Bailey Nelson - Reviews and experiences

Midway through the appointment I was already thinking maybe I should walk out — I hesitated to question the prescription, not wanting to make a fuss, but something felt off. I asked a straightforward question about the trial contacts and the optometrist at Bower Place in Red Deer got defensive right away. I tried to explain what I was seeing, and it just escalated; she dismissed me and basically refused to listen. I left feeling kind of annoyed and unsure if I should even try to get a refund. Luckily Bailey Nelson Canada stepped in after I pushed back and handled the refund without more drama, which calmed me down. So yeah, service at that specific location was rough, but the company made it right in the end. If you’re going there, be ready to stand your ground if things feel off, and keep your receipts. I’d still recommend the brand overall because the refund process worked, but avoid that particular optometrist — or at least go in prepared.

one for reading, one as sunglasses. What turned up were reading-only lenses, so the top half of the lens was basically plain glass and everything at distance was a smear. I was annoyed, naturally. Staff were polite and seemed to care, but at first they didn’t grasp the practical problem — the driving problem — which felt odd after a few other nicer experiences elsewhere. I went back, explained calmly, and they swapped the sunglasses for proper progressive lenses after a short wait. The decisive moment of satisfaction was the first drive afterwards: road signs sharp again, no awkward squinting, and that small relief was real. So yeah, a bit of a shaky start and some back-and-forth, but they fixed it without fuss. Would I go back? Probably — friendly staff and they handled the fix, even if I had to push a bit.

I tested the new lenses at home and at two different optometrists and none of the tests showed any meaningful blue-light blocking. I brought them back, the store rep and manager were polite and tried to help — they said the lab changed and the filter tech is different now. They even offered replacements, which I accepted, but the second set behaved the same. I did tip off a friend who was shopping there, and I told family to be cautious. Small positive: the staff were calm and proactive, so the service side wasn’t awful. Still, charging about $40 for a feature that’s not delivered is annoying. I wanted the protection I paid for and I’m left explaining this to people so they don’t get surprised like I did.

the selection process was relaxed and my son liked what he tried on, which makes daily wear more likely. But the odd part was the silence from the optometrist. She did the test, didn’t chat with me, and didn’t explain the referral she later made. I found out from a voicemail from the manager — saying the doctor had referred him on — and my son had no clue. That’s awkward. In practice, the referral might be the right call; I appreciate that they erred on the side of caution and I’m glad they pushed for a closer look. I just wish communication had been straightforward: a short, clear chat after the exam or a direct phone call would’ve saved a lot of back‑and‑forth. For everyday life, the blue‑light lenses probably help with his homework and late‑night reading, so that part works. Overall it’s competent but uneven — good frames, decent worry for safety, sloppy handoff on info. If you’re the kind of parent who needs to be in the loop immediately, be prepared to chase it a bit. If you want decent glasses and a cautious clinic, it’ll do, but expect to follow up yourself.

investigate with the lens maker, say they’d flag it up, or at least show some concern. Instead I left feeling like the cost of the lenses had been shrugged off. Not great.
On the bright side, the glasses still function. They still change as they should and they’re comfortable. So the lenses aren’t useless, just cosmetically messed up, and that bugged me. I also appreciated that the assistant did ask for details, which is something, even if the tone was off. I probably would have written a different review if they’d handled it with more warmth and ownership.
Would I buy from them again? I’m on the fence — I’ll likely pop back in a few months to ask specifically about lens longevity and to see if staff are better briefed. If they show they’ve looked into the issue and retrained people, I’d consider it. Right now I’d say the product works but the durability and customer handling need improvement. Not perfect, but not a total disaster either.

the frames that did match are fine and the sale price was decent. Delivery was quick enough and packaging was fine. The bad: colour mismatch, and the return policy felt stingy. I get stores have rules, but when you buy online and the product doesn’t match the listing, customers should get a little more flexibility.
All in all I’m only partially satisfied. I won’t rush back to them for big purchases until I’m sure the photos are accurate, but the product itself isn’t terrible — it’s just annoying to deal with the return-side hassle.