Goodbye Dollond & Aitchison

mewbie_2

sillyvixen wrote: »

D&A have not been a british chain for nearly 10 years they were bought out by an italian company just under 10 years ago - boots also have had italian heritage for for the last few years!!

Oh well then. Sod 'em. Send 'em back to Italy. British specs for British workers.

bizywizy

What a shame they are going. However didnt like the shop - its too white and bright - same with boots. For someone with an eyesight problem these make it too glarey and horrible so stopped visiting them.

D&A gave brilliant customer service with my ES as he was always damaging glasses ect when he was very young.

I have to have my eyes done very regularly as I have Multiple Sclerosis which gave me optic neuritus which has caused complete blindness in each eye at various times and now left with partial sight and weakness.

Speaking as someone who has experienced severe sight loss I wouldnt chance leaving it. Its awful.

Its taken away my ability to drive anymore which is gutting. Taken away my independance and has made life really hard.

Most people if eyes are ok are fine to have checks every 2 years and I would say that as many of us spend far more time on the computers both at home and work then we should get checked. Those who do at work will get a free test anyway which is good.

sillyvixen

mewbie wrote: »

Oh well then. Sod 'em. Send 'em back to Italy. British specs for British workers.

just makes you realise that british brands dont necessarily have the background that you realise - the D&A brand have 260 years of heritage in this contry (may be now itailian owned for 10 years) but they are the name that will fade into history.

but then who 10 years ago who would have belived that abbey national would have become a european brand!!

Running_Horse

OK. Sight tests. Invest a few quid in the only eyes you will ever own. You'll miss them when they are gone.

Cambridge Optical were probably the last company to try frame manufacturing in this country, in a high wage area, just as everyone else was exporting jobs to China. Opticians, and us consumers were simply unwilling to pay the extra.

As for lens manufacturers, most the big domestic names (apart from Norville) handed their industry over to foreign companies like Essilor and Rodenstock who invested in quality, while we churned out millions of bog standard NHS glass lenses.

It seems we want decent lenses, but don't care what frame it goes into, as long as it looks OK.

There was always going to be a clear out among retailers, with so many multiples competing, and supermarkets using optics as a loss leader. I always thought it would be Boots to go first. The hopeful thing is there will always be a market for a good quality local independent.

GrammarGirl

If you work with computers for the majority of the day, your eye test is free. Doesn't this really sum the whole argument up? Modern technologies (such as computers, massive tellies, mobiles etc etc) can completely screw up our eyesight, and this risk of this happening means the government are willing to subsidise millions of people's eyetests to ensure we're not a blind nation!

I can understand why people who have no issues with their eyesight feel it unnecessary to go every 2 years, but leaving it more than 20 isn't good. Find a middle ground - every 5-7 years maybe? Not ideal and definitely not recommended (I go every year, I have terrible eyesight but at least I know my eyes are healthy!) but better than nothing at all.

SGE1

D&A were overpriced and useless. For the past 2 years, I've got my contact lenses and glasses online. I've saved a fortune, and haven't spotted any difference in quality whatsoever.

bizywizy

how do you find buying glasses online. I have such dodgy vision thats so sensitive and if they dont get the lens right it doesnt work.

Also lots of glasses dont look right and I always try on loads first.

Addiscomber

Eye examinations can pick up high blood pressure too, another largely symptomless condition. This is fact, Snooze, from personal experience.

SGE1

bizywizy wrote: »

how do you find buying glasses online. I have such dodgy vision thats so sensitive and if they dont get the lens right it doesnt work.

Also lots of glasses dont look right and I always try on loads first.

I've used Glasses Direct twice, and they've been great. I think they have a tool now online where you can upload a picture of your face and 'try' the glasses on. That, and you can order some empty frames to try on, if you don't want to commit to buying glasses without having tried them on first.

Alternatively, take a pair of glasses that you like, or that suit you, and inside one of the arms, you should be able to see the measurements - so, the width of the frame, the width of each lense and the length of the bridge over the nose, and the length of the arms - then compare those with the sizes online, and you should be able to pick up a pair that match the size you're wearing at the moment, if that's what you're worried about.

bo_drinker

Went to D and A today had the eye test, first for 30 yrs. Service was good had voucher for free test and 20% off glasses, ordered some for reading and saved a few quid. Jobs a good un.