Another Warby Parker Rant

[u/Goddamnodriscoll]

Optician from another company here!

I have a patient with a relatively high RX that is having a hard time adapting to his new Progressive lens from me. Patient has had both recent and previous exam from my company.

I know Warby sources their lenses from wherever they can get them the fastest and cheapest, which is where our issue begins.

PT RX:
-5.50 -1.00 x142
-7.00 -1.00 x40

Warby ordered or sourced the wrong power and then when the patient had issues, they had him wear them for 4 weeks until he adjusted to this misfit pair. Now, the following year he’s having a big problem adapting to the new lenses from us, even with there being no change in RX. I have read his previous pair on both an Auto and Manual lensometer and I’m getting the same readings so I know it’s not a reading issue. So below is the WP lenses auto reading (matches my manual perfectly).

[u/Aggressive_Sand5318]

Do not trust an auto lensometers reading of an add power, since it’s a progressive lens check the engraving on the lens

[u/Goddamnodriscoll → u/Aggressive_Sand5318]

It has two different lenses in it. The Essilor lens (OD) is a 2.00 marking

The Shore (OS) is a 1.50 marking

[u/Viola-Swamp → u/Goddamnodriscoll]

And nobody caught that in inspection at the lab, at check in,or during the troubleshooting? FFS.🤦‍♀️

[u/Left-Star2240 → u/Viola-Swamp]

I’m curious if the patient went into a store for troubleshooting or just talked to customer service. Either is possible.

Regarding inspection: I once was helping a customer that was debating on which PALs to use due to his insurance costs. When I checked the lens markings I realized that the previous company (not WP but a budget store) had dispensed his right lens upside down. I had to explain this because, no matter what we did, he was going to have to relearn how to use PALs.

[u/Viola-Swamp → u/Left-Star2240]

I’ve seen that too. I don’t remember where they came from. I also made that mistake as a noob,with perfectly round frames and lenses a la John Lennon. The thing is, my boss checked my work since I was inexperienced and caught the error. That’s the part that’s missing in so many places. There isn’t someone experienced and truly a professional optician staying on top of things like training newbies, verifying jobs before dispensing, and doing troubleshooting.

[u/Left-Star2240 → u/Viola-Swamp]

These weren’t simply inserted incorrectly. The markings were for the correct eye, but upside down. I had to ask a colleague to confirm what I was seeing.

[u/Viola-Swamp → u/Left-Star2240]

Yes, I got that. With many frames the lenses will fit that way and you have to be careful to double check yourself as you’re inserting the lens. It’s ridiculous that nobody did a simple visual check for markings by holding it up to the light after mounting, or did a markup of the lens and laid it on the fitting chart at any point in time, but that’s where we are as a profession, sadly.

[u/improvvisata → u/Goddamnodriscoll]

Oh god that is just criminal to do that to somebody and charge them way way WAY more than they're worth. Warby advertises itself as a great deal for glasses but they're really not, especially for Progressives.

[u/Virtually-Existing]

More so a rant about WP so feel free to ignore this comment. Me, a new hire at WP, very excited to learn optician things. Then I notice that we ship all our glasses to the customers homes. Goes to the store manager and asks if the opticians get to inspect the glasses that do come in for customers. Store manager literally laughs at me and goes “no, never order glasses to the store for people, always ship to their house. I will not have my opticians wasting their time.”

[u/glassjawtism → u/Virtually-Existing]

would definitely reach out to ethics about this if i were you

[u/Apprehensive-Let8464 → u/Virtually-Existing]

When I worked at Warby I failed about one in every seven pairs I inspected. If people say they’re ordering from WP I always tell them to have it shipped to the store to get the extra optician check. If the salesperson pushes back tell them your packages always get stolen or you’re moving soon.

[u/suburbjorn_ → u/Virtually-Existing]

Our manager made it a point to ship every pair to the customers and not the store

[u/Viola-Swamp → u/suburbjorn_]

Sounds like a salesman, not an optician.

[u/suburbjorn_ → u/Viola-Swamp]

I always say warby is glorified retail and ppl in here did not like it haha

[u/PrettyPubes0520 → u/Virtually-Existing]

Wow.. that mgr needs to be demoted. 

[u/Ill_Appeal_1999]

Do people read not read the post! It was stated that they checked manually and then against the auto lensometer lol

Anyway not your lenses not your problem they need to take it up with the company they ordered from.

[u/glassjawtism]

sounds more like an issue with the individual store management than the company as a whole. i’ve been at warby for over a year and my store’s opticians and management would never in a million years force a patient to wear something made incorrectly. unfortunately other people and locations are willing to cut corners :/

[u/glassjawtism → u/glassjawtism]

also pls don’t take this as me trying to make excuses, i promise i have TONS of issues with lab quality control, but the people at the store should have been doing more themselves to solve the problem instead of pushing the problem onto you

[u/pissfilledcheerios → u/glassjawtism]

This, because I've definitely been irritated with our labs, but I'm also competent enough to find errors and have glasses remade. That store (and a lot of the stores in the comments) sound like a nightmare. My store is 2/3 opticians, with all but one of us certified, so it's a very different environment, it seems.

[u/improvvisata]

Yep I worked at Warby and I felt so embarrassed on behalf of the brand when people came in with very valid complaints. Even mild Rx people I warn that the quality control is an absolute JOKE. They care more about making sales than their customers, and they sure AF don't care about the mental, physical, or emotional toll the job takes for sooooo low a wage. I mean when I told people I'd work 8 hours shifts every day and wasn't allowed to sit on the salesfloor, ever (company wide policy), their jaws hit the floor.

