Time for me to get a new eye test as it's been over two years. Actually, I already have a very good optician in my high street that I can always pop in and get something fixed on the spot like if the frame gets a little out of shape or whatever. But I was wondering if anyone here uses/recommends Specsavers? My prescription is always varifocals, and because of higher magnification for my weaker left eye, it costs more to keep the lenses thin as possible. I always have Essilor/Varilux glass with anti scratch coating and whatever else addons they recommend, plus a strong metal frame with flexible arms. So I'm usually in the £400 to £500 bracket. But I never get a second pair free from my optician. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Specsavers do buy one get one free at a certain price point? And maybe they'll work out cheaper I don't know. In my opinion, when it comes to eyes, it's not worth skimping on quality of service and lenses, but are Specsavers worth trying or am I better off staying with a trusted optician?
'Spec' me an optician
- Thread starter Merlin5
- Start date
Associate
- Joined
- 7 Mar 2005
- Posts
- 1,511
- Location
- Northumberland
Just for balance. I've used a local Specsavers for years. I always find them very helpful. I frequently require my glasses adjusting as they always loosen overtime and its always done free of charge. It makes no difference if its on a budget frame or their designer branded one's. Always had great service.
Hopefully I can get more opinions on Specsavers v private to see if one outweighs the other.
Soldato
- Joined
- 23 Feb 2009
- Posts
- 4,988
- Location
- South Wirral
If you have a trusted optician then stick with them IMO. My missus had one and then when Boots bought Dolland & Aitchison she's never rated the service as good since. Any BOGOF offer is likely based off an inflated price anyway, so its only an illusory saving.
My local Vision Express was also good for an eye test, seemed very comprehensive.
Not only have I used Specsavers for 30+ years! My daughter works there..
They are franchised, so obviously they can very much vary in customer service, but for me they have been fantastic.
I have a strong prescription and have their digital varifocals, absolutely spot on.. No complaints, and I have had one set of glasses that didn't feel right, they swapped them out with no questions (was withing their 100 day window)..
On the flip side, two people in work, one deeply unhappy with Vision Express, the other with a boutique optician, paying a lot more money, both went to Specsavers on my recommendation and both very happy.
Vision express / Specsavers etc pretty have the same Optoms moving around so in essence that side of things should be much of a much-ness..
I will say customer service at Specsavers should be good, the core rules they follow are pretty decent, if you aren't happy they have a 100 day policy (https://www.specsavers.co.uk/help-and-faqs/can-i-return-products-if-i-am-not-happy-with-them) and my daughter tells me there is no secret drive to not honour this, in fact she will fix/mend and adjust glasses for people that drop in, even if those are from Boots, Tesco, etc..
In terms of offers, just ask, if you are like me and spend a fortune, they will try to help, I got two pairs of digital varifocals with ultra-thin/anti-scratch/anti-glare etc for £500.. remember that their second pair will be for bog standard lenses, so if you want the second pair to have the ultra-thin etc, then that is added on..
My prescription is +6.25/+6.50 with -3.25/-3.75 CYL (AKA Jam Jars) so unless you are blinder than that, you should be fine..
If you are struggling, message me your prescription, I'll get my daughter to check that best option they offer.
Last edited:
Pretty much this. We live between 2 towns and have used both branches of Specsavers - The difference was night and day in terms of customer service.
Once I discovered the "correct" branch, then I've not had any issues. As with everything these days, the "offers" aren't really offers (certainly compared to online only glasses sellers), but are normally required in order to at least feel like you are getting value for money.
I personally still
I've worn glasses since I was 14 so I've used pretty much them all at some point...
There's something to be said about the staff that actually works at your local store.
When I lived in a small town, specsavers was more than perfect, moved town and stores... and the person who did my eye exam got my prescription totally wrong to the point where I couldn't see from one eye. This was sorted out by the store manager quickly.
Vision express managed to break the pair of hugo boss glasses that they sold me, only wanted a screw that fell out replacing and the manage to break the arm, the manager of the store amp'd up the issue with the way she wanted to deal with it.
I suppose if you been a customer of any store long enough there will be a reason why you're a ex customer.
anyway I'm with boots at the moment, not my nearest store but the staff there are good and they always sort out the few issues that I've had... worth the extra cost and time it takes. Having contacts and a glasses, I get a discount with the package that I have.
There's something to be said about the staff that actually works at your local store.
When I lived in a small town, specsavers was more than perfect, moved town and stores... and the person who did my eye exam got my prescription totally wrong to the point where I couldn't see from one eye. This was sorted out by the store manager quickly.
Vision express managed to break the pair of hugo boss glasses that they sold me, only wanted a screw that fell out replacing and the manage to break the arm, the manager of the store amp'd up the issue with the way she wanted to deal with it.
I suppose if you been a customer of any store long enough there will be a reason why you're a ex customer.
anyway I'm with boots at the moment, not my nearest store but the staff there are good and they always sort out the few issues that I've had... worth the extra cost and time it takes. Having contacts and a glasses, I get a discount with the package that I have.
Thanks guys for your responses. I called Asda but decided to forget them once they told me they only use Asda glass and not Essilor. Plus they didn't sound very clued up. And they don't do buy one get one free, only half price on a second pair. I've just called my local Specsavers who told me they do Essilor glass and she's going to get someone to call me back to give me a ballpark idea of price for a good frame and lenses based on my two year old prescription which will have obviously slightly changed since then. They only do a second frame for free but not the glass. One good thing I just found out is I get a free eye test as I'm over a certain age. I have a feeling I'll end up using my trusted private optician but I'll wait to see what Specsavers say and thanks Demon for offering to ask your daughter for assistance.
