Glasses Buying Cost Cutting Plan Article Discussion Area

Oddjob

A few years back, I had four eye tests all within a couple of weeks, it was part of some research, the prescriptions I was given all differed, no two of the four were the same. Which one was correct I have no idea so if the measurements of the glasses have to be so precise, how come they were different and how would I have known which to have gone with?

Steve_xx

Horizon81 wrote: »

Measure your own PD with a metal ruler, or get a friend to.

Optical assistants or whatever they're called are no more skilled at measuring your pupillary distance than anyone else. It's the distance between the centre of each of your pupils.

I used to think how can one buy online when you need the specialist service of an opticians, but once you've got your prescription from the optician, you're just passed over to sales people who are as much experts on glasses as car salesmen are on cars! Stevexx's comments on here make me laugh.

At the end of the day, there are 2 key issues that determine how good your glasses are:

1. The skills and experience of the optician who provides the prescription in the first place.
2. The guy who fits the lens into the frame.

Your response does not warrant any reply, save to say that the smallest amount of knowledge on a given subject can be a dangerous thing.

Steve_xx

Oddjob wrote: »

A few years back, I had four eye tests all within a couple of weeks, it was part of some research, the prescriptions I was given all differed, no two of the four were the same. Which one was correct I have no idea so if the measurements of the glasses have to be so precise, how come they were different and how would I have known which to have gone with?

There may be slight variation in prescription between opticians. For instance you might require an actual change of 1 dioptre, but that'd be quite a big change and one that you may not easily tolerate all at once. So if your optician knows you and how you tend to react to change they may not increase your prescription so dramatically in one go.

Horizon81

Oddjob wrote: »

A few years back, I had four eye tests all within a couple of weeks, it was part of some research, the prescriptions I was given all differed, no two of the four were the same. Which one was correct I have no idea so if the measurements of the glasses have to be so precise, how come they were different and how would I have known which to have gone with?

Funnily enough Oddjob I did an identical test a few years ago. I'm very particular about my prescription and like to get it absolutely spot on. I too tried 4 opticians and no two were the same. Not necessarily the fault of the opticians as our eyes change at different times of the day and when fine tuning it is often impossible to determine the difference between lens 1 and lens 2 lol, but it does highlight the guesswork of it all.
I've raised this before with opticians and they get very defensive about 'their' prescription and say 'well that's what it was when I measured it'. When being provided with my new lenses I have on occasions noticed that I can see better out of one lens than the other only to be told - look with both eyes and stop closing one! Of course if I can see perfect with one lens and slightly blurry with another then I want the prescription in the blurry one fixing so it's spot on.

I honestly think most people just don't notice or care but those of us who care about their sight want perfection. After all, if you're going to wear glasses you may as well have them spot on.

Horizon81

Steve_xx wrote: »

Your response does not warrant any reply, save to say that the smallest amount of knowledge on a given subject can be a dangerous thing.

Haha ok steve get back to selling those 2 for 1s!

Steve_xx

Horizon81 wrote: »

Haha ok steve get back to selling those 2 for 1s!

I am not an optician. I do not work at an opticians. I do not work in any optical related industry.

I have never been an optician nor have I ever worked at any opticians or in any optical related industry.

Oddjob

Horizon81 wrote: »

Measure your own PD with a metal ruler, or get a friend to.

Optical assistants or whatever they're called are no more skilled at measuring your pupillary distance than anyone else. It's the distance between the centre of each of your pupils.

I used to think how can one buy online when you need the specialist service of an opticians, but once you've got your prescription from the optician, you're just passed over to sales people who are as much experts on glasses as car salesmen are on cars! Stevexx's comments on here make me laugh.

At the end of the day, there are 2 key issues that determine how good your glasses are:

1. The skills and experience of the optician who provides the prescription in the first place.
2. The guy who fits the lens into the frame.

I don't know how you would be able to measure the PD yourself. After an argument and me threatening them with the Freedom of Information Act, I managed to get them to give me the PD they had used for the glasses I was collecting, they were distance ones but they said the PD for reading glasses would be different and that it also depended on the shape of the frames.
For distance you are looking straight ahead but for reading, you are looking down and your pupils change.

Steve_xx

Oddjob wrote: »

I don't know how you would be able to measure the PD yourself. After an argument and me threatening them with the Freedom of Information Act, I managed to get them to give me the PD they had used for the glasses I was collecting, they were distance ones but they said the PD for reading glasses would be different and that it also depended on the shape of the frames.
For distance you are looking straight ahead but for reading, you are looking down and your pupils change.

There are two PD measurements, distance and reading. Reading is always less as the eyes are converged. Frame shape has no effect on it.

Oddjob

Thank you, my PD for the distance ones was 63.
I wasn't measured for the reading ones as I wasn't ordering any glasses at the time.

RajaStyle

ok looking for an honest opinion (as we have so many optical people/users here), has anyone tried or have the Transitions Signature 7 Grey?

Looking to buy my next pair and was thinking of adding Transitions, from what I understand it goes dark on cloudy and cold days also or takes too long to go clear. Is this correct or annoying ? Would you buy it again ? Is it worth it ?

Any advice /feedback appreciated. I am going to buy separate sunglasses anyway, just some days I don't want to carry 2 pairs ... such as when I go to work in the city and want to come out just for lunchtime & commute. Thanks All.