[Closed] Where do you buy your specs from?

Well my first foray into online went horribly wrong.

They put the wrong prescription in

They used cheap ass auto darkening lenses not the transitions I paid for. So they take about 10 minutes to go clear again when I go inside.

Won't be doing that again.

Opticians for me next time....

Online, more choice and about 1/4 the price...

I use onestopspecs.co.uk for prescription glasses and Optilabs.com for sunglasses.

I use rxsport online - cant fault the quality of their glasses. Get a prescription from boots - apparently they are the best of the big chains in terms of the quality of eye test that you get.

High street, local company.
Great service, free lens insurance (I've needed it already...), good style advice (I'd probably come home looking like dame Edna of left to my own judgement).

£20, Superdrug. 😀  I’ve just decided on contacts plus Readers, so I didn’t want to spend too much whilst trailing the process.

I do like the added authority that looking over the top of one’s glasses brings.

I do like the added authority that looking over the top of one’s glasses brings.

That only works if your old.

Grandad.;)

On line. Never had a bad pair

Local independent. Not cheap but they make the glasses fit you, they don't scratch easily and you can always pop in for a quick bend back into shape.

Iolla - Scottish based company with shops in Edinburgh and Glasgow plus online. Original designs and super quality for £65 a pair. My everyday and sunglasses are from here and I'm hugely impressed so far

Online, usually from Zenni.
Loads of nice styles to choose from.
I have a a strong prescription, so need to pay for upgraded thinner lenses. Which could be really expensive at the local shops.

My new ones are from vision express.

Oakly Varifocal transitions thin and light scratch resistant anti reflection.

Not cheap but as I wear them constantly they need to be good and comfortable.

I had the first set with a more curved wrap around lens shape and they were horribly distorted around the edge.

No problem. They just sent then back no questions and I went for a different model.

These are lovely to wear.

I popped in after a couple of weeks to get the fit adjusted a touch which they did there and then. They also said to keep going in until I am 100% happy, no problem at all.

Far from cheap but they are high spec ...err.... specs and I would not have got this level of service online.

I will stick to high street for my specific needs.

I have a good optician in town who does all the family's tests and we trust, but he's very expensive, so I get some from him every few years, and in between I've been going to Asda opticians. Thinner lighter varifocals included in the base price, and measured up by a knowledgeable human in the shop. Great price, plenty of choice. Harrogate likely your nearest.

https://opticians.asda.com/info/our-complete-price-on-glasses

Vision Express for the last 15 years or so.

Last pair from rxsports, but i've used various online placrs and all been fine.

I got Specsavers to give me my PD but even when I've measured myself it's been ok.

Specsavers in town. Always helpful, I get my contacts from them, so I get free tests and a discount on my glasses, the most recent two pairs, (2 for one) are clear and tinted, single vision with a/r coating, and hingeless/rimless titanium ‘frames’, basically just the bridge and arms, incredibly light and comfy, no hinges and screws to bother with, cost £180 for both pairs.

Harrogate likely your nearest.

Ha! That's actually where I had my eye test last week! Just wondered about any alternatives for deals on specs.
Thanks everyone!

I avoid Specsavers as they can't seem to get my script right. Horribly made lenses. shame as a friend owns a branch and I'd get decent discount, I just have never had a good pair from the 2 or 3 pairs I've had from speccies.

I use a local shop called Laubman and Pank. They have so many options for lenses but I've found Fuji high index with multifocal to be the best for me.

I get my frames from Moscot (online from New York). Lenses are fitted by optician as I have varifocals and the positioning of the varifocal start point is critical so would rather someone phycially measure and then check lenses. When I had standard lenses I was happy to buy them online as they are way cheaper.

All day wear ones - local optician. Expensive but they need to be spot on as, well, I wear them all day everyday, esp. as they're varifocal.

Sunglasses/ riding glasses - Ciliary Blue online.

Independent opticians every time.
I called in last week to discuss something and am having my eyes tested on Friday afternoon followed by fitting for a new pair of all day frames and a new pair of cycling glasses.
And then the wine is coming out.

Sounds bad as I normally always champion independent traders and use them if I can, but I’ve gone back to my local Vision Express now having had sub-par service from 2 local Indy opticians.

Optician has always been very good & staff very helpful. Not the cheapest but they always have some kind of deal on like free sunnies or half price 2nd pair etc which helps a bit. Still only works out at pennies per day for something I use every day, 99% of the time when I’m awake!

I get my eyes tested at Boots and my specs from The Spectacles Room in Castleford.

