Hello,

need to get my eyes checked, new glasses.

ammarite to think that the best deals are with the chain opticians, specsavers etc?

Not really keen on spending 5-600 pounds on glasses

Any happy stories to share?

cheers

cheezey B.

Always used Vision Express. Never had any trouble with them. Just waiting on new glasses now, got a pair of Oakley Matter frames and some cheap sunglasses (standard frame but tinted lenses) for £250 but you can spend around £100 and still get decent ones.

Tescos for me – I’ve been to them 3 times over the last 6 years. Good deal and I’ve been looked after. I was sucked in by their ‘free’ eye tests back in the day.

I use Boots, Never spent more than £150, rarely more than 50 – there’s something there usually that’ll do. I only have a driving prescription (though I find them handy day to day) so I’m happy with cheaper frames, might spend a bit more if I had to wear them all the time, but you have your prescription and can browse at leisure (online) once you have something.

I’ve used Specsavers for several years. They are big enough to have all the latest equipent, and a decent choice of frames.
If you resist the sales talk about super-thin lenses and speciality coatings you can get a single pair for £25 or two for £70 in a different range. There’s nothing wrong with the £25 pairs – I’m wearing some now. If you want designer stuff, that’s available as well.

Boots for several years here. Contacts & glasses. No issues.

Depends on your prescription. If you’re up around the £500-600 mark you are talking quite complex lenses and might find it’s worth sticking with a local optician for fitting, backup, etc.

No. Don’t get an eye test and the glasses from the same place. Get an eye test then shop around for the best price on glasses separately. This might be the same place you got the glasses, but it probably won’t be. Try online if you have a simple prescription, or local independents if you need anything fancy.

You pay for the eye test anyway, but the main high street opticians rely on most people just buying the glasses from them. My current specs varied in price from £180 to £450 depending where I got them from. That’s for exactly the same frames and lenses (the lenses are made a by a 3rd party anyway!).

Used Specsavers the last two times, and think their customer service is excellent. Both my glasses and my varifocal contacts are from them: the glasses from their £60 range.

The contacts are brilliant, but a little on the expensive side.

All good otherwise.

Whatever the case, though, I WOULD NOT USE Vision Express. I cannot stand that place. 😡

Used Specsavers for years with no problems.

Specsavers all the way- two pairs from £70 or free sunnies. Awesome.

the prices at vision express are crazy – Specsavers, boots (they have now consumed D&A) and don’t discount the local high street independants

I’ve tried the online merchants which are good if you know what size you need, often the frames can be odd sizes so you need to measure the existing frames you have

I’m guessing the local branches will vary within chains as well. I’m new to the world of specs but in my experience Vision Express have been excellent whilst Specsavers functional at best. Bit like private healthcare and NHS – you end up with the same solution but the service levels between the two were night and day.

Specsaver here and always happy with the two pairs for £60 (one of them being sunglasses if you wish) as I’m quite tough on my specs and renew them each year. I do have a pretty simple prescription though, which keeps everything a lot cheaper.

Thanks for your help!

am suspecting i might need varifocals as i use single vision currently for distance and astigmatism but am finding the need to remove them these days for reading/ close work.

Also finding my vision suffers badly in poor daylight.. really cloudy, dark november mornings etc.. does anyone know if yellow lenses would help there?

Vision direct if you know your prescription & pupillary distance, save £££££, last pair cost £14.99 for single vision lenses