Glasses Buying Cost Cutting Plan Article Discussion Area

phltrnr

I've bought 5 pairs of glasses online now but my last pair came from a firm that I haven't seen mentioned on this forum before (cheapest-specs-online. com).
£56.00 for varifocals with a dark tint and anti-scratch coating and they weren't the cheapest of frames either!

A well-known High Street Optician, (call them "Drummond and Harrison" for the sake of argument) quoted me 6-7 times that price when I had my free eye test with them.

At such a cheap price, I naturally erred on the side of caution but they really are such good quality I'm now kicking myself for not ordering a second pair while I was at it.

Sadly they're no use for me but their single vision glasses start at an unbelievable £12.50!

P.S. For the benefit of the sceptics, I have no connection with Cheapest Specs Online other than being a very satisfied customer.

Drea

I am considering getting my new glasses online. I just can't afford the high street ones. I have astigmatism (spelling) and was wondering if I'm still okay to get them online or if that will stop me?

I've stupidly lost my prescription so will need to get another eye test done.

mishkanorman

I have quite a high astigmatism and am on my 10th pair now


mishka

paulwainwright

Hi all,

Does anyone in UK have experience of buying frames from the US?

I'm looking at doing this, it seems there are even bigger savings to be had. I'm just not sure about any import taxes which may apply - it seems a bit complicated and I don't know if I will have to pay Import VAT / Import Duty etc.

It might be that adding up the shipping and any extra import taxes that it is not actually that much cheaper

Excellent thread by the way :T

Thanks
Paul

sandy2_2

I get my specs from Zenni optical, they are based in USA, but specs are shipped from HongKong and take about 3 weeks to get to me in Spain with no vat or import charges to pay

bubblegumcola

I find its a hit or a miss depending which optician I go to for the service, by service I mean the selling of specs afterwards. Specsavers I found there to be no pressure at all to buy new specs as my prescription had hardly changed. Vision Express the girl kept handing my loads of different pairs of glasses to try on til I found a pair I liked. In the end the glasses I picked I had to change as they didn't fit properly or suit me - something the girl should have realised they had been fitted wrongly. I had to go back and ask to change to different ones but it wasn't too much of a problem. I prefer the frames at Vision Express but don't like the selling of them, they seem to want you to pick your frames quickly and get you out the door. I would still go to a high street place rather than send my prescription off to get new specs mail-order just to be on the safe side.

One good thing you get free eye tests in Scotland!!! Everyone does. I don't know if that makes a difference to our frame / lens prices up here compared to elsewhere in the UK??

the-Money-Sage

For over 20 years I never had to pay for my glasses because I was employed in the optical industry and as staff I got freebies.

I have to pay for them now and object to forking out hundreds of pounds for lenses which cost a few pounds. I therefore tend to use the online suppliers. Recently I used www.topvaluespecs.co.uk I got my glasses with anti reflection coated lenses within 4 days. The quality and the price tag were impressive.

However, the online suppliers are great if you want single vision but for those of you that want varifocals i strongly suggest you go to an optician, the extra measurements required for varifocals do require the skills of an optician or a competent optical assistant.


If anyone requires any advice just IM me

kazoouk

As an Optometrist this whole online thing greatly amuses me, in time it just means everyone will pay 80 quid for an eye test.. in fact that way we will make more money I expect, because as it is any spectacle wearer is funding the eye tests of the 5 or so people that didn't need new specs at their test. So if everyone buying cheap specs would prefer that then great!
However I do worry about the nations eye health, more expensive eye tests means people will be put off by having their eyes tested if they have a medical concern (don't bother going to your GP most know very little detail on eye conditions) and that is not a good thing.. from a clinical point of view the current model makes the most sense.. from a money making one it does not.. but perhaps that is the right way round?! The other issue is that the majority of business for opticians comes from NHS sight tests which have been grossly underfunded in england for years, its much better in scotland.. and everyone gets one free.. the public should be asking for the same model in england..

viz

please can you clarify, since when i read your post you are saying that we shouldnt bother seeing our GP for any eye problems but instead should pay to see an optometrist?

Also could you clarify if an optomotrist was to find an eye problem who would they contact next - i thought that all routine ref to see an eye specialist ( opthalmologist at the hospital ) had ot be made thru a GP?

thanks I realise a little off topic.

kazoouk

correct, letters do go through the GP, but this is just because thats how the system works. Most GPs just look at our letters and just send them on or re-write ours, most would admit to know little about quite a few eye conditions, some do because they have taken a special interest in eyes. If it is a red/painful eye type thing then the best thing is to go straight to your local casualty which has a specialist eye department.