Glasses - From Brick Store or Online?

anotheruser

Where do you buy your glasses from?

I'm sure someone pointed me in the direction of specs4less.com, which is fairly good on prices and the amount of frames available but glasses are a very personal thing so not seeing them before buying is a bit different.

On the other hand, in store, yes you'll pay a premium but you can see and handle the frames and see what suits you.

I'm not personally into label names - I just want the designs to look good. It's just unfortunate that some of the good designs are for the labels and as such, are expensive.

Although I have been looking at some frames worth about £250 (because of the label!), there are a couple of other deals, although I think they are on second frames rather than the lenses.

What are other peoples thoughts?

prosaver

how do you know they will suit you if you buy them online.

prosaver

prosaver wrote: »

how do you know they will suit you if you buy them online.

seriously....
could you send your old frames in and they replace the lens?

BrassicWoman

I've done both but the brick store ones have better vision. The more complex your prescription the more important an optician's measurements of PD, astigmastism, etc are.

yarly

The brick store will fit them properly to your face/head shape. Also, if there are any problems it's easy to go back and get them sorted.

teddysmum

I seem to recall that online suppliers can only deal with a limited prescription range and as I have sometimes needed after sale adjustments (eg the arm rubs on the back of an ear, lens not quite inline) , I would never buy online.


Lens replacement can be almost as expensive as buying new frames.

anotheruser

That's what I thought.

Luckily my prescription isn't that complicated so it can be dispensed online.
Many sites claim to have decades of experience, but you can't always believe what's written. Maybe I'll see what the brick store says about online offers.

However, frames in store = £189, no lenses. Same frames online = £105, with lenses that are second from top (UV coating, anti-scratch, anti-dust, rain resistant, anti-glare blah blah).

The same frames from Amazon are just £89, although I don't trust the seller at that price.

A big price difference but the store offer free money towards a 2nd frame/lenses, which I think would be better for the overall package, as I'd have to get my sunglasses done separately, which would be £50-£80 alone.

Saw the frames I'm interested in on 2for1glasses.co.uk

Saffagal

I have just bought some glasses from glassesdirect and actually cannot fault their professionalism. I entered my prescription online, measured the width of my existing frames and chose a new one accordingly (they also offer to send frames out to try before making up a prescription for you).

They contacted me the next day to confirm my prescription had been entered correctly and ask my PD. They said I could either send them an old pair of glasses or I could ring my optician and see if it was recorded as PD hadn't been recorded on my copy of my prescription and was necessary. I rang my optician, who hadn't recorded it but popped in and they measured it in under 2 min. Rang glasses direct back and gave it to them.

Glasses arrived less than a week after ordering and are brilliant. I was sceptical, but found a really good deal code, and they offer a 30 day money back guarantee so figured what do I lose?

thisuseridistakenagain

This depends on your prescription. If it's simple get them online. No question. If it's complex stick to the store so you can speak to a person for adjustments etc.

You can try them on online!!! And I don't mean on a webcam. I got mine at glasses direct for 20 quid. They send you your choice of four frames with plain glass in for free to try at home for a week. So you can ask people for opinions/ really give them a good try on. If you don't like them, send the frames back and choose four more for another trial, you can keep going with free trials until you find some you like.

I'm minor single vision, I'd never buy from an optician again.

lollipopsarah

Hubby had eye test last week and took the prescription away.
He went into a Boots shop and got 2 pairs of glasses for £62.50.
I assume he got a discount for being a first time customer.
It also incudes scratch resistant/uv protection. - woohoo.
xx

bazzyb

I've used various online opticians. Glasses Direct are my favourite because they send you the physical frames out first so you can try them on and make sure they fit etc, when you're happy with the chosen frames they will then fit the lenses. Really good service, good prices, and can get cashback through the usual suspects too.