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FTC to refund $1.25 million to those tricked by LASIK surgery chain
Nearly 160,000 Americans could be eligible for a refund if misled by the nation’s biggest LASIK chain, which advertised the surgery for as little $300 an eye, even though most consumers would not qualify for that price, the Federal Trade Commission said on Tuesday.
Ohio-based LCA-Vision, operating business under the names LasikPlus and Joffe MediCenter, paid $1.25 million to settle claims that it used deceptive bait-and-switch advertising to trick people into thinking they could have their vision corrected for less than $300, according to the FTC.
“Many people wasted their time at LASIK consultations only to learn that the surgery would cost much more than they expected,” the agency stated.
Only 6.5% of those who came in for a consultation were eligible for the advertised promotional price for both eyes, which required having near-normal vision, or good enough eye sight to drive without glasses. Everyone else was typically given a price of between $1,800 and $2,295 per eye, the FTC said.
In addition, some ads neglected to state upfront that the advertised price was per eye.
The commission is sending notices to 159,711 consumers who could be eligible for a payment, provided they visited a LasikPlus or Joffe MediCenter facility for a LASIK consultation but declined surgery after learning the real price.
Consumers can file a claim online by May 20, 2024, at www.ftc.gov/lasik.
Payment amounts will depend on several factors, including how many people file a claim.
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A food company known for popular grocery store condiments has recalled a package of tortilla strips that may be contaminated with wheat, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday. The product is meant to be gluten-free.
Sugar Foods, a manufacturing and distribution corporation focused mainly on various toppings, artificial sweeteners and snacks, issued the recall for the “Santa Fe Style” version of tortilla strips sold by the brand Fresh Gourmet.
“People who have a wheat allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the product,” said Sugar Foods in an announcement posted by the FDA.
Packages of these tortilla strips with an expiration date as late as June 20, 2025, could contain undeclared wheat, meaning the allergen is not listed as an ingredient on the label. The Fresh Gourmet product is marketed as gluten-free.
Sugar Foods said a customer informed the company on Nov. 19 that packages of the tortilla strips actually contained crispy onions, another Fresh Gourmet product normally sold in a similar container. The brand’s crispy onion product does contain wheat, and that allergen is noted on the label.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
No illnesses tied to the packaging mistake have been reported, according to the announcement from Sugar Foods. However, the company is still recalling the tortilla strips as a precaution. The contamination issue may have affected products distributed between Sept. 30 and Nov. 11 in 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Sugar Foods has advised anyone with questions about the recall to contact the company’s consumer care department by email or phone.
CBS News reached out to Sugar Foods for more information but did not receive an immediate reply.
This is the latest in a series of food product recalls affected because of contamination issues, although the others involved harmful bacteria. Some recent, high-profile incidents include an E. coli outbreak from organic carrots that killed at least one person in California, and a listeria outbreak that left an infant dead in California and nine people hospitalized across four different states, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The E. coli outbreak is linked to multiple different food brands while the listeria outbreak stemmed from a line of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products sold by Yu-Shang Foods.
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