Specsavers contact lenses/presciption

crube · 3 March 2006 at 6:23PM

I went for a follow up to my initial contact lens check up with Specsavers today. Before, I bought them at Vision Express, and when I realised their prices were obscene I started buying them online at http://www.thecontactlensshop.com I had my inital test back in December, but didn't go to the follow-up one because I presumed it was just a case of them trying to sell me their own lenses and I knew I could get them online cheaper. Last week I placed an order with Tesco.com for 6 months of proclear lenses and all seemed well, but a few hours later I got an E-Mail from them saying they had called Specsavers and they hadn't authorised my prescription, so I had to get permission from Specsavers before ordering again. I called Specsavers and they said I had to come back for my follow-up appointment before they could authorise it.

So I had the follow up today, and the woman said if I wasn't gonna be buying my contacts from them I would have to pay £15.99 for this test and the subsequent prescription. She said alternatively if I bought my lenses from them I would pay £13 per month, and that would include solution etc. This would be for the lenses I had for the free trial(don't remember the name) which are apperently much better than proclear and allow 4 the times the amount of oxygen to get through, which is important as my eyes are showing lens wear she said. She also told me not to buy Saline solution from Boots etc, as it is pretty much just water. I must admit I didn't know this, and I'm presuming the real solution I need would be pretty costly from Tesco. Not sure whether to take the perhaps easy option and go with Specsavers, or go for the perhaps cheaper option and buy them online. What do you think?

lisyloo · 3 March 2006 at 7:40PM

Have you worked out the price difference.
That would seem to be a good place to start.

Don't forget that the specsavers option probably includes free aftercare.
If you get your lenses elsewhere you will have to pay for the test next time etc.

crube · 3 March 2006 at 8:54PM

lisyloo wrote:

Have you worked out the price difference.
That would seem to be a good place to start.

Don't forget that the specsavers option probably includes free aftercare.
If you get your lenses elsewhere you will have to pay for the test next time etc.

I think it'll work out something like this:-

Specsavers - 6x £13 = £78 (including solution etc)
Tesco - around £28 for 6 month supply + 6x£5? for solution + £15.99 for Specsavers test/prescription = £72.99

Not much of a difference, but there is the free tests aspect if I go with Specsavers. People who buy theirs online, where do you get your solution and what type do you get?

grex9101 · 3 March 2006 at 10:08PM

similar thing happened to me, i told specsavers to get to f***, now i have to order my contacts from the us as they dont ask for a prescription (yes i know this isnt a good idea). i use daily disposables though.....

lisyloo · 3 March 2006 at 10:39PM

For such a small difference I think I would go with specsavers.
You have the reassurance of free aftercare if you have any problems and if you have any faulty/split lenses they are much more likely to help you.

coraastbury · 3 March 2006 at 11:24PM

grex9101 wrote:

similar thing happened to me, i told specsavers to get to f***, now i have to order my contacts from the us as they dont ask for a prescription (yes i know this isnt a good idea). i use daily disposables though.....

what is the company you order them from. I also had this problem with D&A. I tried to order from Tesco but D&A wouldn't authorise my prescription so I am now waiting for paper confirmation then I can send this to Tesco.

grex9101 · 4 March 2006 at 12:06AM

i use aclens :

http://www.aclens.com/default.asp?kw=aclens&utm_source=42&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=aclens&utm_campaign=42

they're very good, and just as cheap (even with postage) as places like getlenses over here. delivery takes about 10 days.

crube · 4 March 2006 at 1:02AM

I'm pretty annoyed about this, cos when I was with Vision Express I didn't have this problem - I simply asked them for my prescription and they mailed it out to me and I ordered my proclears easy as that.

dinglebert · 4 March 2006 at 8:24AM

Stupid question but where better to ask as I'm sure I'll get a sensible answer. I have my toric lenses supplied by Specsavers, its there own brand. If I was to go online and buy some replacement lenses, I'm interested in the toric dailies. Does it matter what brand I buy as long as I buy the write prescription and they are toric?

pin · 4 March 2006 at 9:51AM

dinglebert wrote:

Stupid question but where better to ask as I'm sure I'll get a sensible answer. I have my toric lenses supplied by Specsavers, its there own brand. If I was to go online and buy some replacement lenses, I'm interested in the toric dailies. Does it matter what brand I buy as long as I buy the write prescription and they are toric?

Toric dialies and toric monthlies are different.

Also as far as I'm aware, it does matter what brand you buy.

Specsavers own brand I think are Coopervision (but I think they may have recently changed to Focus).

The online contact lens stores are well aware which brand of torics Specsavers use though. They will also normally contact the optitican to verify your prescripition anyway.

lisyloo · 4 March 2006 at 10:12AM

Does it matter what brand I buy as long as I buy the write prescription and they are toric?

Yes the brand does matter.
It's part of the prescription so the right prescription means the right brand.

Different brands fit differently and you have only been fitted and checked for that brand.
Any reputable company will only supply you the correct brand (although "own" brands may be the same as other brands).
You won't get supplied anything different by any reputable UK company.

Specsavers contact lenses/presciption

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