HOW much for varifocals??!!??

Stoodles

Just been quoted nearly £1000 for varifocals by a local independent optician.  £245 of that is the frame.  
Having had a bad experience ordering varifocals online, I don't want to go that route, but this seems excessive.  
What are others paying?

beckstar1975

DH ha sbeen very pleased with his Asda varifocals, I think 2 peairs for about £150 - as he is really quite short sighted he pays for all the treatment/thinnest lenses etc etc. They have perfectly nice frames in stock and add on a third pair for not much more so for about £200 all in he got 3 pairs of varifocals - one tinted as sunglasses for driving.

He's in his 40s by the way and plenty of frame styles he likes. I think we first got the head's up on them from here too

marcia_

 I got regular varifocal glasses and sunglasses for £200 in boots 

comeandgo

I had an independent make me a pair with darkening lenses and lenses that help night driving and they were £750.  

flaneurs_lobster

Pals have gone from local independent and chain (Specsavers) to Asda, largely because of price and have been surprised at the level of service which they describe as "as good as if not better" then their old practices. 

Don't know how easy or otherwise it is to just turn up at Asda opticians with a prescription and say "How much?" but for the amount of money you are being quoted it's got to be worth a go.

Is your prescription particularly complicated (large range + to -, toric lenses etc), it does seem a very high quote. Having said that, my last pair from Boots would have been over £500 if it were not for a chunky discount for being a contact lens customer too.

Stoodles

I don't think it is a particularly complex prescription.  It does include reactive lenses and anti-glare.  It looks as though Asda or  Boots may be the way ahead. I have a copy of the prscription, so I hope it won't be too difficult.

flaneurs_lobster

Stoodles said:

I don't think it is a particularly complex prescription.  It does include reactive lenses and anti-glare.  It looks as though Asda or  Boots may be the way ahead. I have a copy of the prscription, so I hope it won't be too difficult.

My experience of being upsold at opticians is that each "extra" (thin lenses, reactive lenses, coated lenses, lenses guaranteed to make you look slimmer) will add £100 to the "sticker" price.

Rodders53

Asda are cheap and OK.  Service will vary with branch staff.

I have used them for a few years now.  Unknown brand(s) of lenses.  Only one varifocal quality offered.  But mid range so adequate.

Inexpensive Titanium frames c.f. other optician chains.

For what that is worth.

Boots will be much more expensive.  As will Specsavers and others.

Sometimes it is worth paying for premium lenses from the major makers to get better performance...  Due diligence research is needed to do accurate comparisons of the options.

Silvertabby

I know some people on here knock Specsavers, but it depends on the branch staff - and ours are fine.

I wear varifocals, and prefer rimless glasses, so the lenses cost more because of the way they are shaped and finished.  I also have to have the ultra thin lenses, due to the differences between my eyes.  With ordinary lenses, the right lens would be noticibly thicker - and heavier - than the left.

Due new glasses later this year.  My current ones were £350, so expect I'll be paying a bit more than that next time.

YBR

My local independent just did me his best class (in terms of field of vision) of varifocals with anti-glare, and reactor lights for under £300 (including "free" frames. They're not ultra-slim or rimless.

It seems a high quote to me but there may be reasons for that difference.

Clive_Woody

I'm a specsavers contact lense subscriber so get 50% off glasses and lenses (including all options) so got a very decent saving on my varifocals. I only wear my contacts occasionally so often use my online account to suspend deliveries for 3 - 6 months (payment also suspended for the same period). For relatively little spent on contacts I save a decent chunk of money on glasses.