Eye Academy Reviews 225

TrustScore 1.5 out of 5

1.7

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Buyer beware. This store does not offer refunds or credit notes if glasses or sunglasses are unsuitable or cause issues — even for non-prescription items. There were no visible signs expl... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Extremely bad experience with the Eye Academy, Guildford. Their staff was very impolite, rude and unprofessional. He would say you are wasting his time. He would even cut your line if you ask furth... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Windsor Eye Academy refused to refund my Ray-Aviator sunglasses - which were unused and brought back within 24 hrs of purchase, with receipt. I stated the above was unacceptable customer experi... See more

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

I have finally completed the purchase of varifocal glasses from Eye Academy. They are Bvlgari frames with Nikon lenses and I am pleased with the excellent vision they provide for reading, PC and dista... See more

Company details

  1. Optician

Written by the company

Independent Opticians in Berkshire & Surrey


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1.7

Bad

TrustScore 1.5 out of 5

225 reviews

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Hasn’t replied to negative reviews

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Buyer beware

Buyer beware. This store does not offer refunds or credit notes if glasses or sunglasses are unsuitable or cause issues — even for non-prescription items. There were no visible signs explaining this policy when I paid at the desk by card.

About a week ago, I visited the store and was helped by a charming and patient lady. I explained that I needed help reducing glare from screen light, and she was very attentive and helpful. Unfortunately, once I started using the glasses at home as intended, they caused severe headaches. After a week, I decided to return to the store.

I had already read the non-refund policy on the emailed receipt, so I didn’t want to cause a fuss and was hoping to find an alternative solution. When I entered the store, I was greeted by a man who seemed flustered and told me he was busy, asking if I could return in 15–20 minutes. I was happy to do so.

When I came back, the experience went downhill. He insisted that the frames I had purchased were the best option for me and repeatedly told me that all I needed was an eye test and new lenses — despite my explaining several times that I simply did not get on with the frames and that my issue is not eye-related. My eyes are tested every three months at King Edward Hospital.

In the end, feeling pressured, I quickly chose another frame and paid extra for it.

Summary: £415 later, I now have a frame that I still need to pay to have lenses fitted to, and I have no solution to the original problem I went in for. I also later discovered that the same frame is £70 cheaper on the manufacturer’s website.

Overall, I am very unhappy with the outcome and the lack of flexibility or understanding shown. I would avoid this place.

December 18, 2025
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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Thank you!

Big shout out for Satvinder today What a great experience! She has an excellent take on what suits personal needs and style together with patience and professionalism. I came away a very happy customer, confident I look great in my new glasses!. As ever, highest standards of customer service . 😊Thanks!

June 7, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Eye Test with wrong prescription

So I went in wanting a full examination of my eyes so I paid for the Gold examination £130.

After my eye test from eye academy, a prescription was made up for my eyes.
I then had some lenses made up with that prescription

When I wore the lenses for a few weeks I was not happy with my right eye for distance vision as it seemed blurred and unbalanced and I couldn't understand why,

I took it up with the lens maker who said he followed the prescription below and believes it may be a good idea to get another eye test done.

So this time Oct 3rd I went to realeyes in Farnham road.

I explained to them what my concern was with my eyesight.

After a full check-up, he was shocked to see that the right eye was overprescribed

The optician did a test with the lens prescribed by Eyeacademy which looked completely blurred and then he corrected it with the right lens and then went on to explain the reason I felt the eyes did not feel balanced wearing the glasses because of an over-prescribed number.

This mistake or incorrection has cost me a great deal and I don’t understand how such a mistake could have been made.

I have emailed eye academy awaiting for their response I have feeling I won't get one until I write this

August 17, 2023
Unprompted review
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Reply from Eye Academy

Dear Asum,

Thank you for sharing your recent experience with Eye Academy. We appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to address your concerns.

