Expensive Spectacles! 24 April 2021 at 8:44AM edited 24 April 2021 at 8:46AM in Health & beauty MoneySaving 6 replies 164 views

Bravepants

Good morning everyone,

I'm new to this part of the MSE forums but have been a member for many years, posting regularly on the "Savings and Investments" and "Pensions" forums.

I was wondering whether anyone else has had my experience with trying to purchase glasses for a quite strong prescription?

Briefly, my prescription is:

Right eye sph: +6.5, Cyl: -3.5

Left eye: sph: +7.5, Cyl -4.5

So at the extreme end of the spectrum of lens requirements.

If I go for the thinnest lens options, using the highest index material, my local optician who provided the eye test to determine my prescription has quoted me £816 for a pair of glasses!

I nearly fell off my chair. £816 !!!

The last time I bought a pair they were £500, four years ago, but apparently, I was given 25% off at the time because I was on their annual contact lens program too.

I have tried to look online at various providers, Specsavers, Glasses Direct, Glasses2you etc., and the online lens selector generally only goes up to a Cyl of -4.0. In the case of Specsavers (I seem to recall) the Cyl was not limited, but the Sph was limited to 6.0.

I am hopeful that if I find a good reputation online provider I can end up paying at least one or two hundred pounds less while not compromising on lens thicknesses. When I was a kid I pretty much had bottle-bottom glasses and I don't want to return to those days in my dotage. (I'm 53 by the way).

Thanks to anyone who has taken the time to read this.

sue1976

Asda do the thinned down lenses as part of their price for lenses over a certain prescription. I was gutted as mine falls just under this level. 

Spoonie_Turtle

Some online companies do them over 6D but not all - I can't remember which though, as I'm slightly under so didn't take mental note. 

£800+ is exceptionally expensive!  Your lenses aren't even complex, just strong.

I can't imagine the high street providers don't dispense high prescriptions, but perhaps limit their online offerings because higher prescriptions need to be more precisely fitted (which I suspect is one reason other online companies don't do above certain limits).  Maybe you could phone up some high street opticians locally and see if they can give you a ballpark figure.

Bravepants

Apologies, I also meant to say that I need varifocals, so that makes the lenses more complicated.

However, this afternoon I visited Vision Express in a Tesco Extra and ordered up a pair of Ray Ban framed varifocals for under £500, with the highest index offering, so their thinnest lens!

I'm so glad I decided to shop around. At first I couldn't believe the price difference. Saved £300 so my GF and I had a pub lunch on the way home.

millie

I would try Asda they do 1 pair for £80 or 2 pairs for £120 it says thinners lenses and advanced varifocal included if required. Not sure what they mean by if required. You have nothing to lose by asking them. I have had contact lenses and varifocal specs from them and they have been fine.

Tigsteroonie

I have had varifocals with a Sph of -8 from Asda and have been very happy with them (now on my third pair). 

Bravepants

Tigsteroonie said:

I have had varifocals with a Sph of -8 from Asda and have been very happy with them (now on my third pair). 

Thanks for that. I also have a high Cyl...astigmatism, so whether the numbers are compatible I don't know. I've settled for the ones from Vision Express. They should do me for a couple of years.

Thanks everyone for your help.