NHS Optical vouchers using both varifocal vouchers.

Furryclure

I have an E + E voucher and my husband has an A + A vouchers towards either varifocal/bifocals or two pairs of glasses, distance and reading. Hubby was told he couldn't use both vouchers because he was buying two distance pairs but my opticians told me he could. Who is correct?

sillyvixen

The A + A voucher can be used for 1 reading pair and 1 distance pair of glasses, if he wants 2 pairs of distance glasses he can only use the 1 voucher towards this, if he went for bifocals or varifocals his entitlement would be a single E voucher.

GlasweJen

Your E voucher is for one pair of bi or vari focals, the second E in the box is just to keep a computer at the NHS side happy (the forms are read electronically).

Your husbands voucher for A & A is for one pair of distance and one for the full near prescription, he couldn't use it for a pair of distance and intermediate or 2 pairs of distance or near.

If he goes to Specsavers (or any optician I just know Specsavers offers) he could get a pair of free distance with the voucher in the £25 range, he'd have about £14 left over that he can use towards another pair of distance glasses meaning he would be able to get 2 pairs for just over a tenner (assuming he liked a pair of the £25 ones).

Alternatively he could get 2 for £69, use the A voucher and pay the balance (about £30) the £69 range is bigger and he might get another offer like free sunglasses.

Even if he doesn't want reading glasses now he should get them even if it's just a free pair. The voucher exists as a single entity and even though in theory you can reissue a voucher for an unclaimed pair of glasses in practice it's a beurocratic nightmare and you'll likely end up shelling out for a pair of readers to tide him over until his next eye test.