THE EASY WAY: All the Forum's best tips go in MoneySavingExpert's weekly E-mail Plus you'll get all the new guides, deals and loopholes. It's free & spam free
IMPORTANT! This forum isn't moderated. If you spot a spam, illegal, offensive, racist, libellous post or PM please email abuse@moneysavingexpert.com
Remember, this is an open forum! Anyone can post so always exercise caution when acting on info. Don't post links for personal gain. Except in the referrers section and always declare any interest.
The Boots health club is a marketing scheme, it's aim is to grab your email and then send you online and offline marketing about Boots in order to generate your loyalty. This means there is no 'tick the box' not to receive mailings button. However you can still cancel your membership once you've had the free eye test.
Another quick note, amongst the details it asks you for is your mobile phone number, yet there's no need to enter this (it should stop any 'marketing texts').
Martin
Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert.
Please note, answers don't constitute financial advice, it is based on generalised journalistic research. Always ensure any decision is made with regards to your own individual circumstance.
BT residential landline? Click HERE to see my '6 steps to reducing costs' (last updated 14-October-2009). Read the full MSE article too though - it's a money-saving read.
The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Heinz For This Useful Post:Show me >>
shame i had mine done a week ago then
they did gove me £25 worth of advantage points when i bought my glasses there and it was buy 1 get 1 free on the glasses too so not too bad i suppose
Interesting but true: if you work on a computer as a substantial part of your employment, or if tasks you do require you to use a high level of concentration when transferring/inputting data to a computer, your employer is obliged under health and safety legislation to pay for an annual eye test.
Check the HSE website for exact detail.
If your optician says that you need glasses SPECIFICALLY for computer work (i.e. not just for reading or driving or general wear), your employer is also obliged to part pay for the glasses. They can nominate specific opticians or even bring eye-testing on-site.
Interesting but true: if you work on a computer as a substantial part of your employment, or if tasks you do require you to use a high level of concentration when transferring/inputting data to a computer, your employer is obliged under health and safety legislation to pay for an annual eye test.
Check the HSE website for exact detail.
If your optician says that you need glasses SPECIFICALLY for computer work (i.e. not just for reading or driving or general wear), your employer is also obliged to part pay for the glasses. They can nominate specific opticians or even bring eye-testing on-site.
Yes, that's what I did. Reduced the cost of a pair of glasses for work from £60 to £10.
The Boots health club is a marketing scheme, it's aim is to grab your email and then send you online and offline marketing about Boots in order to generate your loyalty. This means there is no 'tick the box' not to receive mailings button. However you can still cancel your membership once you've had the free eye test.
Another quick note, amongst the details it asks you for is your mobile phone number, yet there's no need to enter this (it should stop any 'marketing texts').
Martin
What a wonderful tip - I have joined today - I have been putting off getting an eye test for ages - Thanks
Brilliant, I have just signed up. I was meant to go to specsavers last week but had to cancel my appt at the last minute so this free eye test through Boots is fantastic!! Thanks MSE!!!
If your mother or father has been ever treated for glaucoma,
You are automaticaly allowed free eye tests on the NHS at any optician once you reach forty !
Interesting but true: if you work on a computer as a substantial part of your employment, or if tasks you do require you to use a high level of concentration when transferring/inputting data to a computer, your employer is obliged under health and safety legislation to pay for an annual eye test.
Check the HSE website for exact detail.
If your optician says that you need glasses SPECIFICALLY for computer work (i.e. not just for reading or driving or general wear), your employer is also obliged to part pay for the glasses. They can nominate specific opticians or even bring eye-testing on-site.
Also...sort it out before you go. You normally have to take a form from work that the optician completes for employer's H+S records. It's no good asking for the money back if you've already been and had the test done independently (as muggins here found out..)
Re the free eye test if you're over 40 and parents had glaucoma - I was asked the glaucoma question by an optician and 'inadvertently' said yes cos I confused glaucoma with cataracts - my Dad had the latter. They've never checked it and I go on getting a free eye test evey year.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to rob_dewing For This Useful Post:Show me >>
I would certainly advise everyone to take advantage of any offer of a free test. I had a routine test recently and was shocked to be diagnosed with glaucoma (I'm 31). Luckily I visited an optician who was extremely thorough and tested for this but I have been on other occasions over the years and no other optician has done so. The above is particularly true if there is a family history or you are short-sighted. I understand that males of African-Caribean ethnicity are also at a higher risk.
I would urge anyone who has noticed any problems to get seen as soon as possible. I occasionally noticed a slight loss of periperhal vision or tiredness in the evenings which I always attributed to eye strain.
The good news is that in most cases, while it's not reversible, it is treatable.
do you get pressured into buying new glasses/lenses when you have these 'free' eye tests?
No, they shouldn't as they are not allowed by law. I had a free eye test at Boots just after christmas, as very suddenly, I couldn't read small print etc. I made it clear I was going to shop around, with no problem. I was prescribed veri focals which I did not buy in boots as I explained during eye test that I spent long periods of time at a laptop, but with a TV in the same room & when I borrowed my partners reading glasses they were excellent for working at laptop but glancing in long vision with reading glasses caused me headaches.
do you get pressured into buying new glasses/lenses when you have these 'free' eye tests?
Just tell them you are on your lunch hour, or meeting someone, or have to be somewhere but you would like to come back another day.
If you are charming and pleasant then they are not going to want to upset a potential customer.
Being charming really does get you a better result than being evasive.
Just tell them you are on your lunch hour, or meeting someone, or have to be somewhere but you would like to come back another day.
A friend of mine tried this one and the opticians assistant said "that's fine" at which point she smiled and placed his perscription in a filing cabinet saying "I'll keep the perscription safe here, we don't want it to go missing and then have to charge you for a test, do we?
Pls be nice to all MoneySavers. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and even if you disagree courtesy helps. Take care over copyright. Use excerpts and links rather than copying long text. This site asserts copyright on all comments posted on the board.
Pls be nice to all MoneySavers. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and even if you disagree courtesy helps.
Free Eye Test at Boots
eye tests
Free eye tests for over Fortys !
Linear Mode
