Location: Canada
Background: When I first started wearing glasses the optometrist would just give me a piece of paper that I could take to any shop to get my lenses made. Then they started refusing that paper and insisting I either leave my frames with them for two weeks, or that I buy new frames.
And now it seems like even asking for the script, or the measurements, is ‘against policy’.
I recently went in for an eye exam and some new glasses, and the optician said something I have never been told before.
I had asked if they could give me the prescription for my sunglass lenses since they don’t deal with the brand that I prefer, and he said that I would have to schedule another appointment at a shop that deals with that brand, because the prescription was not enough, and I would also need the measurements he took.
I asked if I could have those measurements and he said it was against policy.
Is he lying to try to get me to buy new frames from his shop? Or is there something to what he is saying?
Confession - When he walked away I took a picture of the measuring app he had used which seems to show all the measurements.
Would this be useful to another shop? I’m just trying to buy lenses without spending a fortune on yet another frame.
It all feels like a scam.
I’m in Canada and I’ve had opticians do this. They are full of shit. You need your distance between pupils and prescription (and possibly cylinder measurements if you have astigmatism) to buy glasses. They are preventing you from buying from other people and are trying to convince you that you must buy from them.
Email them asking for the prescription and cc their head office if they have one. If they refuse, tell them that what they are doing is illegal in Canada. An optician MUST give a patient their prescription but it does not require the distance between pupils.
Switch shops and absolutely leave a bad review and mention what they did.
Plus, any place that sells glasses will take that pupil measurement so get your prescription and shop around. I personally like Costco, but if you are comfortable with doing your own pupil measurement you can order glasses quite cheap online.
Thanks! I have sent an email and will update if they reply. I will not hold my breath though.