Specsaver 'free' varifocals offer

Beenie

I was looking for some prescription sunglasses and saw this offer at Specsavers. I was really interested as I need high index varifocals and they cost a fortune usually. It's too expensive - for me at least - to buy normal glasses and prescription sunglasses at the same time, and I've got a new pair of glasses on order with an independent optician.

I went into Specsavers and chose a nice frame, but the lady helping me said that the free lenses were no good for me and that I should consider the 'elite' option. They were well over £100 (in addition to the cost of the frame) so I left the store and came home to check with MSE posters.

As these are sunglasses only, I'm not bothered about extra thin lenses but AM bothered if there will be any chance of distortion. Has anyone here tried the 'free' lenses (usually £49) and thought they were OK?

sarah*a

I was told on Saturday that if you are used to the thinner lenses you might see some distortion with the thicker lenses - I'm not sure how much that would change with vari-focals?

They didn't explain it 100% as I had made it quite clear I couldn't afford the ultra thinning costs and would be choosing a frame to hide the thickness of the lens

GlasweJen

Essilor lenses are good but the market leaders just now are Zeiss (who also do a non-tolerance return).

OP, if you go for a thicker lens AND a less good varifocal then you're never going to be really happy with them. Ideally you'd want the same varifocal in both or maybe 1 step below what you usually get in the sunspecs as you're not wearing them all the time, to wear essilor all the time and drop down to a very basic vari like the hoya GP will just cause problems and would be a waste of your money.

Brookvale

GlasweJen wrote: »

Essilor lenses are good but the market leaders just now are Zeiss (who also do a non-tolerance return).

OP, if you go for a thicker lens AND a less good varifocal then you're never going to be really happy with them. Ideally you'd want the same varifocal in both or maybe 1 step below what you usually get in the sunspecs as you're not wearing them all the time, to wear essilor all the time and drop down to a very basic vari like the hoya GP will just cause problems and would be a waste of your money.

Can't really say the Zeiss is the market leader. Yes their top flight lenses are better than essilors but the Seiko Synergy Neo tops even the best Zeiss has to offer. Does that mean Seiko are market leaders?

I suggested essilor because they are the worlds best selling and probably the best balanced in terms of money vs quality.

Beenie

I have Essilor lenses in my 'normal' specs, the ultra thin ones, and I can confirm that they have no distortion whatsoever. They did however cost a whopping £320 about 2/3 years ago. I didn't want to pay that much for sunglasses and, after the Specsaver experience, have opted for single vision lenses being put in my old sunglass frames. This is being done by the independent optician in my local town, who is also making my new 'normal' specs.

The next question is this: I don't think the new varifocals are Essilor. If I don't get on with them, will I still be able to get a credit for an upgrade? Or does this apply only to Essilor lenses?

Brookvale

Beenie wrote: »

I have Essilor lenses in my 'normal' specs, the ultra thin ones, and I can confirm that they have no distortion whatsoever. They did however cost a whopping £320 about 2/3 years ago. I didn't want to pay that much for sunglasses and, after the Specsaver experience, have opted for single vision lenses being put in my old sunglass frames. This is being done by the independent optician in my local town, who is also making my new 'normal' specs.

The next question is this: I don't think the new varifocals are Essilor. If I don't get on with them, will I still be able to get a credit for an upgrade? Or does this apply only to Essilor lenses?

Most if not all of the main varifocal manufacturers offer a non-toll. Its not so much about what the manufacturer offers, but what your optician is willing to pass on!

Specsavers_company_representative

Hi Beenie

This link to our website describes exactly the differences between the various varifocals. It is Standard Pentax varifocal lenses which are currently free.

http://www.specsavers.co.uk/glasses/varifocals/varifocal-range/

suki1964

I pay for the sepcsavers elite and I then have the lenses thinned and coated for another 40 or so quid and Im more then happy. I really havent had any trouble adapting to them at all - I dont notice any blurring to the sides at all. Yes it makes one pair of glasses close to 300 quid but then I do get a second pair free - usually the sunglasses. same script - just need to pay for the thinning

And yes I know specsavers elite are seen to be as good as other lenses and Im not saying they are. But for the price, I have no complaints at all

GlasweJen

I agree brookvale, ask your optician about their non tolerance policy.

Goggins25

The Specsavers optician prescribed their HDV varifocal lenses for me, as I had been used to Varilux Comfort, with their wide field of good vision. But what was actually supplied was Pentax Independence - what the customer blurb in the shop claims is the "best" (and most expensive) varifocal they supply. There is no public mention of HDV in the shop, even though it is a better lens (but the same price as Pentax Independence). They hadn't told me that my glasses were Pentax, not HDV, when they were supplied. It was only though a comment by a former Specsavers employeee on a review website that I found out that I had been misled. Motto: if you need HDV, make sure you get it. The Pentax lens, while perhaps adequate for some, is nothing like the Varilux Comfort and has a much poorer field of vision.

I complained to Specsavers and insisted on a full refund of what I had paid. In fairness, they gave this immediately. I shall now go to an independent optician for Varilux Comfort, although inevitably this will cost me more. But vision is too important, and you have to wear glasses all day every day, so maybe it's best.

GlasweJen

All of specsavers lenses are "pentax", it's basically their own brand lenses that they dress up with a different name to make it seem like you're getting a proper brand name one.