Glasses Buying Cost Cutting Plan Article Discussion Area

EvilMonkey

Just a note (which may get lost amongst the massive thread) but glasses are NOT covered by the distance selling regulations. They are made specifically for a person and as such not covered.

To my cost I bought a pair of glasses off one of those places noted in the article, wanted to return them to find I couldn't. I feel they are not as described, the company claims they are. Now I have to go down the whole trading standards / small claims court to get my cash back...

Would ALWAYS recommend using one of the places with an active money back promise. I am personally really dissapointed as this was the second time with this retailer. The first time I used it (years ago) they had the promise and I didn't check their T's & C's to confirm they still did it!

E.M.

Steve_xx

EvilMonkey wrote: »

Just a note (which may get lost amongst the massive thread) but glasses are NOT covered by the distance selling regulations. They are made specifically for a person and as such not covered.

To my cost I bought a pair of glasses off one of those places noted in the article, wanted to return them to find I couldn't. I feel they are not as described, the company claims they are. Now I have to go down the whole trading standards / small claims court to get my cash back...

Would ALWAYS recommend using one of the places with an active money back promise. I am personally really dissapointed as this was the second time with this retailer. The first time I used it (years ago) they had the promise and I didn't check their T's & C's to confirm they still did it!

E.M.

If they are not as described then you have a right to return them. If they wont accept a return and you paid for them with your credit card then the problem becomes the credit card company's problem.

You said that you "feel" that they are not as described, but you have not ventured further than this. What exactly was your feeling about them?

soolin

I'm just catching up on this thread again as I have just ordered new glasses from an independent retailer and would love to be able to get an extra pair as a spare but a lot cheaper. My varifocals in a plastic frame with the new reactolite (can't think what it is called now!) cost £307 so am hoping to find something cheaper out there as a spare.

All my main glasses will come from this independent as I have had major problems with the chains, D and A and Vision Hire last year spent three months between them making, remaking and rechecking glasses as they couldn't get the prescription right. It wasn't even that complicated but they put the prism in instead of out (or vice versa) got the left and right muddled up and all sorts of other problems. Hence an independent who checks, double checks and only then lets you walk out with anything.

So question..where can can I get a pair of reasonably priced varifocals as a spare, are there actually any discount places with a physical store as I'm not sure I am confident enough to do all the measuring myself.

soolin

Actually I may have answered my own question by doing an advanced google search on some odd key words and found this on glasses direct.

Q: Do you sell varifocal/progressive lenses? top

Due to the complexity of varifocal lenses, they can only be sold to people we've personally measured. Glasses Direct has joined forces with a team of qualified opticians who'll come to your home or work to take these measurements. How does this happen? Just place your order in the normal way, and within a few days one of our team will call you. Your new varifocal will be delivered within 28 days of our optician's visit.

moneysaver

I have just got my glasses back from Ciliaryblue this morning. fantastic service, great quality and a great price.

This is the second time we have used the service, it was for my wife last time. I would highly recommend them for reglazing.


Moneysaver

d00fus

I've found some frames I like online for £200 less than I've been quoted on the high street, but I'm very reluctant to order online without being sure of my PD as my prescription is around -5 and includes astigmatism. I've managed to get it measured at two different opticians, and one said 32/31 (so 63) and the other 66! Self-measuring by taking a photo on a digital camera I get 65. How can the measurements be so vastly different??

I'm thinking my only other option is to buy a very cheap pair (even if they look totally rubbish, which I imagine they will) in a store so they fit and look right, and then send those away to the web optician to use as reference. Does anyone know a high street optician that will do a very cheap pair of glasses, or have any other advice?

Stompa

d00fus wrote: »

How can the measurements be so vastly different??

Your pupils aren't fixed, they move!

d00fus

Stompa wrote: »

Your pupils aren't fixed, they move!

Yep of course, but surely doing the same test with two different opticians it should come out at least similar? Otherwise what's the point of taking the measurement at all

Stompa

d00fus wrote: »

Yep of course, but surely doing the same test with two different opticians it should come out at least similar? Otherwise what's the point of taking the measurement at all

There's bound to be some degree of variation, in much the same way that having two separate eye tests will almost certainly result in two different prescriptions.

FWIW when I got my optician to measure my PD he gave me two different values (near & distance), and there was a 3mm difference between them.

d00fus

Stompa wrote: »

There's bound to be some degree of variation, in much the same way that having two separate eye tests will almost certainly result in two different prescriptions.

FWIW when I got my optician to measure my PD he gave me two different values (near & distance), and there was a 3mm difference between them.

I'm not sure I agree. I know the PD is different for near and distance as the focus distance of your eyes determines the rotation of your eye and thus changes the PD. This is a separate issue though to the same PD test based in both cases on focusing on an object about 40cm away giving two totally different results. It is also different to the prescription itself, as it is a physical measurement of dimension and thus should not have significant variation, unlike the prescription which is subjective to a degree.

Anyway back to my main question Specsavers seem to do a pair for 25 quid, is that likely to be my best bet? I can't seem to find much cheaper.