George & Matilda Eyecare

I’ve attended this optometrist since it was The Pinhole Effect, but my most recent experience will be my last. (Please excuse grammar, had to trim to make fit.)
To try and keep this as short as possible, here is a list of events;
23rd Nov
- Attend appt
- Contact lens script updated
- Unable to place order for contact lenses while in store; new optometrist had not yet completed notes
- Request to order 6months of lenses, as apparently a 3 month supply can no longer be ordered.
- Request updated script be emailed to me
7th Dec.
- Call store to check on order, as they usually take 2-3 days, it’s now been 2 weeks.
- Advised during phone call that they should be in “later today.. or tomorrow at the latest.”
- Go into store ~5:10pm and check if they’d arrived. Still no lenses.
8th Dec (Today)
- Receive text ~9:45am advising of order arrival.
- Head into store ~12pm
- Lenses fetched from storage.
- They will “tell me something about the lenses that will explain why they were late.”
- start to tell me, but wave hand dismissively and begin to process my payment.
- As payment for 6month of lenses processes, the assistant says;
- “See, they’ve changed, that’s why they were so late/took so long.” That was the whole explanation I got, as,
- Unfortunately, I was distracted by the fact that I was now realising there was only THREE months worth of contact lenses on the counter, but my payment had just been processed for SIX.
- I ask where the other boxes are; “on back order..”
- Considering the surprise on the assistant’s face, I am unsure whether they had noticed the discrepancy before I mentioned it.
- I request a refund, as I do not want to pay for 6 months of lenses and only receive 3.
- The refund is actioned in full, and I am now charged for a 3 month supply.
- I am uncertain why they could not just refund me the difference; so I’m out of ~$300 AND the ~$150 for the 3 month isnt while I wait for the refund to be processed. I do not mention this, as at this point I just wish to be done with this interaction.
- As the refund is being processed, I get some clearer answers on why the lenses took so long.
- “Like I was trying to tell you before…” with that single, super specific sentence from earlier, apparently. Turns out, the contact lens company no longer carry -x.25 scripts; only -x.00 or -x.50
- As I process this, I realise that this means that one of the boxes of lenses I’m holding isn’t actually my prescription. (-6.25)
- When I question the assistant (and also the new optometrist about this, who had been sitting there mostly silent at a computer throughout this so far) I am advised that the difference in prescription“should be fine,” without even bothering to look at my script/the lens boxes.
- It is worth noting here that the reason I attended this store for so long was due to Tien’s enthusiasm for eye health. She taught me a lot, and my eyesight improved under her guidance. This nonchalance is a stark contrast to the way this storefront used to run, and is incredibly disappointing.
- I leave the store with my 3-month supply of lenses.
- As I start my evening routines, I realise the boxes aren’t marked for left/right eye (something that has always been done at multiple optometrists and was here for years until recently), so I pull up my contact lens prescription to mark the boxes for myself.
- My new prescription is -6.50 and -7.00. No -x.25, and;
- The lenses I’ve been given are -6.50 and -6.00. Store not open again til Monday morning.
I am furious about this whole experience. No apologies offered for delays, no communication until asked, errors unnoticed until mentioned.
Instead of apologies; “well, it doesn’t matter where you order them from, it’s the contact lens company’s fault. You’ll be waiting just as long if you order from someone else.”
I am flabbergasted.
I have every intention of being there on Monday morning to return the still sealed boxes of contact lenses that aren’t even correct to my script. At this point, I’d rather wait another 2-3 weeks for contact lenses and spend my money elsewhere.

This place used to be great. Still cool location, still lovely Optometrist, still great selection but as of Oct 2022, Rude Gentlemen more interested staring at the computer screen than helping legitimate customers. Didn’t even acknowledge us when we walked in, didn’t offer any assistance, didn’t make eye contact with us, it felt like he went out of his way not to help us. I was going to order 2 pairs of specs and one pair of sunnies, had to take my business elsewhere. Very disappointing to say the least. Sad to see what has happened to what was one of the best optical customer service experiences in town.

Cool vibes and a thoughtfully curated selected of frames, including my favourite handmade Japanese Barton Perreira frames at very reasonable prices. Sterling service from Bradley - his decades of experience in this industry evident by how quickly he was able to select appropriate frames for my hard-to-fit face (unlike the clueless / indifferent staff at the chainstores in the mall). Highly recommended for folks who want quality frames at good prices with efficient yet excellent service.

I bought a $735 pair of Anne et Valentin glasses which had a major fault in them, which I then brought back to have replaced with a new pair under warranty. It’s been 11 months, I’ve gone into the shop 5 times, and I get fobbed off every time I ask when I will get the replacement pair. I’m fairly sure that I’m being lied to as the guy can never produce any paperwork for the replacement order. They are not very trustworthy as a company and I will not purchase from them again. Buyer beware.

If only I could give a zero star I would!! What happened to the quality services they used to have? My partner and I used to look forward coming here for our glasses every time we visit Adelaide. However they no longer stock quality products like they used to. I agree with the poor recent reviews below that the ‘tall man’ is not helpful! It’s like they have changed staff completely!! No quality familiar faces anymore, terrible customer services, poor choice of products and not even the optometrist ‘Tien’ was there and she was the best! We definitely will never come back here again!