America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses America's Worst Eyglasses & Experience N. Charleston South Carolina

To whom it may concern: Re: America's Best Contacts and Eyeglasses, is a bad choice or a Twilight Zone: “To Serve Mankind”

Then something changed. Just a few years ago our experience in getting my wife's eyes examined and the process of buying glasses at America's Best in North Charleston, SC was a very pleasant experience that's why we went back in January, 2015.

I suppose we should have been alerted that something was drastically different on this trip when my wife was examined for glasses only as she vary rarely uses her contacts but was harassed about her not getting new contacts being told, among other things, that she could go blind if she didn't get new ones and clean them properly. They the doctor and the assistant spent more time trying to sell contacts than doing the exam. She attempted to explain she has over 50 years experience wearing glasses and contacts so she knows what to do. But that's not the end.

When picking out frames the associate fitting her said we were "in luck" as the RX only

called for one vision not the tri-focals (progressives) we thought she needed. When the optometrist was questioned about how her eyes can get better at age 67 he condescendingly asked if she knew how many times per day she blinks, that that alone can change the shape of the cornea. Frankly we should have bailed out then but were enamored in hope and suspended logic at least until we returned for the final fitting and pick up.

Oh, I interject here, my wife picked out two eye glass cases marked clearly two for five dollars.

the sales associate asked if she wanted to take them but she deferred to waiting until she

was to pick them up with the glasses. He said he'd put them in a drawer for her return.

So now we get to the best part. The store was busy and no one offered my wife a seat so I found one for her to sit in while she waited to pick up the glasses. I had an errand to run and since it looked like the wait would be a while I left for about 30 minutes. When I returned I could see that my wife seemed agitated so I asked what the problem was. She said her 18" vision was unacceptable. She could not see to play the piano. So the associate asked how large the piano notes? She also continued to condescendingly say repeatedly that close is close and distance is distance, as if there is no middle (then why are thee tri-focals). Also she said she was told the cases would not be the price sold to us but a higher price. I went over to the guy who sold them to us and he confirmed the original deal. My wife told me then the other female associate who had been helping her had told her they do not save eye glass cases, yet the man who had served us disagreed with her confirming the price and he had given them to her as she witnessed his getting them out of the drawer.

In the meantime I suggested since the original woman was busy someone else could resolve these issues, as I was certain this could be fixed. However, my wife went on to explain that the woman who was busy (who was now directing things from behind a wall) had told my wife to take the glasses home and if her eyes do not adjust she could come back and get new ones with a new free exam but we would have to pay for the new glasses. She also asked what size the piano music is in reference to my wife's inability to see 18" clearly (or the dashboard of a car?). I asked why they had only prescribed only single vision after my wife reminded me of the issue with the contacts and how that issue was as confusing as the rest of the conversation. The young woman's answer was that my wife had indicated she lifted her glasses to read things at 18" when she was wearing contacts and that is why the doctor had only prescribed single vision. What?

Well I'd heard enough and asked for our money back. Who can do business that way? Either America's Best's house is full of clowns or real bad con-men.

I said there was no reason to pay for the accessories either. Then my wife told me the young woman who now was back with her ignorance (I hope) of her own business had tried to get my wife to sign an invoice for the accessories, when we had not signed the debit card anywhere before including when we paid 400 bucks for the glasses a week before. Why? I was getting a little warm under the collar so I suggested they all get a job with a shylock or payday loan place.

Either these people need a job at Good Will to be taught how to work at an honest job or get a job selling whole life insurance.

Now, think, Board of Directors, what if my wife had driven home with those bad glasses your agents had tried to get her to do and she and been hurt in an accident. Think you'd loose that negligence lawsuit? It might have been an intentional act to defraud and putting one in immanent danger of bodily harm. That's a crime not covered under your GL or D&O. Think about it.

Incidentally, I didn't waste my time looking up your names, they are not easy to find. Are you hiding, maybe because there are over 5,000 complaints against America's Best with the BBB and other consumer reporting agencies? .

Epilog : I gave America's Best an opportunity to rectify the situation by sending an e-mail to Corporate to bring their attention to our discontent. We got a call which only seemed to be a cursory response with a redundant attempt to justify the way were were treated. At the end of the day we only wanted an apology and assurance they would look into the mater with recognition that their employees may have not followed procedures, either professional or corporate protocol. Naw, the phone representative only wanted to tell us how stupid we were and the “misunderstanding” was our fault. If you go to this outfit do so at your own risk. A bad eye exam RX can cost you your sight and maybe more. And what happened to “The customer is ALWAYS right”? Is service in retail America now “never having to say you're sorry”?