Optician - Specsavers Vision Express Leightons other

[scenario8]

Hello,

I wonder if anyone has anything to offer when it comes to choosing an optician.

I need glasses, I haven’t had an eye test since I was a child. I’m of working age, in full time employment, receive no benefits whatsoever. I’m expecting I will need to pay full price for everything. In truth my earnings are low, not just by PH standards but by any standards, lower than the national average, so I have to consider costs.

I do work partly with screens but I do not want to approach my employer for any contribution as it is likely within the next few weeks they will no longer be my employer and I don’t want to start a conversation with my next employer along the lines of “thanks and everything but can I bother you for money…?”

I have branches of all those in the thread title on my high street.

Any help warmly welcomed.

Many thanks.

[Mr_J]

Just pick one and get your eyes tested. Worry about the cost of glasses when you know if you need them and what type of lense you need.

If it's a single vision lense with a simple prescription then buy your glasses online. They will be a LOT cheaper.

I used Glasses Direct for a few years and was always impressed with the service and price. I now wear glasses all the time with varifocal lenses and use an independent optician but that's a level of service and price point that's not justified for a first time wearer just for PC work in my opinion.

[BoRED S2upid]

Just been to specsavers today with my 10 year old. They were brilliant £15 for a very thorough test they even let my daughter look at my eyeball through the microscope.

[Huzzah]

I've used many, chains, indies, expensive, budget. Not much to chose between them, so stick to specsavers.

[Mr Pointy]

Get your prescription from somewhere like Specsavers (or better stilla good independent) but buy them online - Glasses Direct or Selectspecs are good.

There's one measurement that the opticians aren't obliged to give you - it's the PD or basically how far your eyes are apart. Most of the online sites offer a way of estimating it.

[scenario8]

Many thanks, all.

[Armitage.Shanks]

I've found Asda very good. You can normally get two pairs for £99. There's no up sell and no insistence with minor prescription changes you need new lenses. The last two tests I've had there have been minor changes but the optician said it wasn't worth changing the lenses I already have.

I've got the prescription and ordered from Glasses Direct. If going online for specs you'll need to know your PD, opticians are not mandated to put that into a prescription - so they don't and you need to work it out if buying online. Easy enough as some optician websites have an online calculator.

I'd also get the optician to tell you your 'Intermediate Distance' if you need them for computer screen work. I have a pair for computer work to bring the screen into focus at an arms length plus, and a separate pair for reading.

[gus607]

I ordered new specs from Boots opticians & Vision express paying extra for the thinnest lenses.
I rejected both due to the lenses resembling milk bottle bottoms, Vision Express being the worst of them both.

Specsavers were far the best for thinnest lenses, service & price. I got what i requested & paid for.

[127Sport]

Is it just glasses for reading? If so, go and try a few cheap sets of reading glasses out in a shop and find which strength you need.

[Sheepshanks]

Huzzah said:

I've used many, chains, indies, expensive, budget. Not much to chose between them, so stick to specsavers.

We (both wife and I, and both kids) have used a lot of opticians over the years.

It's pretty much random whether you get a glasses you're happy with. The main thing is the big brands will change them pretty much without quibble if you have a problem, the indies are less keen. Seems to be that satisfactory glasses are largely down to how good the optician is and the dispenser can be quite important to get the lenses in the right position.

Wife and I getting varifocals has been particularly random - first pairs we got were from Specsavers. Paid a lot for Essilor lenses and got additional free pair with Specsavers own lenses. Couldn't tell any difference - they both just worked perfectly from the very first time we wore them. The dispenser particularly seemed to know what she was doing.

In multiple subsequent pairs from there and other Opticians we couldn't repeat that experience. At one Boots (actually a franchise, didn't know until afterwards) branch the computerised eye test machine didn't fit well and they had two goes and got them wrong both times.

Then went to a recommended local indie. Literally one man and a receptionist, so the same guy doing both eye test and dispensing. He did an old fashioned lens swap eye test and my then current glasses were so far out he made me come back a couple of days later to check the new precription again. Varifocals from him have worked fine (for both of us) but were £800. I got a spare pair made up at Asda with as close as I could get same size frames for £80. They'd be OK for emergency use but optically nothing like as good.