Glasses Buying Cost Cutting Plan Article Discussion Area

speedyjoe

chrishook wrote:

I would have no hesitation in recommending glassesdirect.co.uk to anyone. !

Their home approval service sounds good but once you add on lens options, coatings etc, price wise they are much much more expensive than optical4less.com.

sammysawdust

I bought a pair of Oakley Prescription Glasses from Site91 saving nearly £300 off my local opticians quote.
However I have had awful problems. The glasses eventually arrived looking wonkey and didn't sit properly on my face and badly made. I sent them back and they came back (eventually!) OK. Until they fell apart after a few wears. I sent them to Oakley this time and they told me that the glasses had not been manufactured properly. Oakley sent them to site91 and I am still waiting for the glasses to come back to me after Site91 fixed then broke the lenses in two!

I have never had such appalling customer service, poor quality glasses and been fobbed off so badly.
Avoid this company and enjoy dicounts for online glasses elsewhere.

RufusA

chrishook wrote:

With an improved brochure that now crucially specifies the suitability of a frame for different lens types and a reasonably priced home trial service that allows you to ensure a particular frame is suitable prior to purchase, I would have no hesitation in recommending glassesdirect.co.uk to anyone. The range has also been extended to include designer frames for those with such tastes. I have used the home trial service and I have found it to be fast and efficient.

Is it me, or does this sound like an advert - suprise suprise from a new user's first post! No mention of their personal experience, what they've ordered etc. If I didn't know better I would say I can smell :spam: !

Chris, do you have any financial connection with glasses direct you've forgotten to mention?

Rufus.

konni

I also have a few concerns over the ease at which Martin suggests one can buy glasses over the Internet.
I am in the optometric profession but I speak purely from a clinical and professional point of view.
An Optometrist has the responsibility to look after the healthcare of a patient's eyes. That does not simply mean getting them in for a quick eye test then getting them to buy £300 worth of glasses as many people seem to think. The eye test itself consists of many different aspects, including the medical health of the eyes and the best possible correction achievable.
Glasses also fall into the care of a patient's eyes. Do these Internet companies take into account any of the following:

Accurate centration of the frame
Minimising aberrations
Finding the best form lens to achieve optimum vision and minimal distortion
Prismatic effects of poor fitting
Angle of tilt when wearing
Accurate fitting of the frame - bridge / nose / temples / tops of ears / backs of ears
Allergies to certain materials
Impact resistance of lenses
Problems due to anisometropia
Weight of lenses
Cosmesis of frame and lenses
Care advice relating to the material of frame and lenses
Patient's requirements (e.g. how hobbies and occupation can affect the types of glasses supplied)

I very much doubt it.

I agree that although some patients may be able to purchase glasses over the Internet and remain problem free, the vast majority won't. Also, in terms of the cost, I don't know what quality and make of frames, lenses and coatings Martin was quoting therefore I don't think an accurate comparison can be made. Of course, buying over the Internet will always be cheaper than in store, in any kind of business, simply due to overheads. However I think it is important to bear in mind that optometrists (those who do their job properly anyway) will consider all of the above factors when providing patients will glasses, as well as many other technical details which I haven't even mentioned.

:xmastree:

qs

Cheap glasses over the internet may be OK for 'easy' prescriptions. I have always had difficulties with glasses due my prescription, I am very short sighted, and getting frames to fit, sides are invariably too short. ML also makes reference to not using opticians for your specs to avoid paying for expensive equipment. We all need to have our eyes tested and would like to think that this is being done properly with up to date equipment. We wouldn't expect tp go to NHS hospital and see them using equipment that is 50 years old.

As other respondents have noted fitting of glasses is important and adjusting, how do you get that on line? Yes you can undoubtably get cheaper glasses on line but what price your eyesight.

qs

bignose_strikes_again_2

Recently bought glasses from Spex4Less. Cannot fault them at all. Being quite short sighted I always pay more for thinner lenses, 1.67 index. Specsavers were charging and extra £120 (plus frame cost), D & A £185 (plus frame cost). Spex4less were charging just £60. I paid £159 for a pair of Armani specs with the 1.67 index lenses!!!!
I was reluctant to buy over the internet without seeing the frames first. Found out that has showroom in Bolton. Went there, tried 'em on and then ordered them over internet. Had specs for couple of months and absolutely no probs.

raeble

qs wrote:

As other respondents have noted fitting of glasses is important and adjusting, how do you get that on line? Yes you can undoubtably get cheaper glasses on line but what price your eyesight.

qs

You go into a large high street opticians and get them to fit the pair of glasses. Probably wise not to tell them where you got it from...

MINCER_2

konni wrote:

Glasses also fall into the care of a patient's eyes. Do these Internet companies take into account any of the following:

Accurate centration of the frame
Minimising aberrations
Finding the best form lens to achieve optimum vision and minimal distortion
Prismatic effects of poor fitting
Angle of tilt when wearing
Accurate fitting of the frame - bridge / nose / temples / tops of ears / backs of ears
Allergies to certain materials
Impact resistance of lenses
Problems due to anisometropia
Weight of lenses
Cosmesis of frame and lenses
Care advice relating to the material of frame and lenses
Patient's requirements (e.g. how hobbies and occupation can affect the types of glasses supplied)

I very much doubt it.

:

And if I ask the same questions about my High Street optician the answer is NO to 7 out of 13 and 1 don't know (anisometria?) and I won't go near Vision Express or Specsavers - because they are even worse.

Having said that, I recently experimented with a pair from goggles4u - they cost 15 quid and they are worth precisely that - frames were great - but lenses were badly finished and smaller than shown on the website. They are in the drawer to be used when painting or working in the BACK garden only!

grex9101

loudcloud wrote:

Badly fitting glasses with incorrect measurements could POSABLEY be fatal!

That's made my mind up-if an optician can't even spell POSSIBLY, i know where i WON'T be going for my glasses......

koru

grex9101 wrote:

That's made my mind up-if an optician can't even spell POSSIBLY, i know where i WON'T be going for my glasses......

Yes, ability to spell correctly is a well-known indicator of medical talent and knowledge. And if one optician can't spell well, it probably means none of them can - best to assume not, just in case!