer monitor. They were
pure heaven; no head-tilting are straining, the monitor was just razor
sharp.

These were Featerwates with the Duralens scratch resistant coating. I
take very good care of my glasses, keep them in cases, clean them
using eyeglass cleaner, etc.

Now, the coating is peeling off. On my "main" glasses, it has peeled
off about 1/8" around the ENTIRE circumference of BOTH lenses, and in
streaks reaching all the way to the center of the lens.

On my computer glasses, which I ONLY use a few hours a day in my
office, and which are placed in a protective case in the desk drawer
otherwise, the coating also peeled off - again, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch,
around the entire circumference of both lenses.

And this after only a year and a half!! I emailed LC and received a
reply that since they were over a year old, this was considered
"normal wear and tear." Good GRIEF! My prescription is very stable,
and I normally wear glasses 3 to 5 years before replacing them. So
it's "normal" for the coating to peel off after just A YEAR AND A
HALF???!!! I mean, as my teenage daughter says, "HELLO?"

I suggested that perhaps the technician had applied the coating at the
wrong temperature, or didn't let it cool off enough, or something of
that nature. OBVIOUSLY this was a serious defect.

He "understood my frustration," however, and to appease my feelings,
he mailed me (snail mail) a $100-off coupon, the SAME coupon you see
in the Sunday paper, or can even print off their web page.
Whoopity-do. To twist the knife, it came in a big 9" X 12" envelope
packed with brochures, booklets and advertising.

Do they REALLY expect me to go back down there and blow $600 on
another pair of glasses (two), assuming it's "normal" for the
coatings to peel off after just 18 months? "I don't think so, Tim."

I'm not sure that it will serve any useful purpose to post this
message, other than to let off steam. Sigh.

Ron M.
Austin, Texas

 

There are several types of AR coating. The standard coating applied by many
in-store labs is quite fragile is does not last very long. One and half
years life span is not unusual for this kind of coating.

The other type is a much more durable coating (such as Crizal) applied at
certain optical labs. There are also some good factory applied coatings by
the other lens manufacturers for their lenses (Sola, Seiko, etc.). Crizal
may not be available for all lenses and is not typically used by the chain
stores like Lenscrafters.

One advantage of the cheap coatings is that they can sometimes be stripped
and reapplied (or not reapplied). You might ask them about that (but you
would have to pay for a new coating if you wanted it reapplied). If you keep
your lenses for 5 years then you should use a product like Crizal or not use
an AR coating at all. 5 years many be a stretch for any coating, even
Crizal. Also, polycarbonate tends to not last as long as other materials due
to scratching.

One more thing. Just because the optical shop gives you a case for your
glasses, does not mean that the case will not damage the coating. No case
remains perfectly clean for the life of the lens, and most of them use
synthetic material for the lining that is not suitable for cleaning a lens
(such as cotton) and therefore is capable of scratching the coating.

 

(Ron M.) wrote in

Don't email lens crafters about this. Drag yourself into the shop where
you bought the lenses, and ask them nicely if they can help you. After
all, its THAT shop that prepped your glasses, that shop you would go to to
get new glasses, and that shop that would be profiting off that sale.

FWIW, even if they choose not to help you, you are not being "RIPPED OFF".
You might not be satisfied, and you might even be justified, but you're not
being robbed.

Also, I've been told by a friend in the business that they consider the
expected life of a set of glasses to be two years.

Scott

 

It's the frames that are expected to last two years. I've had plenty of
frames last plenty longer, though.

 

<snip>

Gee. I do not even get coatings on my glasses. I expect coatings applied
cold, as I think the must be on plastic substrates, to have adhesion
problems.

Ask them if they are willing to strip and recoat the lenses. The plastic
polymers are probably very resistant to chemicals that would be used to
strip the coating. But I am not sure of that.

Bill

 

Some users (or rather abusers) have a hard time getting two years out of
any frame. If you're inactive, have non-acidic skin secretions, and
meticulously remove your glasses with two hands, even an inexpensive frame
might last a long time.

Are any frames warranteed for more than two years?

Scott

 

Sigh.. are some people just totally clueless? I said it was the
SCRATCH-RESISTANT coating, not the "anti-reflection" coating. Their
regular "Duralens" stuff. I'm quite aware of the problems with AR
coatings.

Sorry, try again...
Ron M.

 

I would regard a pair of glasses that lasted less than four or five years
as a ripoff -- I've bought only the cheapest frames (maybe expensive
closeouts, but unlikely) and have had no problems.

SOMETIMES you get what you pay for, but mostly you don't.