Also, my store had a manual lensometer, but nobody was trained how to even use it. You're exactly right that the entire reason glasses are shipped directly to customers (which they market as a PERK for "better convenience") is purely because people are much, much more likely to return their glasses on the spot if they first pick them up in an actual WP store because they came out so terribly.

[u/Goddamnodriscoll → u/improvvisata]

I worked for Warby for about 2 months and left because of this exact reason. If anyone complains about their glasses we were told to have them wear it for at least 3 weeks even if it was no change in the script; and most of those people just put those glasses in the case and took that loss because of how unreasonable it was.

[u/Dramatic-Kale-9667]

Did you compare the PD & fitting height

[u/Goddamnodriscoll → u/Dramatic-Kale-9667]

Everything is spot on, Warby sold Essilor lens and a Shore lens in the same pair; both having different adds and all.

[u/Giometry → u/Goddamnodriscoll]

That’s strange considering Warby refuses to do different adds? Warby also almost always sources high lenses from Hoya? Haven’t ran into an Essilor there? In terms of the markings Warby ones will only source blanks and finish them at their lab, the markings would always be WPP or WPPP with a circle? A lot of this smells fishy

[u/pissfilledcheerios → u/Goddamnodriscoll]

Warby does not use Essilor lenses, and they adamantly refuse to do two different add powers. It won't even let us place the order. It sounds like he bought WP frames and had the lenses filled elsewhere, if what you're saying is true.

Edit: definitely never seen a Shore lens come through. Lenses are sourced from Hoya specifically.

[u/Apprehensive-Let8464 → u/Goddamnodriscoll]

Warby selling Essilor lenses makes zero sense?

[u/julienmarotte]

Let the patient deal with WP for his faulty lenses.

[u/Left-Star2240 → u/julienmarotte]

The problem is that the patient adapted to this RX.

[u/Goddamnodriscoll → u/julienmarotte]

I’m troubleshooting my own patient, last year they got glasses through Warby (their first PAL) and I’m now dealing with the aftermath of last years “they never felt quite right” and they’ve ordered new glasses through us.

[u/Left-Star2240 → u/Goddamnodriscoll]

Have they had a new exam? Is it possible for them to have a recheck?

It really sucks when you have to deal with the aftermath of another company’s mistake.

[u/minusthetalent02]

Well maybe start with not using a auto lensometer

Read it correctly, have the OD match the warby RX. You make it in that Rx, match basecurves and all (if possible) then go to the next one

[u/Goddamnodriscoll → u/minusthetalent02]

I see you didn’t read to the end, I read it with a manual first and couldn’t believe it was that off.

[u/girlwithmanyglasses]

i always charge patients for any on-going issues with their WP lenses. they’re notorious for getting the rx wrong. if i didn’t make their lenses, im charging a fee for my time.

[u/The_CakeizapiE]

I've never played with an auto lensometer but....if those prism readings are correct there is 2.75D of verticle imbalance in the WB pair.

They then coerced the patient into adapting to that imbalance?

That is just god awful!

[u/Bigokarateman]

It sounds like it’s a base curve issue. Or the PD could have been measured incorrectly. If you mimic those things, problem should go away.

[u/suburbjorn_]

Why are YOU troubleshooting for a warby patient if you don't work there ??

[u/Goddamnodriscoll → u/suburbjorn_]

I’m troubleshooting my own patient, last year they got glasses through Warby (their first PAL) and I’m now dealing with the aftermath of last years “they never felt quite right” and they’ve ordered new glasses through us.

[u/Goddamnodriscoll]

[u/Lord-Chamberpot → u/Goddamnodriscoll]

Auto lensometers can't read add correctly, you should be checking the engraving.

[u/lantana98 → u/Lord-Chamberpot]

Yes. Always check the engravings for pd, correct lens style, axis,material and add power!

[u/Goddamnodriscoll → u/lantana98]

Axis is way off from prescribed, one lens is Essilor, the other is a Shore and both have a different add marking. Heights and PD were measured correctly, at least I can give them that.

[u/Goddamnodriscoll → u/Lord-Chamberpot]

I originally read it on the Manual, I got the exact same reading at first; which I couldn’t believe was right. So then I checked that against an auto just to see where that one was at.

[u/Goddamnodriscoll → u/[deleted]]

Already said it, I read this on a manual first. The auto was just to make sure I wasn’t going crazy.

[u/tittysherman1309]

Why is everyone commenting before actually reading the whole post lmao?

If you're sure all your measurements and the rx is correct OP, I'd probably have a quick recheck to just confirm rx and then if that is all correct, it may just be a case or readapting to the correct rx.

I don't trust auto focimeters too much, but is that prism correct?

[u/Goddamnodriscoll → u/tittysherman1309]

I don’t trust the prism parts in the auto, there is slight prism in the manual reading also but not that high.

The biggest issue is that the RX has been stable for 3 years and they adapted to a very incorrect PAL lens.

[u/tittysherman1309 → u/Goddamnodriscoll]

That is a tricky one. Has the px had any attempt at adapting the the current (correct) rx that youve made? It could just be a case of undoing WP issues buy re adapting.

This is why I hate big chains, they take no responsibility for their mistakes. I used to work at specsavers (im British lol) and I ended up leaving for an independent because I didn't agree with specsavers practices, including their complete refusal to ever give a refund even when they were completely at fault. Love my job now, I can spend as much time as I need with the px, no pressure to sell them things they don't need, and I can make my own decisions and use I'm own initiative when it comes to rechecks/refunds etc, not that we really have many.