It's essential to clarify that, as professionals, we stand by our services and prescription accuracy. However, it's crucial to recognise that vision is not always static and can be influenced by various factors. Slight variations in prescriptions can arise due to several factors including the condition of the eye, different equipment, patient responses and individual clinician judgment.

We understand your frustration with the blurred and unbalanced vision you experienced, primarily in your right eye. However, we would like to emphasise that as part of our commitment to patient care, we encourage individuals to communicate any vision issues promptly. Had you contacted us with your concerns, we would have of course assisted in resolving the issue.

Upon reviewing your case, we have noted that the difference in prescription between the Eye Academy prescription and the prescription you received at Realeyes is minimal and could be attributed to the different reasons mentioned above.

We appreciate that you reached out to us via email, and we will respond to address your concerns in more detail there, we do however ask for a short amount of time to investigate fully.

Please don't hesitate to contact us directly if you have any further questions or concerns.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Superb service

Satvinder was superb. Customer service second to none. They go over and above to make sure that you are happy with your glasses and I can’t fault the aftercare. Worth the investment, they’re not cheap but they are thorough, knowledgeable and highly professional.

July 31, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

An awesome experience & the absolute best!

An awesome experience and the absolute best eye care experience possible.

Although we've moved from Windsor we return without hesitation to see Romana and the team after experiencing inadequate care elsewhere and closer to home.

The level of testing, glasses choice, lenses options and aftercare is second to none. I'd whole heartedly recommend the Eye Academy to anyone.

June 28, 2022
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Untrustworthy and a rip off

Beware of Romana at Eye academy Windsor. She talks a good talk and inserted plugs in my eyes without informing me the cost which was £170. She then proceeded to try and sell me a pair of glasses which amounted to £1500 plus. I walked out of the premises £320 lighter as they also charged me £150 for the initial eye test. I feel disheartened and conned and will never return there again.

June 2, 2022
Unprompted review
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Reply from Eye Academy

Whist we appreciate all feedback, we are saddened that you felt the need to leave a 1-star review.

You called us on Bank Holiday Thursday, seeking help as you were having problems with your vision that required immediate attention. You reported that despite visiting several specialist eye hospitals, and multiple optical practices, you were unable to find an effective solution.

Despite it being a bank holiday, we offered a same day appointment with a specialist optometrist, in an effort to provide you with the highest levels of clinical care and resolve your issues. Your examination fees were confirmed with you at the time of booking the appointment.

We have always been known as a specialist practice providing specialist services, delivered by experienced, specialist clinicians utilising state-of-the-art optical technology; all of which does come at a cost, all of which are clearly displayed on our website.

After 90-minutes you came out of the examination, stating on more than one occasion and to more than one member of staff, that it was the most thorough examination you had received to date, and you had all your questions answered. At no point did we attempt to “sell” you anything rather, we gave advice on a bespoke solution that would resolve the issues you were having.

Following the examination, we spent an extensive amount of time thoroughly explaining different options for your spectacles, explaining why the previous, cheaper alternatives had not been of benefit.

Again, we are sorry you feel this way following your visit and wish you well in finding an alternative eyecare solution.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Never recommend to others!

Extremely bad experience with the Eye Academy, Guildford. Their staff was very impolite, rude and unprofessional. He would say you are wasting his time. He would even cut your line if you ask further! Is this the right attitude in serving customer? Would never never recommend to others!

January 24, 2022
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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding service by Romana and her…

Outstanding service by Romana and her staff.

Thorough eye test completed with the latest equipment to diagnose my eye sight issues.

The staff were attentive and very professional who took care of my needs by choosing the right spectacles for me!

Three months on I have no issues and can see clearly and better than before my eye test.

I highly recommend this optician!

August 7, 2021
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Windsor branch was appalling

Update
Thank you for the response. I suppose there has to be much more clarity in your staffs communication, in order to prevent a misinterpretation of what could possibly be an innocent encounter.

