Glasses Buying Cost Cutting Plan Article Discussion Area

Steve_xx

climbing_mum wrote: »

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.

So you would be suggesting that every Specavers in the land sell rubbish it seems? Does that not make you wonder how Specsavers can continue if, as you say, all of their product is rubbish?

I'm pleased to hear that you are happy with your online purchase and I note that you have decided not to use your high street optician again. This could cause you some difficulty in the future, since of course the online providers do not supply eye tests. So I wonder where you will go to get your eyes tested now that you are of the opinion that high street opticians are rubbish and overpriced?

I also note that your latest pair of spectacles have done little to enhance your ability to use decent grammar. The odd capital letter here and there would definitely be an improvement, as would your use of a suitable spell-checker. Maybe your online purchase is not actually as good as first it may appear.

louisejch

There's one recommendation on here from a couple of years ago for the web company that I just used, but their service was so brilliant that I want to recommend them for anyone looking to buy glasses online. They are Valley Optics.

This is the first time I've bought glasses this way, and it was incredibly straightforward, the glasses were with me within less than a week. The frames were darker than the ones I tried on in a shop (tortoiseshell, so a bit hit and miss) and I didn't like them, but I was able to return them (as i had told them I wanted to return them within 7 days of having received them), and have exchanged them for another frame. This has also been processed incredibly quickly.

I have a prescription that includes a prism, and found that most of the online retailers that do the designer frames that I was looking for would not let me input this part of my prescription - they only did really simple distance/near lenses. Valley Optics were the only ones that I could find that did a brilliant range of designer frames and could accommodate my prescription. Highly recommended.

buglawton

Had a good experience with Asda today, price near matches the online merchants for reglazing, with the optician doing pre-measurement for fitting. No special delivery costs either.

( edit - reglazed frames ready back at Asda within a week, £110 inc refitted stems and nosepads, this for two 1.74 lenses. Very happy with the service )

JonoClouds

I used Glasses2You a year or two ago. Got 2 pairs for less than £38 each. Great service, fast and helpful. Sadly it's all changed. The same brand of cheap frames (Cubik) are still offered but the deal is much more costly. To get anti-reflective coating you have to select a Silver or Gold "pack" for £16 or more. Their FAQs still state that the coatings are FREE, in capitals of course.
I sent an enquiry challenging all this and quickly received a reply full of spelling mistakes which did at least include a method of getting 10% off the deal.


I was still not minded to spend £70 on budget frames. Time to try elsewhere. Spex4Less have ridiculously good reviews everywhere, quite unbelievable, all 5*. So I had a look and ordered some Jeff Banks glasses with free anti-reflective coating, all done for about £61.

So... there seems to be little merit in brand loyalty these days. Bring fresh eyes (pun intended) to it each time.

stphnstevey

Anyone know where I can get cheap aviator prescription sunglasses?

Foodie2

I agree with JonoClouds re Spex4Less. Having broken a hinge on my Jaeger rimless glasses I searched for someone who could supply a replacement part. Not only were Spex4Less the cheapest among the few who could supply, they also suggested I send the glasses to them so they could do the repair - at no extra charge! Just got them back 4 days after posting them - now that's good old-fashioned service for you.
(Usual disclaimer.)

hgotsparkle

I highly recommend Lensway.I got the lens pack (anti glare, 400uv, and scratch resistant) for £12, used the FIRSTFRAMEFREE code and got some Elle frames, so with p&p, and insurance the total was £23!


Not all frames are in the offer code though so you have to search a good while to find ones you like, took me over a week to narrow down the ones included and then choose a style.

smipx013

Hi,

Just a heads-up. I used optical4less last year for a pair of specs. Paid extra for 1.67AS super thin and light lenses and they came out great. Was so impressed that this time round I ordered 2 pairs of frames with the same 1.67 lenses (only 0.25+ change in both eyes) and they have come out thicker than the chap in the old VW adverts / benny hill with the thick glasses. The frames were much the same dimensions as the last pair so it should not make much of a difference but the lenses are 4-5 times thicker than expected (I expected them to be maybe 10% thicker). I even have an old pair of 1.6AS thinner reading specs from ASDA and the distance version of the new optical4less are thicker than those (even though the ASDA lenses are readers and are only 1.6. Go figure!

Aint no way I'm wearing them - I have some pride.

I have opened a ticket with Optical4less and asked them for a refund/remake but its now over a week and they seem to have gone silent on me. I did as requested and sent in all of the pictures of the old versus new etc. but no reply now.....

I suspect I'm going to have a mammoth fight on my hands to get a refund out of them as they are in Hong Kong so I guess thats the best part of £80 down the toilet :-(. I have also opend up a paypal dispute but due to the subjective nature of lens thickness I suspect I will struggle getting them to payout either.

If I get a refund I will let the forum know but - based on my own experience just now I would not be able to recommend optical4less at this point.

Cheers,
Paul

Steve_xx

It sounds to me like they haven't provided you with the lenses that you thought you had paid for?

smipx013

I think so too. I reckon they supplied standard lenses. 9 days since I logged my complaint and counting.