Buying spectacles online?

Thirsty said:
Horses for courses; but in my view €420 less 25% is still a shed load more money than €76!
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Its not just about saving a few quid. I found Specsavers very good recently for my first time varifocals - got a regular pair and varifocal sunglasses. Ok it cost over 500 euros but I value my eyes HUGELY but I may go online the next time for varifocals now that I have gone through the f2f process. First time happier to get the support of meeting opticians etc.

I order my contact lenses online but get a physical eye test every 2 years.
 
Up Rovers said:
I have been wearing varifocals for years and would always go to Specsavers.
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Why do Specsavers never give you a print out of your prescription after you have had a test with them? I always find that the staff seem to be speaking a well rehearsed spiel when you visit them.
 
They are obliged to give your prescription but they charge an extra €25 to provide your pupillary distance.
 
I must say when I call to Specsavers to collect my new glasses I don't want to hear (when the vision is blurred). try them for a few days. I expect that from day one I should have clear vision.
 
Nutso said:
They are obliged to give your prescription but they charge an extra €25 to provide your pupillary distance.
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If they tried to charge me €25 for my PD I would make a data access request under Article 15 of GDPR which is free !.
 
Tintagel said:
I must say when I call to Specsavers to collect my new glasses I don't want to hear (when the vision is blurred). try them for a few days. I expect that from day one I should have clear vision.
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It can take days / weeks to get used to varifocals so you may not want to hear it but you'll get used to it!! Single vision less of an issue.
 
Buying varifocals online doesn't sound sensible. As well as getting the pupillary distance correct, which is an absolute measurement regardless of the spectacle frames (but one you need to get right and it becomes more critical as your prescription increases), you need to get the ocular centre height correct, which depends on how a particular frame sits on your face. This makes sure that the correct part of the lens is in front of your eyes for distance viewing.

 
I have bought glasses online from Zenni Optical and found it to be a great service but in recent years I've returned to my local optician and am very happy with the service there. I don't rate Specsavers at all. They really try to upsell everything and I've had the same issue as Tintagel - told to "try them for a few days" first, when the specs were making me dizzy. When I went back they discovered that the prescription was totally off.
 
This is simply bad practice. A competent member of staff should check the lenses and pupillary distance against both the dispensing record and against the prescription. And then if all is correct, it's reasonable to ask someone to try them for a couple of days, having established first whether that person can safely drive (e.g. with a different pair of specs). Having said that, it is the advantage of buying your specs from the opticians that did your eye exam - they have nobody else to blame.
 
deanpark said:
It can take days / weeks to get used to varifocals so you may not want to hear it but you'll get used to it!! Single vision less of an issue.
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I have first pair of varifocals ironically I got them for office meetings where the have to look at a screen then down at notes which I'm no longer doing working from home etc.

I must have them a year now. I'm still 50:50 about them. They are very situational. For example you have to sit up to watch TV with them, as at the wrong angle you look through the wrong part of the lense. Same with DIY.

I'm considering getting a second normal pair. So I have the choice.
 
I wear contact lenses (with 2.00 readers for close work) most days but find the varifocals good for long journeys when I need to be able to see Google maps for directions/ speed limit info and seeing Spotify tracks coming up on the phone when driving. I've had varifocals for a few months.

Varifocals also handy if I'm having a day where I want to rest my eyes as wearing contact lenses all the time not advised.

But I wouldn't be able to rely on varifocals all the time. Too much grief focusing on stuff. My prescription is > -8.00 so varifocals can be hit and miss at that strength.
 
The last time I visited Specsavers was late last year. I have had three emails from them now telling me that my eye test is now due. I get a free eye test every two years paid for from the Dept. of Social Protection.

Has something changed recently or is it Specsavers just trying to sell me something?
 
I just paid €80 for a cheap pair to watch the TV, what gets me with Specsavers, I get a 2nd pair free, I said "can you just give me one pair half price " No this is not the way they work
 
I've had similar and a phone call. Might be new management using the database more aggressively.

I actually do need an eyetest and reluctantly have to accept the youth is no longer on my side and will have to get varifocals.
 
I just reordered my varifocals last Friday, in Specsavers. I considered the online retailer linked above but when you add in the various extras, it's not much cheaper. My choice of frames was €189 for 2 frames, 75 each for Photochromic lenses, €80 for anti glare, €215 for the lenses, cost of test €50, total €634. A lot of money and I could have saved €110 by simply having the second pair clear VF lenses but I only change them every 5 years and I want the spare to be the same. I wouldn't be comfortable ordering these online.
 
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Slim said:
total €634.
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That explains why, when I go to Specsavers, every two years for a free eye test, and just ask for my free social welfare pair of glasses, I am treated so badly by the sales staff. No profit or commission from me.

The last time I went. The sales person all smiles.....until I said that I wanted my free pair and nothing else. Her whole manner changed and I was basically shown two pairs and told take your pick....didn't even measure to see if they would fit.

Dreadful service altogether but I expect it every time. Maybe the social welfare money that they get is not considered real money.
 
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