Buying Glasses and Reglazing -The Only Way- by ciliaryblue

Added: (Thu Mar 13 2008)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Having your eyes testing and purchasing glasses can be a very difficult, expensive and stressful process, but it really doesn’t need to be. There are many ways to save money while ensuring you have full professional support.

The sight test is normally the first step and is undoubtedly the most important and really should be considered very carefully.
Do not be guided by price too much a £30 sight test is not necessarily any better than £10 sight test. Many Opticians reduce the price of the sight test to entice more customers. The level of equipment and how busy they are is not an indication of the professionalism either.
Use an Optician you trust or one that is recommended to you.

You don’t have to buy glasses from them you can just have the sight test and walk away. If you are happy with the Optician you use then look for any deals on reducing the sight test cost. Promotional vouchers in the paper or special deals for existing customers, but do remember some vouchers are conditional, you only get a reduction if you purchase glasses from them.

You may get a reduction if you are on one of their contact lens replacement schemes. Always ask about any offers when booking and make sure they will honour it on the day of the sight test.

Many employers will pay for a sight test if you use a VDU for more than specified number of hours a week and will even contribute to the cost of the spectacles, if needed specifically for VDU work.
Are you entitled to a free sight (many are and don’t realise) because you have NHS help? Always ask who is entitled, it may include you!

Your sight test really should last 15 minutes or more, and don’t be afraid to ask any questions during or ask them to repeat parts of the test if you were unsure of the question. Ask if there any significant change in your prescription and if so can they explain or demonstrate it.
At the end of the test, make sure you receive a copy of your sight test prescription. Ask them to measure your p.d (pupillary distance) and to record it on your prescription. The prescription must be signed and dated and if you are allowed an NHS voucher make sure is signed in the same way.

You can ask for copies of your records and take them with you from Optician to Optician.

Try and decide before the sight test what you are going to do with regard to your frames. If there is no change in the prescription do you want another frame anyway? Or do you just want to change only if there is a change in prescription. If you decide this before, then it may reduce your chances of being sold something you don’t want or need! Remember the Optical Assistants are often part of a bonus driven sales team.

If you want to choose a new frame then have a look at what they have to offer, do ask what deals are available now and in the future, next weeks offer may be better for you! You may be entitled to money off if you are already a contact lens customer, or if you are a member of a Union a student or an affiliated company. If you don’t want the offer they are running for example the 241 will they discount on just one pair? Decide which offer is best for you and choose the frames you want.

Many Opticians display the price of the frame including the cost of single vision lenses. Do ask for the costs of any extras like anti-reflective coatings etc. Some Opticians will quote the highest price including all the options and then reduce if you don’t require all of them.

Don’t be pushed into buying anything you don’t want and ask for a written quote including all the frame numbers and lens options and walk away. You can then see if you can buy the same frame cheaper any where else. The internet is great for this type of thing. Just typing the details will often reveal huge savings.

If you see a frame that you want but just don’t want to pay the full price for the lenses you can just but the frame and walk away. They wont like it, but you can, and make sure they knock the price for the lenses off, if it is an inclusive price!

Some stores selling very cheap designer frames are often selling end of line or out of stock frames.

If you want to really save money, then use the internet for your glasses, they have much lower overheads and consequently charge much less.

For single vision lenses (not bifocal or varifocal) they really are becoming the force to be reckoned with. You will need you p.d, but if you asked for it when you had your sight test then this should be no problem. The p.d is very important as it ensures you look through the correct part of the lens, the higher the power the more important this is. Average values really shouldn’t be used for this.

There are guidelines set out by the General Optical Council (GOC) for the sale of spectacle lenses over certain powers and those internet based companies following this are to be commended. These guidelines are there to protect the customer. Varifocal, bifocal and high prescriptions need specific measurements that need to be taken while the patient is wearing the frame, this cannot be done remotely on the internet, reliably. Some companies will take measurements from existing varifocals and apply this to a new pair, this is entirely acceptable, and works very well.

If you use the internet, use a reputable company, as it is so easy to set up this type of company without any training or knowledge. Look for mention of qualified staff and see if it is run by a qualified optician etc. Look for quality professional web sites with plenty of information about what you are buying, you’ll need contact phone numbers that work and a proper returns policy. Competition among internet companies is also very high so it pays to shop around, it is so easy to do this and can take only a few minutes.

You don’t have to change your frame just because you have a new prescription, you can use an existing frame, one you’ve bought elsewhere. This may be at a different store, duty free or on the internet. This is a fast growing market and allows the customer to purchase cut price designer frames and have lenses put in (reglaze) at a much lower price to that on the high street.

Some high street stores are now refusing to reglaze frames unless you can show proof of purchase, they really want you to but a new frame from them!

The lenses that are supplied or manufactured in the UK are the same quality weather to the internet or the high street, in fact it is often exactly the same supplier so it is better to go for UK based companies, both for security, delivery and in the hope the level of professionalism is at it’s highest.

If you are going to ‘reglaze’ then look for companies specifically geared for this they will have a full product list of lenses available with information about them. Don’t automatically choose the thinnest most expensive lenses as in many cases they will look no better than cheaper lenses. Some existing frames may just need cleaning to make them look like new, see if they will do this while they are glazing your frames?

You can in most cases save anything from £5-£200 if you follow most of the steps outlined above.