Boots Opticians-Less than transparent pricing?

C_Mababejive

Is it me or are others equally baffled by Boots optical prices?

I visited today for some specs and found some frames that fitted and suited me perfectly. The specs were on offer for £50 including standard single vision lenses.

I am entitled to an NHS complex lens optical voucher

I needed high index lenses 1.67

Suddenly the price quoted was £140

When they say standard single vision does that exclude astigmatic correction?

Surely the price should be

£50
plus premium for upgrade from standard 1.5 to 1.67
minus value of optical voucher?

A_Phoenix_of_Tangerine

Yup, I've been stung by Boots opticians less than transparent pricing- by the MANAGER no less, charging me for a lens trial that, in the literature, should have been free. Here's the thread: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5194628

It seems the brand are allowing in unethical practise - their online 'customer service' were less than useless and fobbed me off. I really don't trust them anymore, and certainly won't be going there to part with my money ever again.

My advice? ABANDON SHIP and jump over to friendly Specsavers. They have far more transparent pricings, which they stick to.

My local Specsavers have been fantastic - with my contact lenses, they let me try multiple different brands for FREE until I found a lens that fit just right.

sillyvixen

unfortunately the single vision complex lens voucher is only worth £14.50 towards the glasses you are buying - pitiful i know, the NHS not my rules - you only get more if you are on certain benefits. the upgrade from standard to 1.67 lenses is about £110 - so up to £160 - less your pitiful help of £14.50 comes to about £145.50!! blame the nhs not the suppliers, the NHS only provide the basic of cover and feel £14.50 is adequate after all glasses from £50 is ok - but as you and i know they will be like bottle-tops - and not what anyone self respecting person wants to wear!!

Sncjw

You don't have to buy from same place as your test. Try asda I got mine from there

Victors_Bruvver

This post came at an opportune time as this week my wife had an appointment at Boots for an eye test.

As she suspected her prescription had changed and as she was comfortable with the current frames just wanted the lenses replaced which carries an additional but small 're-glazing' charge.

Boots lenses would be 475.00 and for Zeiss, 505.00. She asked but no one at the branch or even later at their head office in Nottingham could tell us the name of manufacturer/supplier of 'their' lenses were.

This may be okay with a simple prescription but when it is complex and being charged almost 500 pounds wouldn't you want to know?

Tried and gave up trying to find out from who Tesco sourced their lenses and popped into a local independent optician for a price and guess what? Top of the range lenses manufactured by Nikon - 404 pounds!

C_Mababejive

sillyvixen wrote: »

unfortunately the single vision complex lens voucher is only worth £14.50 towards the glasses you are buying - pitiful i know, the NHS not my rules - you only get more if you are on certain benefits. the upgrade from standard to 1.67 lenses is about £110 - so up to £160 - less your pitiful help of £14.50 comes to about £145.50!! blame the nhs not the suppliers, the NHS only provide the basic of cover and feel £14.50 is adequate after all glasses from £50 is ok - but as you and i know they will be like bottle-tops - and not what anyone self respecting person wants to wear!!

Hi and thanks for the explanation which was a lot clearer than Boots who seemed almost reluctant to spell it out for me !

Glasses are terribly expensive as you know even more so for working people who get nothing toward cost.

I hadn't realised the change from standard 1.5 lenses to 1.67 would be so expensive and one wonders why? I'm guessing the actual work done to grind the lens is the same so its only the material that changes?

I also wonder why,,at the outer edges of the convex myopic lens (outward edge at side arms) they dont grind it off a little at an angle to make the thick edge overhang seem less prominent?

The last pair of specs i had made up at specsavers cost me a lot less but they allowed me something like £38 off in lieu of the voucher and didnt ask for any evidence of bennies etc.

That pair are still optically perfect but the anti scratch /whatever coating is now coming off in patches and causing visual issues !

I have a small pot of armour etch coming in the post as my research suggests this is the cure and strips off the coating leaving nice shiny lenses again ! I shall report back on my progress with it.

How do people who do qualify for an optical voucher manage?

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/nhs-voucher-values.aspx

For example a Voucher B at £58 wouldnt buy a 10 diopter pair of specs ?

Thanks again..

love_potion

I second the Asda optician recommendation. I've had this issue in the past from Boots, Specsavers, etc. where the 'upgrade' to thinner lenses was really expensive. Asda were really reasonable for thinner lenses and I got prescription sunglasses too. It's only the really large Asda stores that have an optician, but worth a look if you have one near enough.

Tigsteroonie

Long thread somewhere else in the forum about Asda Opticians - I'd highly recommend them, 2 pairs of strong varifocals for £100, best value all round.

GlasweJen

Unfortunately we can't grind off the edge of a 1.5 lens to make the edges less obvious as this would cause the optics of the lens to change.

You'd be better shopping around and seeing what deals you can get. With specsavers you could buy a £69 frame and get the 1.67 lens for £20 (ask for the free thin and light offer - not 241), minus your £14.50 complex.

Asda will do 2 for 1 for a fixed price and includes thin and light but you need to go in and see the dispensing optician if you're complex (asda policy) and in some stores they are part time. When I worked for asda the DO had a rolling rota so her days changed every week which was frustrating for the customer.

Avoid optical express/vision express. OE charge £199 for 1.67 lenses. VE are similar prices.

Independents may be a good shout.

GlasweJen

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Hi and thanks for the explanation which was a lot clearer than Boots who seemed almost reluctant to spell it out for me !

Glasses are terribly expensive as you know even more so for working people who get nothing toward cost.

I hadn't realised the change from standard 1.5 lenses to 1.67 would be so expensive and one wonders why? I'm guessing the actual work done to grind the lens is the same so its only the material that changes?

I also wonder why,,at the outer edges of the convex myopic lens (outward edge at side arms) they dont grind it off a little at an angle to make the thick edge overhang seem less prominent?

The last pair of specs i had made up at specsavers cost me a lot less but they allowed me something like £38 off in lieu of the voucher and didnt ask for any evidence of bennies etc.

That pair are still optically perfect but the anti scratch /whatever coating is now coming off in patches and causing visual issues !

I have a small pot of armour etch coming in the post as my research suggests this is the cure and strips off the coating leaving nice shiny lenses again ! I shall report back on my progress with it.

How do people who do qualify for an optical voucher manage?

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/nhs-voucher-values.aspx

For example a Voucher B at £58 wouldnt buy a 10 diopter pair of specs ?

Thanks again..

10 dioptres is a C voucher up here. Usually people in receipt of benefits get different offers such as a range of glasses free (usually the cheapest). In specsavers an NHS customer with a highish RX would be able to get a pair of £69 glasses with the free thin and light offer (1.6 lens) minus the value of the voucher (£58 odd) meaning they spend about a tenner on glasses.

Victors_Bruvver

I cannot help wondering what these prices would have been if a privately owned local optician did the dispensing and was honest about who the manufacturer of the lenses were.