Coated spectacle lenses are a complete scam

Soldato
Joined
9 Dec 2009
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5,183
Location
Bristol
After 6 months with my new glasses which I ordered myself online without coated lenses, I can officially declare that they're fine and coated lenses are a complete scam.

Every single time I bought glasses from the optician I was told that I need coated lenses, so I duly paid for it. Not any more. I've gone rogue and am sharing this news with as many glasses wearers as possible.

I know that I'm dicing with death going public with this, such is the stranglehold that opticians have over glasses wearers with the coated lens scandal that I am exposing. It must be a multi million pound business and when the news spreads, heads will roll. Maybe my own :( On behalf of other fellow glasses wearers, I accept that risk.

My uncoated glasses are fine. When looking at my own image on a Teams meeting, I do get the occasional glint where I can sometimes see the light reflecting off the lenses from a certain direction, but this does not affect my own vision whatsoever. Other people's glasses reflect either a red or green hue, whereas mine reflect natural light and occasionally mask my eyes in a seductive manner.

Indeed, this can be used to one's advantage in a Teams meeting. We've all seen someone intently looking downwards and they're clearly on their phone, which is out of view. Well, with uncoated lenses all you would need to do is have a small lamp strategically placed in front of you out of shot, and positioned so that when you're facing the camera there's no glinting, but an imperceptibly small, well rehearsed change of head direction will mask your eyes and you can then pick up that important personal message without anyone knowing. If you had one of those lamps with a foot button, you could dispense with head movements and simply turn the glint on and off at the switch. The possibilities are endless.

The next time you get new glasses, and I suggest that you take someone handy in a streetfight to accompany you when doing this, tell the optician that you don't want coated lenses and watch how they react. They WILL go crazy. Expect violence. You have been warned.

Coated lenses are the Calgon tablets of the optical world. Break away from the shackles of coated lenses and let the natural light flood in (with a bit of reflection if you turn a certain way)!

You don't buy the extra toaster insurance when you get a toaster from Argos. Nobody does! Yet we get coated lenses on our glasses. Why is this? The answer is that the Argos person offers toaster insurance as an option, but we are told by the optician that we NEED coated lenses.

You don't need coated lenses!

Nobody does!

If enough of us join forces by challenging this cabal of optical treachery, one day we may be free of being told we need coated lenses.

I can guarantee that if you follow my advice, unconventional as it is, you will save tens of pounds on your next glasses purchase and they'll be fine.

I must go now because a Specsavers mobile unit has just arrived outside and the optician is wielding a machete.. Arrgh!!!
 
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Soldato
OP
Joined
9 Dec 2009
Posts
5,183
Location
Bristol
Last time I got my glasses from Specsavers it was a horrific uphill battle.
Them:Would you like coated lens?
Me: No, thank you.
Them: OK

That does sound brutal, but at least you had a choice.

I've always been told I need them and took them at their word. Now I realise I've been lied to for so many years.

I feel used, but I'm trying to make things better.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Mar 2010
Posts
21,984
reply is the same - coatings weren't orthogonal to original thread post

you've obviously never had zeiss hard coating's, not sure decent 2 year warrantied coatings (replacement any scratch) are on specsavers menu

you don't have to fork out for fancy lense wipes - the lenses don't scratch

equally if you drive at night a coating that's going to reduce reflections is invaluable.



teams calls those coatings that diminish reflections you see off front of others glasses, during calls, also reduce reflections of inner surface of glasses, equally if you meet people who wants to be the man with no eyes, unless that's your character.

if you only have single focus glasses then, yes, getting from china might be fine, but if you need varifocals the grinding on the inner and outer surfaces to provide a wide corridor without too much peripheral aberration, is less of a commodity.
 
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Tea Drinker
Don
Joined
13 Apr 2010
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18,419
Location
Sunny Sussex
Coatings I've had tend to start failing after a year or so and start crittiling if thats the right word. They also don't like it when you open a hot oven or dishwasher so we've stopped getting them.

My view (boom boom) is the same they force you to buy new glasses more often.

Also my new favourite is buying a decent set of glasses then reglazing the. I'm on my second pair of Oakley Currency with about 8 lens replacements.
 
Soldato
Joined
20 Apr 2015
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4,110
Location
.
Coatings I've had tend to start failing after a year or so and start crittiling if thats the right word. They also don't like it when you open a hot oven or dishwasher so we've stopped getting them.

My view (boom boom) is the same they force you to buy new glasses more often.

Also my new favourite is buying a decent set of glasses then reglazing the. I'm on my second pair of Oakley Currency with about 8 lens replacements.

So, you're not going to get anymore ovens or dishwashers?
 
Soldato
Joined
9 Mar 2012
Posts
10,072
Location
West Sussex, England
There are coatings and coatings though.

Anti scratch
Anti dazzle
Reations for sunlight

Some can be free, but the outrageous lens prices and some coatings on the high street are why they offer you a free pair of frames. ;)
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Mar 2010
Posts
21,984
LOL - if you get the decent hard coatings you put glasses in the dishwasher for a full clean/auto-clave, mine have inadvertently been in the washing machine,
haven't tried using a hot air gun to dry them yet.
 
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