Old Review
If I could give no stars, I would. Very appalling & cold customer service. My wife & I, alongside with another couple walked decided to go in to check out the glasses. Just as we walked in, the doors were closed behind. Now we don't go about looking out for prejudice stores and would hesitate in tagging this store as such, but it was very unwelcoming.
My other friend wanted to check out upstairs if there were more glasses and the response of the staff was atrocious and very condescending. The suspicious nature of the 2 Indian staffs put us off ever going back there to purchase anything.
I'm sure this is not the culture of the store nationwide, but pls do encourage your staffs to be much more welcoming to people from all walks of life. That would be great.
Gracious human courtesy was very much lacking.

August 1, 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Eye Academy

Update

Thank you for your understanding Emmanuel.

If you would like to book an appointment with us to browse the sunglasses (with no obligation), we would be thrilled to ensure you have the experience that you should have had.

Please email us at windsor@eyeacademy.com if you would like to organise an appointment.

Kind regards,
Eye Academy


Dear Emmanuel,

Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate that perception is reality and we are sorry that you feel that you have had such a negative experience. It is never our intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable and all our customers should have a positive experience. We certainly do not judge anybody by their race and as a company we have a very diverse background, both in terms of ethnicity and gender.

Our primary business at Eye Academy is that of a healthcare provider and in line with current guidelines set by our professional bodies, we are still operating in a COVID safe way. You will noticed that the two dispensing opticians, (whom you described as Indian but are British), within the practice were still wearing PPE and in a healthcare uniform. Practising in such a way means that we are still restricting the number of people in the practice and this is why the door was closed after you entered. Whilst you may not have realised, there were a number of people in the practice, both in consulting rooms and in diagnostic areas on the first floor. The first floor is not a retail floor and is clearly signed for patient access only. As we had a clinic running with the maximum number of people upstairs, the staff were just trying to control numbers and clearly, this did not come across as well as it should have.

Our staff are still working under difficult conditions and we apologise for the shortfall in customer service you felt that you received on this occasion. We will certainly be passing your feedback to the individuals involved and will also ensure that we review how we communicate with customers.

Once again thank you for your feedback.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Poor aftersales / not in line with the market positioning they aim at

I went there for new lenses for one of my newest frames, with an idea of prescription already in mind, as my latest test was not too long ago. The assistant insisted with me to do a new eye test and I spontaneously did it, but I was disappointed with the prescription. I went to check my personal eye (surgeon) doctor which advised a lower and symmetrical prescription, similar to what I insisted to get in the first place from Eye Accademy which denied it. So I went back to them, but they were not prepared to replace them FOC using my doctor prescription, despite I was ready to take my responsibilities for it.
Result:
Loss of time, and money.
370£ (300£ lenses + 70£ visit) by Eye Accademy.
150€ (visit) by my personal eye surgeon Doctor.
For a total of 520£ loss, plus the cost of the new lenses I'm going to have, for replacing theirs.
I wished I knew since day 1 their eye test / aftersales policy, as I would have gone straight asking to use my personal prescription if I knew they weren't prepared to replace my lenses if I was feeling not comfortable with them.
Despite the disappointement I must admit their level is good as they provided me with samples for checking the tint percentage and David made a strong effort to cope with my high expectations/requirements. Poor aftersales not in line with their market positioning, as I was expecting more from a structured independent shop which was my reason of choice.
Matteo Zagaglia

February 7, 2021
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Amazing service

Amazing service, products that beats all the same old high street ranges and excellent lenses that solved my problems! Highly recommend.

May 31, 2020
Unprompted review
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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I have purchased my new glasses from…

I have purchased my new glasses from eye academy in Guildford. David was excellent, very helpful, professional, friendly, passionate and funny. He made my buying experience very special.
I will definitely recommend to see David.

January 25, 2020
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

**DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS RETAILER**

Windsor Eye Academy refused to refund my Ray-Aviator sunglasses - which were unused and brought back within 24 hrs of purchase, with receipt.

