Glasses Buying Cost Cutting Plan Article Discussion Area

EdGasket

Well I found out quicly enough why Specs-By-Post were 'cheaper'. Having accepted my order and payment on their web site, they are now asking me to pay nearly as much again to cover the cost of my lenses!!?? Apparently my prescription is too strong for their standard lenses and I should have seen this somewhere in their terms and conditions. Is it really my job to identify flaws in their web site ? Why did Specs-By-Post happily let me order 6.5 dioptres if they cannot supply that? Won't be using them again.

Spooz

I bought a pair of glasses from Goggles4u - bog standard lenses, not a massive prescription, not very complicated. However, when I put them on, I feel a bit cross-eyed and peculiar when I move my head. Have I had a mistake with my PD or similar, or do I just need to get used to them? I usually wear correct-prescription contact lenses but sometimes wear glasses, and my previous ones were very out of date. Is it just my eyes being surprised by the change?

Steve_xx

Spooz wrote: »

I bought a pair of glasses from Goggles4u - bog standard lenses, not a massive prescription, not very complicated. However, when I put them on, I feel a bit cross-eyed and peculiar when I move my head. Have I had a mistake with my PD or similar, or do I just need to get used to them? I usually wear correct-prescription contact lenses but sometimes wear glasses, and my previous ones were very out of date. Is it just my eyes being surprised by the change?

You should go and have your eyes examined by an optometrist. Nobody on here can advise you about the state of your eyes.

inicholson

sandy2 wrote: »

You need a different prescription for your glasses, do not use your contact lens prescription. So first of all you need a new eye test.
If you need a prescription for reading as well, you can get mono vision prescription for contact lens. This is where one eye is corrected for distance and one eye for reading. I know it seems odd but it works. I had my contacts like this for years, although now you can get bi focal contacts.

Anyway, back to glasses, we always get our glasses over the internet from Zenni optical, they are reasonably priced and have a huge selection.

HTH
Sandy in Spain

If you are on a regular monthly payment scheme with Specsavers they should sell you glasses at half price (instead of the 2 for 1 offer they give everyone else).

Spooz

Steve_xx wrote: »

You should go and have your eyes examined by an optometrist. Nobody on here can advise you about the state of your eyes.

I was just wondering if anyone else had experienced something similar after buying glasses online. Obviously if it continues I will go to my optician.

EdGasket

Spooz wrote: »

I was just wondering if anyone else had experienced something similar after buying glasses online. Obviously if it continues I will go to my optician.

Hi Spooz,
Yes my wife had a dodgy pair from Goggles4u. She had them looked at by specsavers and they said the PD was all wrong; made for someone with a much wider gap between the eyes, even though we supplied the correct PD. Also had a friend who returned a pair to goggles4U as they were no good and they remade them free of charge and then they were fine. Might be worth either returning them or asking your optician to check if they are OK.

shtove

tangojulie wrote: »

See if there is an optical manufacturing company near you. We have one on a local trading estate. It makes all the specs for the local opticians and it also deals directly with the public at a fraction of the cost. They are craftsmen who take a pride in their work, fit carefully, advise on suitability etc.

I've been looking for months, and that is a great tip.

My prescription is too high for internet buying, and the high street - chains and independents - were quoting me £350+. I have a big head and wide pupil distance, so the required frame was always too large for what they had in stock. The bigger the frame, the thicker the lens at the edge - in other words, £350+ meant double +.

So I took your advice and googled for optical manufacturer in my area and selected the first result. Website under construction, so I rang them and they told me to pop in whenever it suited.

Gave them supermarket prescription, and suitable sized frame was produced without fuss. The lens maker came out from the workshop - genuine pride in his work.

Got the giant specs today - best I've ever had. Slight slippage on the bridge - this was mostly sorted out on the spot, but after a few hours I think it needs a bit more work. Their reaction? Pop back in for the alteration.

I've been wearing specs for thirty years and never heard of this niche in the market. Looking back, I think this is the first time I've been sold an appropriate product. I had a chat with the front office lady, and she said opticians hate them + they're so busy they don't really bother with marketing.

Quotes I was looking at a couple of months ago: £350+. Actual purchase price: £168.

Thanks for the tip.

lofielectronic

Just a quick 'impressed with the service' report for framesdirect.co.uk. I ordered a frame I had like for some time, couldn't find anything comparable localy but I've ordered several pairs of glasses and frames online before so took the gamble.

Unfortunately I just felt the glasses didn't suit at all. I hadn't noticed when ordering but the returns faq on their site stated they would do an complete exchange if you were not happy within 30 days and with only a very small fee for lense replacement. I didn't expect that so it was a real bonus.

Their email/customer service couldn't been more helpful, I ended up choosing two cheaper frames than the one I had ordered and ended up with two pairs I was very happy with.

Most of all I was impressed with the service, politeness and speed of reply.

Orange_wasps

I have been attenting the same optician (a one-off - not a chain) for years with no problems. Last year I decided to take my new prescription to purchase specs online at much cheaper cost. The new specs were mechanically fine but the prescription seemed wrong and I couldn't get used to them so reverted to my previous pair. I returned to my optician recently for a retest and told them of the problem. The retest found that the previous prescription was wrong. Can I make a claim against them for the cost of the useless specs?

Steve_xx

Orange_wasps wrote: »

I have been attenting the same optician (a one-off - not a chain) for years with no problems. Last year I decided to take my new prescription to purchase specs online at much cheaper cost. The new specs were mechanically fine but the prescription seemed wrong and I couldn't get used to them so reverted to my previous pair. I returned to my optician recently for a retest and told them of the problem. The retest found that the previous prescription was wrong. Can I make a claim against them for the cost of the useless specs?

Generally, the orginal testing optician would, in this instance, supply you with a fresh pair at their expense. Though I'm not sure that this is mandatory.