Glasses Buying Cost Cutting Plan Article Discussion Area

scotslad79

Hi All,

Do you know where the best place is to buy high prescription lenses online? Most of the places I've seen go to +6.00 but I'm +9.50 and +9.00 or would you advise it´s better going to a normal optician?

Many thanks

bitemebankers

scotslad79 wrote: »

would you advise it´s better going to a normal optician?

I would. As prescriptions increase, the fitting of the lenses and frame become much more critical and the chances of having problems increase too. There's a reason online opticians have quite restricted prescription ranges - it's to avoid problems and the poor customer experience that results. Sorry to say it, but you'd be better off shopping around in the high street in my opinion.

Steve_xx

bitemebankers wrote: »

I would. As prescriptions increase, the fitting of the lenses and frame become much more critical and the chances of having problems increase too. There's a reason online opticians have quite restricted prescription ranges - it's to avoid problems and the poor customer experience that results. Sorry to say it, but you'd be better off shopping around in the high street in my opinion.

Absolutely spot on. The online houses are not an ideal substitute for a face-to-face consultation. As you rightly say, the fitting is crucial.

scotslad79

Hi bitebankers & steve_xx,

Thanks for taking the time to respond, you've helped me make up my mind! Have a nice weekend!

VfM4meplse

Hi all, I'm posting here out of desperation, mainly!

I've worn glasses for most of my adult years, albeit rarely. My usage has been limited to night driving / cinema / theatre / lectures only, as I'm slightly short-sighted - and not at all since we turned the clocks forward, as I was using public transport mostly. My problem is that I've misplaced my main pair (in all lilkelihood lost whilst abroad) and can't find my spare pair, which was very similar in style. It took me ages to find the right frame as glasses just don't look good on me. I've clung onto these for a good 6 years or so and have turned my home over to find the spare w/o any success.

Anticipating that I'm going to have to do a fair bit of driving in the dark over the coming months, I need a pair fast and sent much of the day traipsing around opticians trying to find a pair that suits. There's one pair that's closer to what I want than any other, but I can't track it down online much less find a pair of a similar style. I've browsed through these pages, and it feels like contributors to this thread are confident when it comes to buying bargain specs w/o trying the frames on first. I've also spent hours looking through the recommended sites on this thread (and many others!) this evening to see if I can find anything that suits without success. Googling the long frame number that was written down for me (not the lens / bridge / arm code) has been no help either.

My plan is to have an eye test tomorrow and get some new specs asap, but I don't want to spend a fortune if there's another way of going about this (the pair nearest to my old pairs is over £200 at Boots). I don't want to pay this kind of money for a style that I consider to be "good enough" - I want it to be 100% right, as the last pair was. I'm going to hunt out my old prescription to see if I still have details of the old frames, can anyone advise on next steps to track these down given that the all-powerful Google hasn't been able to help on this occasion?

TIA, VfM

Steve_xx

In reality you have described how difficult that you feel it is to get frames that suit you. There isn't an easy way for you here, except to say that at least one online supplier will send you frames to try them on. Glasses Direct will send you 4 pairs to try on, so maybe that would be suitable?

VfM4meplse

Steve_xx wrote: »

In reality you have described how difficult that you feel it is to get frames that suit you.

I had assumed this would be the same for most people, which is why I was surprised how easily other posters are making use of online retailers. Do you know of any site that can help track down frames by reference no?

Steve_xx

Well some people are easier to suit than others,as with all things. Some people find it very difficult to find spectacles that suit their face shape. It' s a personal thing I guess.

I would suggest that if this is the case for you and you really want to save by buying online, then it might be wise to choose a rimless frame as these are much less imposing than heavier looking plastic frames.

Your efforts to track down a replica of your old frame will probably prove fruitless as manufacturers change their ranges so frequently. So I think you would not get so far with your efforts in doing that to be very frank.

sandy2_2

With Zenni Optical, you can upload your photo to the site and then add frames to it, not quite the same as actually trying them on tho´. Some frames from a ´normal´ optician have the frame sizes printed on the inside of one of the arms, this would give you a guide re width of bridge, arm length and frame width, which would help when buying a frame on line. If your spare pair doesn´t have that info on them, a ruler will sort it out

Sandy in Spain

climbing_mum

I agree that buying glasses online may not be suitable for everyone but i've had a great experience with spex4less.com. simple and fast with great fame options and advice. the website clearly stated what they could and couldn't do and when to get things measured by a professional. the glasses are everything and more they fit well, wearing them has never caused me a headache, eyesight problems or even any sight rub points!!!

As for my recent experiences with opticians? they have been dreadfull. my last pair of glasses from specsavers are awful. i've been back so many times with poor quality frames, incorrectly made lenses and ill fitting frames. i don't think that i will ever both with them again. yes opticians need are custom but how can they truly justify the prices they charge when the product is so poor and so often the service is too.