Buying glasses online

J.B

J.B

J.B

Soldato
Joined
16 Aug 2006
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5,924
Being the clever sod I am I managed to sit on my glasses yesterday. Broke the arm off, managed to get it back on which is lucky as I need them to drive.

I remember reading a while ago that if you know your prescription you can get glasses quite cheaply online. Does anyone have any recommendations on websites for this?
 
You might have to post them your prescription as proof as a legal requirement.

I'm not sure but it was something like that when I was looking to do the same about a year ago.
 
There is an online glasses retailer advertising on the front page of the Daily Express and Daily Star today called Low Cost Glasses, anyone used them before?

I can't find much about them but they appear to be selling specs with prescription lenses for £5 plus £3.95 p&p.

I want to buy some for cheap but they sound dodgy.
 
Do they give all the required details (prescription, measurements) when you get an eye test or do you have to buy your first ever pair from a shop to get the frame measurements? Got a feeling I'm going to need a pair when I have my eye test at boots but don't want to pay boots prices for glasses.
 
I'm going to try online this time round. I'm due another check up and my frames need a change. Frames 5 years old, last checkup 1 year ago and minor difference.

Biggest challenge as I understand... PD. Pupillary Distance.

The PD is not part of the prescription, but is as important as all the other stuff. Disgusting that it isn't and makes it harder to go else where as most opticians won't disclose it. I've asked and they said no. It's part of the dispensing process not the optometrist part.

If you know it, great, as it doesn't change (at least for grown ups).

I don't know mine and to make it harder I know my left eye is closer to my nose than my right. Only a mm or so.

If your prescription is 5+ and you have astigmatism, PD is even more important.

You can measure it yourself with some apps and a credit card... But mine needs to be within .5mm or I'm getting headaches.
 
lnoton said:
I'm going to try online this time round. I'm due another check up and my frames need a change. Frames 5 years old, last checkup 1 year ago and minor difference.

Biggest challenge as I understand... PD. Pupillary Distance.

The PD is not part of the prescription, but is as important as all the other stuff. Disgusting that it isn't and makes it harder to go else where as most opticians won't disclose it. I've asked and they said no. It's part of the dispensing process not the optometrist part.

If you know it, great, as it doesn't change (at least for grown ups).

I don't know mine and to make it harder I know my left eye is closer to my nose than my right. Only a mm or so.

If your prescription is 5+ and you have astigmatism, PD is even more important.

You can measure it yourself with some apps and a credit card... But mine needs to be within .5mm or I'm getting headaches.
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I measured mine with a ruler and a mirror last time I bought glasses online last year and I'm pretty sure I got it spot on as I've never had any problems because of it. I once used the average (63) years ago and I was getting tired/sore eyes because of it.
 
The gimmicks to measure PD are only a couple of quid on the rainforest or ebay if you don't want to mess around with apps or a ruler in the mirror.

Every pair of glasses I've had since my initial pair has come from online sources, never had a problem. Mostly Glasses direct (tend to go for the all singing all dancing transitions pair) but I did buy a bare bones pair from goggles4u and they do the job just fine.
 
LeeUK said:
There is an online glasses retailer advertising on the front page of the Daily Express and Daily Star today called Low Cost Glasses, anyone used them before?

I can't find much about them but they appear to be selling specs with prescription lenses for £5 plus £3.95 p&p.

I want to buy some for cheap but they sound dodgy.
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Cmon, your eyesight has to be worth more than that to you Shirley?
 
Diddums said:
Cmon, your eyesight has to be worth more than that to you Shirley?
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Yes hence why I get my eyes tested every 2 years. What has that got to do with how much you spend on frames? It's well known fact that there is a heavy mark up on frames on the high street.

Also I usually like to have 2 or 3 pairs on the go at any one time. One usually costing more along with added bells and whistles like extra thin lenses and sun reactions etc. Cheap ones are handy too.
 
LeeUK said:
Yes hence why I get my eyes tested every 2 years. What has that got to do with how much you spend on frames? It's well known fact that there is a heavy mark up on frames on the high street.

Also I usually like to have 2 or 3 pairs on the go at any one time. One usually costing more along with added bells and whistles like extra thin lenses and sun reactions etc. Cheap ones are handy too.
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Ah sorry, I thought that included the lenses too. I've never understood why people who need prescription glasses (not you, in general) buy the cheapest they can find, surely given that it's already compromised it's the one thing they'd want to spend more on to prevent further degradation :confused:
 
Diddums said:
Ah sorry, I thought that included the lenses too. I've never understood why people who need prescription glasses (not you, in general) buy the cheapest they can find, surely given that it's already compromised it's the one thing they'd want to spend more on to prevent further degradation :confused:
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Don't they all just come from the same place anyway? Some far east sweat shop hence why even buying new lenses from Spec Savers still take over 2 weeks to arrive in this same-day or next-day world we live in.
 
LeeUK said:
Don't they all just come from the same place anyway? Some far east sweat shop hence why even buying new lenses from Spec Savers still take over 2 weeks to arrive in this same-day or next-day world we live in.
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I honestly haven't a clue, it just struck me as one of those cases where buying cheap could be costly.
 
if you need varifocals, I expect the online shop to need vertical positioning and pupil to lense distance too, otherwise I don't see how they can provide an acceptable product,

So far I've never ordered online ... but that's the first conversation I would have with them.
 
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