NHS Tax credit exemption card. How do I find out about glasses?

nic2075

My partner and I received a NHS tax credit exemption card/form. It says we can claim something towards glasses. I was wondering how to find out what optician does this. Do they all? Im ok just now but my oh really needs them and am not sure where to go first.thanks

[Deleted User]

All opticians should do this,just ask

GlasweJen

All opticians that accept NHS patients will accept the card. The amount you get towards the glasses depends on how bad your eyes are, wether you're prescribed a tint or prisms in your lenses, and wether you're prescribed single vision or multifocal glasses. In Scotland the basic voucher that most people get is worth £36.20, £55.10 if you have a significant astigmatism.

GlasweJen

I just realised that you are in scotland so i can explain the process more. When you book into the eye test you'll be asked to sign a brown form stating that you're entitled to NHS care, you should say at this time that you are entitled to help with your glasses. At this point you should get a yellow form attached to your notes. During the eye test the optician will fill in various bits of the yellow form and this should be handed to you along with an orange form. The orange form is your prescription and the yellow form is the NHS voucher, it is your voucher and you can "spend" it in any optician you like. The yellow form has to come from the prescribing optician so you can't get the discount at another optician if you leave the yellow form with the one who did your test.

Some opticians will only allow you to choose out of their NHS range which will include basic lenses but most will allow it to be used as payment towards the cost of any glasses on the display with whatever lenses you want/need.

nic2075

Folks, just a quicky to say thank you for your help.
We went to Tesco and they are doing BOGOF on glasses over £75.
So with the free eye test and the NHS voucher it cost in total, £50 for 2 pairs of designer glasses (Kangol and Storm)... After paying £200 for a pair of Kenzo glasses 2 yrs ago from optical express, this seemed like a fantastic deal.
The optician was very friendly and all round good customer service.
Pick them up on Friday, so a wee bit longer than the usual specsavers et al, but for £50 for 2 pairs of really nice glasses, I ain't complaining. Oh and they gave me 1000 extra clubcard points on top of the 180ish for the 2 pairs of glasses. (they give you the points on the total before any discount.)

Just as an aside, Is there a better deal out there?

Again, thanks for your help

GlasweJen

Asda are doing 2 for £90 on designer glasses, this is inclusive of anti-reflective, anti-scratch and easyclean coating and they thin down your lenses if you've got a high prescription so you don't end up with milk bottles. So if you've got a £36.20 voucher you'd pay £53.80 but you wouldn't earn clubcard points on them.