Independent optician for me; I support his family business and he takes a huge amount of time and care in measuring and sorting out my varifocal prescription, meaning my vision is perfect with glasses.

Specsavers. Complicated prescription, and a weird PD thing means they need to be carefully measured and fitted. Premium lenses, tailor-made titanium framed varifocals, plus a pair of polarised tailor-made varifocal sunglasses in the same frame for £350.

Have been going there for the last four or five pairs of glasses, and every time there's been any sort of problem they've fixed them or replaced them FOC.

I'd love to sound really edgy and say I was getting them from an independent somewhere, or getting them online etc etc, but I haven't had a bad experience in the time I've been using them.

Vision Express for the last 15 years or so.

They need to change their name. Went into one a few years back and was shocked to find out they no longer make them on site, 2-3 week wait! Don't get how they're still in business, their main USP is no longer...

local opticians. Not cheap, but just round the corner, always good service and happily fix my glasses, my mums glasses and all the rest when it goes wrong.

Local independent opticians for me. Not the cheapest like has been said but i wear my specs all day everyday so its good that they will fit them to my shape and i can just pop in if i need them adjusted again

They need to change their name. Went into one a few years back and was shocked to find out they no longer make them on site, 2-3 week wait! Don’t get how they’re still in business, their main USP is no longer…

? My one in Weymouth gets mine done within the day if I have an early appointment. And that is silly Oakley half frames with thinned down lenses and assorted coatings.

Spec savers. Got 3 pairs of designer glasses and a pair of designer sunglasses.

Eye test at Boots.

Riding Glasses and Sunglasses from Extreme Eyewear. Very good service

Normal everyday glasses from Pretavoir and since re-glazed to up to date prescription by Cillary Blue. Both good service.

I did get a pair of everyday "not sunglasses" Oakleys from Fashioneyewear.co.uk  One of the lenses was chipped on arrival and it was a right pain to sort out, wouldn't use them again.

Glassesdirect - but as with any online place you need your PD (distance between your pupils) and it's not on your prescription. So you need to measure it yourself - easier with someone to help.

Their home trial is good, they post 4 frames out to you to try on, and they make it easy to find glasses that are a similar size to existing ones using the measurement numbers printed inside the arm.

They always have offers on if you get on their email list, I wait until they have ones that cover the lens packages, I have a fairly big prescription so need the thinnest ones.

Specsavers because I work in Manchester and it's a short walk to the arndale. I've bought from the internet before knowing that they will be inexpensive ones and they've lasted ok. There is a great little independent near where I live but I'm never around when they are open to use them.

Specsavers. Use them for contact lenses and have just gone onto their lens scheme which gives me regular checkups for free plus a free eye test every couple of years. Current spec frames I am quite happy with and have had them for quite a few years now. When my prescription changes I just get new lenses and have them fitted. Generally been happy with them.

Wifey tried the local independent a few years ago - **** me, they were dreadful. She felt the eye check was probably ok but everything else was awful. Poor service. Poor advice. Poor selection of frames at high prices. Nothing to redeem them at all.

I have a nagging feeling that I could get the contacts for a bit less money and probably the glasses lenses but not sure if the price difference is enough to offset the extra hassle (up front) and the eye tests.

? My one in Weymouth gets mine done within the day if I have an early appointment. And that is silly Oakley half frames with thinned down lenses and assorted coatings.

Interesting, one in Cambridge, which used to make on site, now sends them off with a 2-3 week turnaround.

Glasses direct here. Lots of choice, home postage to try, lots of deals when registered.

Don’t use direct sight. Used them for replacement lenses and they put the wrong prescription in. Sent them back and they returned them with ill fitting lenses. Right pain to deal with so only use the high street now.

Optician, varifocal frames need fitting to your head to ensure the correct focus, skilled job to make sure it’s all ok and correctly test.

Thanks everyone! I was a bit dubious about using online outlets & still am. Sounds like more faff than It's worth if things aren't right from the start.
I got my current specs from Asda 2 years ago & to be fair theyv'e been fine, but I was looking for other/even better options, cos you never know!
I'll probably stick with Asda.

Right, next Q, mobile phones....

Some good recommendations here - just had my eyes tested and need varifocals apparently. By the sounds of the above, getting them from an online place is more risky.

Anyone had varifocals successfully done online?

We have had them from RX Sport and no problems.

Thanks Tracey - that's good to know.

Cubitts. Absolutely tremendous service. Reasonable value (if their frames are your sort of thing).