Mis sold Oakley prescription lenses: What would you do?

nunowoolmez

Hi all, after some advice & opinion.

Back in June i bought some Oakley prescription lenses from the David Clulow store in Covent Garden, which are the lical Oakley stores recommended optician. I needed the RX lense insert & ordered the gold iridium lense, asking for this in a polarized lense type. No problem, ordered without fuss the Radar Pitch lens. At the time i was not told that Oakley did not actually offer the Radar Pitch prescription lens as polarized. I did not know this either. So i had a pair of lenses i thought were polarized, were not! A few days after purchase i badly injured myself at work & have been off the saddle since & thus have not had the opportunity to find this out!

Fast forward to today. I go to same store in Covent Garden to enquire about a new lens, still unaware about the mis sale. Told new lens (Vr28 in black iridium) is available in polarized & would cost £205 as first lens did. I call RX Sport to see if they offer cheaper, only to be told this lens is not made polarized as a prescription lens by Oakley! What!!! Helpful bloke at RX called Oakley & had this confirmed. I call optician to confirm what i was sold, they assured me it was a polarized lens. Hmmm.

Then i get a call from Oakley themselves who had also spoken to opticians to check order. They confirm lens is NOT polarized. Email on way to me from Oakley to verify this & to include conversation re order. My receipt even says it is a polarized lens.

I am seriously pi**ed with David Clulow opticians. I still want the new lens but if i want it polarized i will have to have it in RadarLock & would need a RadarLock frame.

I am wondering how to deal with this in the correct way? Where i stand? What i should expect from them?

Any advice appeciated. Thanks for bearing with me!

Cheers, Ali

gsk82

Id discuss it with the shop and try to come to a compromise. No need getting all excited and have them not want to help.

cougie

Polarized and cycling arent usually a good mix. You want to see where the wet patches are on the road.
I can understand why you're peed off but I think they've done you a favour if its cycling you wanted the lens for ?
I'd ask for some compensation for the lack of polarized lens - but other than that - your lens is great for cycling.

gabriel959

yes, you don't want polarized lenses for cycling (I thought they were mainly used for skiing/snowboarding?) but I would ask for some sort of compensation as cougie just said.

themogulman

I am an Optician and a cyclist and here is my take on this.

The opticians probably have a RRP list price from Oakley for RX lenses into the frame(they are just a bit clueless rather than trying to con you) so the cost will probably be correct,but for being messed around try and get some discount.

I think that a polarised lens is a great cycling lens. I have both(non polar and polar) and find them great on a wet day with the sun out. You can probably make out wet patches better.

Good luck with your sunnies.

sungod

completely disagree with the comments about polarized lenses being unsuitable for cycling

i always use them, there's absolutely no problem seeing wet areas, for deeper puddles you could just as well argue that they help see obstacles/holes under the surface

the differential reflectivity actually makes it easier to see slick bits of road like tar patches or metal covers, coupled with the overall reduction of road glare they're great for cycling

boogi11

Hi, I only last week ordered my firs pair of oakley prescriptions from rx sport, I had my eye test at vision express, and they quoted £715 for a pair of oakley sunglasses and a pair of oakley every day glasses. Rx supplied for £429 . They were so helpful after about thirty minutes talking about the lenses for the sunglasses of which they were very well informed. They advised on oakley vr28 black iridium polarised, they arrived 5 days later with the little oakley badge engraved on the lenses, first ride on them the other day, on icy roads and they were amazing, brilliant for driving in as we'll. I can't recommend rx enough.

With regards to your problem I would initially try and talk to them and get your new pair of lenses free , if you don't get any joy, I would explain that you clearly asked for, ordered and paid for polarised, the fact they had an untrained person selling them is not your problem. If all else fails go to trading standards, and let them know you are going to.

It's no different than going to currys, asking for an hd tv, paying for an hd tv, then getting home to find out you have a normal tv.

You did not get the products you paid for

nunowoolmez

Cheers for all the contributions guys. Looks like the opinion on polarized is split, that seems to be the way from what i can tell searching on forums. That's a decision for me. I do quite like the effect polarized lenses have (in my positive reds), but appreciate it's not the be all & end all. Quality vision is what i'm after & avoiding contact lens disasters! I will see what the shop have to say & offer, but i don't fancy shelling out for a brand new Radarlock frame & lenses. Incidentally, i was after the Vr28 black iridiums as an alternative to the gold iridiums, intending to use them for less sunny & variable conditions, but also perfectly good in the sun. What do people think? Anyone use either of them?

Thanks again.

boogi11

I have vr28 blacks, Stunning lenses

navrig

There are two things to keep in mind when negotiating with the optician:

1. They cannot sort the lack of polarisation with your Oakley frames - so be reasonable

2. Your lenses are only of use to you. Returning them may get your money back but the lenses will go in the bin. You'll still have to replace them. That's a lose lose scenario.

Stay calm and objective.

nunowoolmez

Wise words Navrig, i have chilled now & had time to consider & research a bit. The lenses i want (both Vr28 iridium & gild iridium are not made polarized for RadarLock, so decision made on that front. I just won't have polarized lenses, no massive biggee. I like them but it's not a major thing in the long run. So i will be getting the new lense as it comes naturally anyway. I will see what opticians have to say, but i will keep the lenses i have as it would be foolish to get rid. Most likely outcome will be a reduced new lens probably, we'll see.

ToeKnee

nunowoolmez wrote:

... from the David Clueless store ...

FTFY.

I bought some regulation glasses from them a few years back. Their pre-sales service was excellent ... sadly, post-sales was awful - they couldn't care less ... never again!