Last edited:
I used to use private, which were very good, but they closed up shop 
I've mostly used Vision Express since and so far they've been good, I had poor results when I used Specsavers and some of my family have had poor results with Boots.
I tend to buy a main pair through Vision Express unless they have an offer on and then pickup a couple of backup pairs cheapish through Glasses Direct.
I've mostly used Vision Express since and so far they've been good, I had poor results when I used Specsavers and some of my family have had poor results with Boots.I tend to buy a main pair through Vision Express unless they have an offer on and then pickup a couple of backup pairs cheapish through Glasses Direct.
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Jul 2021
- Posts
- 4,594
- Location
- Land of Gin (I wish)
Have an eye condition keratoconus where the cornea is coned shaped. During my late 20s, I changed my prescription every 3-4 months which cost me a pretty penny as need my right lens to be thinned. It started off in my right eye and in both eyes. My prescription in right eye is 6 times worse than left. Have to get lens thinned otherwise it looks jam jar bottom.
Aged 29, I had an INTAC (a clear plastic ring) inserted into my right cornea. As no longer done, when I go to the eye department for keratoconus or my rare skin condition which I have inherited from my Dad (cysts form around the eyes) - get all the student doctors looking at my INTAC through the slit lamp. As heard of the INTACs but not seen one in person.
Then had corneal crosslinking done in both eyes - CXL for short. CXL strengthens the cornea. Had the epithelium (outer layers of cornea) removed then protein drops into the eye. Then baked on using on using UV light. Needed two weeks off work with this as couldn't tolerate much light at all. The pain once the anaesthetic goes is horrific. Imagine someone throwing hot sand into your eye then as a good measure, chuck some acid onto the eye. Shedloads of eye drops needed.
As to opticians I have always used Specsavers. Plus my employer offers 10% off through their discounts app. Buy vouchers in multiples of £25. Last time I had eye test, three pairs of glasses - one of them sunglasses, thinning on all three right lenses. Cost me £295 after the discount. Think only paid a couple of quid on top of vouchers purchased via the app.
Most employers do offer discount on opticians and usually not promoted well.
Find it difficult to find glasses that suit me. Many people get frames that don't suit them. These thick frames type that Brains from Thunderbirds wear aren't to every face's suitability but its fashion. Ignore fashion, goes what's suitable for you.
When I get new glasses, I need the pieces around the ears adjusted differently, which online opticians can't offer. Nothing worse than the back of a glasses arm digging into your ear.
Aged 29, I had an INTAC (a clear plastic ring) inserted into my right cornea. As no longer done, when I go to the eye department for keratoconus or my rare skin condition which I have inherited from my Dad (cysts form around the eyes) - get all the student doctors looking at my INTAC through the slit lamp. As heard of the INTACs but not seen one in person.
Then had corneal crosslinking done in both eyes - CXL for short. CXL strengthens the cornea. Had the epithelium (outer layers of cornea) removed then protein drops into the eye. Then baked on using on using UV light. Needed two weeks off work with this as couldn't tolerate much light at all. The pain once the anaesthetic goes is horrific. Imagine someone throwing hot sand into your eye then as a good measure, chuck some acid onto the eye. Shedloads of eye drops needed.
As to opticians I have always used Specsavers. Plus my employer offers 10% off through their discounts app. Buy vouchers in multiples of £25. Last time I had eye test, three pairs of glasses - one of them sunglasses, thinning on all three right lenses. Cost me £295 after the discount. Think only paid a couple of quid on top of vouchers purchased via the app.
Most employers do offer discount on opticians and usually not promoted well.
Find it difficult to find glasses that suit me. Many people get frames that don't suit them. These thick frames type that Brains from Thunderbirds wear aren't to every face's suitability but its fashion. Ignore fashion, goes what's suitable for you.
When I get new glasses, I need the pieces around the ears adjusted differently, which online opticians can't offer. Nothing worse than the back of a glasses arm digging into your ear.
Last edited:
I have used buy one and get a second pair free or cheaper in the past but for me, it's bit of a con unless the second pair is for a particular reason.
Normally by the time I need to use the second pair, as I wear contacts as well.. I need a change in prescription.
The last time I got glasses I did get two pairs, I don't think I even got 50% off the second pair...
I got a pair of raybans as my daily wear and a pair of oakleys for sports wear, with lockdown, working from home and the fact that I started working out everyday; I just wore the oakleys.. It was suggested that I changed my perscription last time I was had an exam, but I still had this pair of raybans that was hardly worn.
Anyway, I switched to the raybans after I discovered that the AR coating was coming off the oakleys...
if you're looking for a pair of prescription sunglasses or for a particular reason.. it may be worth it... but some places will knock down the price of having one pair of glasses if there's an offer on for a second pair.
Also stay away from ordering glasses online, everyone I spoke to about the service has always moaned about it... miss aligned forcus points, poor fitting etc.
What the girl from boots did suggest, is finding a pair and trying a pair at a store first then find the frame online, buy them and take them to store for the lens and fitting to be done.
It might still be worth giving Asda a go, I don't know if there'd be any major difference between the glass used but you do get coatings/thinning/varifocal all included in the price at Asda AFAIK so although it's not buy one get one free it should still be many times cheaper than Specsavers who if I remember the last time I was in there absolutely ripped the backside off you for anything other than bog standard plain lenses.
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Nov 2007
- Posts
- 4,354
I went to specsavers for my last test and i spent £150 on glasses compared to £450 previously at an independant. Specsavers ftw