Buying Glasses Online

kah22

I recently had my eyes examined at Specksavers and bought two pair of varifocal. I now think I’d like to buy a dedicated pair of reading glasses. There seems to be a big saving if you shop online so I’m thinking of going down that road. Can anyone suggest a good online store? I have a copy of my prescription.

Bottom line, if I were to settle for the standard lens then it would be beer bottles so I’m after thinner lenses.

I was in Specksavers today and looking at their ‘Super Thin+ Light Lenses’ at £65 so I’ll use that as a base price

If dealing with an online supplier would the information on the prescription be enough to give the right size of frames?

Many thanks

Kevin.

Undervalued

kah22 wrote: »

I recently had my eyes examined at Specksavers and bought two pair of varifocal. I now think I’d like to buy a dedicated pair of reading glasses. There seems to be a big saving if you shop online so I’m thinking of going down that road. Can anyone suggest a good online store? I have a copy of my prescription.

Bottom line, if I were to settle for the standard lens then it would be beer bottles so I’m after thinner lenses.

I was in Specksavers today and looking at their ‘Super Thin+ Light Lenses’ at £65 so I’ll use that as a base price

If dealing with an online supplier would the information on the prescription be enough to give the right size of frames?

Many thanks

Kevin.

I have found selectspecs.com excellent and they certainly offer various thinner lenses.

You will need to know your Pupil Distance (PD) which won't be written on your prescription and your optician will do their best to avoid telling you!

Although you could probably force the information out of them with a Subject Access Request it may be easier to send the online company an old pair of glasses and they can measure it from them.

You can just select the average PD (62mm for Men) but with stronger prescriptions it is more important to get in right.

Browntoa

Long running thread and guide here

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/124296/glasses-buying-cost-cutting-plan-article-discussion-area

WeAreGhosts

I've dealt with Glasses Direct a few times and had no issues. You can go with cheap frames and then the dearer lens package for the thinner lenses. They also do periodical offers, so look out for those.

iamtati

I don't think it's a god idea to buy glasses online. It's a very important thing.

Undervalued

iamtati wrote: »

I don't think it's a god idea to buy glasses online. It's a very important thing.

Have you ever tried?

There is nothing wrong with it whatsoever providing you give them the correct information and are willing / able to make minor adjustments to how the frame fits, as obviously they can't set the nose pads etc exactly right for you.

Nearly all high street opticians subcontract the manufacture to an out of town business similar to the online companies then heavily mark up the prices.

A compromise, if you don't want to go online, is to look for a manufacturing "lab" nearby. Many will deal direct providing you have an up to date prescription.

I have been very impressed with the quality and value of my half a dozen or more online orders over a period of years.

moneyistooshorttomention

That is the point I wonder about - ie how would I get any adjustments made that were necessary to glasses I bought online?

Saffythecat

I only wear glasses at home, otherwise contact lenses, and have bought my last few pairs via Glasses Direct. They have been great. I tend to get one pair with high spec lenses (I am about -5 in each eye) and a second pair with basic lenses, so I have a decent pair I can wear at work if my eyes get sore, and one for the house. In terms of fitting, my regular optician actually adjust them for me. It’s an independent and I have been going there for years, with a monthly lens plan, so I am not sure if somewhere like Specsavers would be as obliging.

I’ve also seen frames in my own optician, taken a note of the name/number, ordered them online at a much cheaper price, and had them “glazed” at Specsavers. I am possibly a bit brass necked...!

voonky

Buying glasses online is not a good Idea. because sometimes they don't provide what they show you.

pollypenny

If you bought two pairs of glasses from Specsavers you should have been given a 'golden ticket'.

This is a voucher for 50% off another pair for yourself, 25% for someone else. I used mine for a cheap pair of readers, great for settling down eith a small print book.

Undervalued

pollypenny wrote: »

If you bought two pairs of glasses from Specsavers you should have been given a 'golden ticket'.

This is a voucher for 50% off another pair for yourself, 25% for someone else. I used mine for a cheap pair of readers, great for settling down eith a small print book.

Which is fine providing you want another pair and the "bottom line" is a fair and competitive price.