I stated the above was unacceptable customer experience and they held the Ray-Ban sunglasses stating they would contact head office to determine if an exception could be made.

I was never refunded and the sunglasses were never returned to me, as the member of staff I was dealing with, left the company. I am now £140 out of pocket - this is effectively theft.

I have raised the complaint to the Consumer Ombudsman.

November 12, 2019
Unprompted review
Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Poor communication about process

We came across Eye Academy once we visited Guildford in August 2017.
Our daughter was 5 at the time and was prescribed first glasses.
We had a look at available NHS option frames at different shops and could not see the ones we liked.
Eye Academy had the ones we liked albeit was not with NHS option so the frames we had to buy at extra which we were prepared to do.
Because of our first experience buying prescription glasses we did not know how prescriptions work. We were told by NHS that prescription entitled us to two pair of glasses.
The stores personnel were aware of our first experience buying glasses at all the time.
We were told about options to take the computer glare and scratch free coatings which we took upon. The lens itself was quite thin due to frame.
Once we collected the glasses we asked about for prescription back as we only bought one pair. The personnel did not give this back however reassured that should we need one pair more they have all the records.
We found it strange as we wanted to have option to get another pair of glasses in the future from wherever we wanted.
Again Eye Academy were aware of our first experience buying glasses.
After 4 months of wearing glasses we noticed smudges on the lenses which we could not clean. In addition the frames broke few months afterwards in sporting accident hence we had to get another pair of glasses.
We came back to the shop to ask for our voucher. We were told we cannot use the voucher as it was used in the purchase before.
We decided to go to another optician which explained how voucher system works.
Should we were aware of not being able to use the voucher in the future we would've gotten two pair of glasses in the beginning.
In addition smudges on the lenses were not usual however this was not communicated to Eye Academy due to poor experience in first place.
I am pretty sure if we were explained about the process and we were to get two pair of glasses the experience would be different and the smudges might be rectified by the shop.

May 27, 2018
Unprompted review
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Reply from Eye Academy

Thank you for your feedback.

When you came to see us in August 2017 your child had had an examination at the local hospital and they had subsequently issued a spectacle voucher to be used towards the cost of glasses. Once used by an optician, this voucher must be physically sent to the hospital for payment and for this reason we were unable to supply you with a copy. The hospital should be able to issue you a copy of the prescription.

With regards to two pairs, your voucher was only for a single pair of glasses. Due to NHS cutbacks, the NHS will now normally only fund one pair of glasses, however, the clinicians within the hospital are not always aware of this and often mistakenly inform patients that they can have two pairs. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

With regards to the current glasses, apologises that we didn’t rectify this for you to your satisfaction. If you would like to make an appointment to come in and see me, I will do my best to sort out the issue at hand.

Wendy Winton
Practice Manager

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

As a thoroughly satisfied customer for …

As a thoroughly satisfied customer for over 10 years, I would have no hesitation in recommending Eye Academy. Time and again they provided expertise consultations to help with my ever changing vision. They continuously provide excellent service, show great attention to detail and seem to have a knack of automatically selecting glasses that suit my face without compromising on comfort or style.

January 2, 2018
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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Eye Academy is a breath of fresh air

Eye Academy is a breath of fresh air! They are professional, thorough and have the most amazing frame collections. My parents both have complicated visual requirements and the team at Windsor worked together to ensure that they have amazing vision and fashionable new spectacles.

December 20, 2017
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Eye academy - 5* Opticians

Eye academy have looked after my eyes for a number of years now and I can't fault them. The eye test is always thorough and I have never felt like they were in a rush to get me out of the room, unlike some of the high street chains I have visited in the past.

I used to only wear my contact lenses because I could never find a pair of glasses that suited me. The very friendly staff at Eye Academy went above and beyond on helping me find a pair that I would be happy to wear outside of the house. They're help was amazing and I no longer dread my annual opticians visit!

December 13, 2017
Unprompted review

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