Terry got an eye exam last year from the handy in-house doctor at a local Pearle vision, but decided not to buy the overpriced glasses that they had to offer. He had no intention of going back, so he was annoyed when they took the liberty of scheduling an appointment for him this year, and notified him of the date by e-mail. Except…well, the local store claims that they never did any such thing.

About one year ago, probably July, 2010, I had an eye exam by an optometrist at Pearle Vision. I did not buy eye glasses from them. They were profoundly overpriced. At no point did anyone ask me if I wished to schedule a future appointment. I did not request or agree to any future appointment.

On July 10, 2011, I received an e-mail, from [redacted]@eyeappts.com, advising me that I have a July 27 appointment at the local Pearle Vision Center. I called the local Pearle Vison Center. They have no record of my alleged appointment. I called customer assistance, 800-937-3937, and told them my story. “D” apologized for “the computer glitch. ” I say BS.

I asked her to please advise management, that rather than dragging me in to their store, they were compelling me to run as fast as possible from any retailer that would “schedule” an appointment for a customer, without first asking that customer if they could do so.

Has anyone else had this optometry shop “schedule” you for an appointment, without asking you if you consent to such scheduling?

It’s one thing if you’re a regular customer who returns year after year around the same time, but in Terry’s case the auto-appointment turned a former customer into a disgruntled former customer.

What’s interesting, though, is that eyeappts.com takes you right to a directory of optometrists affiliated with competitor Lenscrafters, not with Pearle. Maybe that’s where the appointment-making robot lives.

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