Boots Opticians

Reddevil your optician is correct in that the lenses cannot be re coated to make them photochromatic once again. It isn't a coating, the photochromatic material is embedded into the plastic of the lens. The previous post probably fs to an anti reflection coating.

It may be possible to replace the lenses, keeping your frame, this could be expensive though depending on what type of lens it is. Perhaps you could ask your optician?

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Thank you baubles I'll just use them a spares at night.
Btw, did you know that when driving in Spain, if you wear specs, you must keep a spare pair in the car at all times?

Excellent advise from my mother, which worked for everybody we shared it with sofar: when you receive your new varifocals, first ever, but also subsequent new prescriptions, don't be tempted to put them on and walk out of the optician on receipt. Instead put them only on next day when you get up and your eyes are rested. This way they have a fair chance to get used to the new way of looking and you will be in your familiar surrounding.

to anyone reading opticians have to give you your prescription by law. Get a free eye test and go wherever you want. me personally its spec savers.
www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/kirkby

I have driving glasses with reactolite glass so they act as sun glasses when the light is bright and an anti-glare coating for night time driving.

Fortunately we have been going to the same independent opticians for nearly 40 years even though we now live nearly 30 miles away.

When opticians (or dentists, my bete noire) try to sell you something you do not want, just say no, - and keep saying no, until you get what you want or walk out of the shop and say you will go elsewhere. There is more than one optician or chain of opticians in this world.

It doesn't matter whether they get stroppy or upset or mutter. They are your glasses, you are paying for them and you should get what you want.

Email the Chairman of Boots stating what happened

Here is a link to contact him: www.ceoemail.com/s.php?id=ceo-87613

I have varifocals, which allow me to read, drive and use my PC and I have never had any problems at all with them.
They also have anti glare and transition lenses and transformed my life! I cannot see a thing without them.

Years ago when I was teaching , I had to use two sets of glasses. I would be wearing one for reading and have the other set on my head for board work. It was such a faff, constantly changing them about!
My DIL, who is an optician, persuaded my to try variofocals and she was right!.

My optician has a very efficient online booking system so we need a password to get into that. But it also means my prescription is available to me online - so I can easily order my glasses from anywhere, and also have a record of how my eyes are changing over the years.

I had a bad experience with an optician at Vision Express. I was a bit slow during the eye test trying to decide which lens was best. You know, when they say, "Is it better with this one or this one? She started snapping at me and telling me to make up my mind as she didn't have all day to see to me. I should have walked out there and then.

Afterwards I told the receptionist about her and she said "Oh she's always like that, she doesn't mean any harm." I wish I had complained to head office. By the way, I didn't buy any glasses from there.

I have photochromic variofocals. No problems with vision for driving, reading etc. However, the lenses themselves are not usually available from most opticians - they are very expensive - and I think therein lies the problem. Cheaper lenses do not give the level of excellence and performance.

They are indeed expensive Izabella. I got my latest ones from Specsavers, but have had them from various opticians.
They have different names, according to the supplier.
I have heard them called, transition lenses, photocromatic, and reactolite. My DIL keeps me right and advises on the best option for me.
At the moment, I'm wearing transition, varifocal lenses, I can't fault them.

It's so good to see you have returned safely from your trip.☺️

Shouldn't have gone to you know where. Optician fine, needed a less strong prescription. BOGOF so 2 pairs of varifocals. Each pair adjusted twice. Spare pair not right so exchanged. Replacement still not right. I realise now that I was looking up slightly when the badly-trained dispensing guy measured where the pupil was as he was taller than I, so line in the wrong place. i'm not going back again and as I've bought from a well-known online company will do so again and after next eye test will just take the prescription.

I've been wearing varifocals for 33 years and never had a problem with them. However the lenses I have a very expensive (one reason I continue to work - to pay for new lenses).

Friends used to tell me I was silly for paying so much and I asked the dispenser about the difference in price. He explained about the fields of vision, which I understood. My lenses have been made by Zeiss, Nikon or Leica.

I had my eyes tested at Specsavers some years ago and was told that they didn't use those lenses. Friends who have been prescribed varifocals and bought cheaper ones have always had problems and sometimes given up on them.

In an ideal world I'd have all my frames fitted with new lenses each time I have an eye test but unless I win the lottery that isn't going to happen. The ones I wear most of the time are titanium and I've had them for 25 years so I guess the cost of the new lenses isn't so prohibitive.

Sadly local specsavers has become a bit more hard sell lately (may be having to meet high rent/rate for prime location) and very busy pushing customers through like production line. I no longer go to them, stumbled upon a lovely independent, who offer great service and don't try and flog anything surprisingly.

I have worn glasses for almost 50 years and have been to a number of different opricians and in that time. I only went to Boots once. The actual eye examination was excellent, very thorough and picked up an issue that needed referral to the eye hospital for further assessment. However when it came to choosing my glasses their hard sell approach meant I never returned. At one point I was asked "don't you care about your sight enough to buy the better (or much more expensive) varifocal lenses"!

Hi I'm another in the "avoid Boots opticians" camp. I went in specifically for what are now known as "work glasses", ie, for looking down at the desk and looking up and a bit further away at a computer monitor.

They said varifocals best ... although no problem with distance sight. They were just wrong. Near, far and closer!.

Then they changed them to work glasses as requested. Bit of a joke, because looking down OK, but looking up the only thing that was in focus was my boss, who was much further away than my monitor!

Went back again and now they are OK,

Thing is, I believe they tell people it's a matter of getting used to them. As I was replacing two good pairs I knew straight away that their solution was not right.

DH went to Boots and spent over £400 on a pair they told him would be best .
Tinted/varifocals etc was told he could pick them up on the 14th of this month.
Still waiting so won`t be going back in the future and will be asking for a refund when he does get to pick them up.

In support of Boots they picked up my glaucoma many years ago. They also found macular degeneration and organised an immediate GP appointment after which I was referred to the hospital the same day. I have always been given my prescription but have always bought spectacles there as I can pop in at any time to have adjustments or repairs. I have never paid for these even after the guarantee time has run out. I have had several eye operations but have stuck with our local Boots as I do not feel pressured by them. For the last two years I have had a very slight deterioration in vision but they have told me I could manage with my current glasses without difficulty (varifocals- my choice). When driving I just put sun glasses over my normal glasses if it is too bright . ... no problem.

Why this onslaught against Boots Opticians?

I have used them for the last four years with no problems.

Last year when I remarked to the optician that when I looked at my Venetian Blinds I saw a squiggle through my left eye I was diagnosed with wet, age related macular degeneration and seen at the local eye clinic two days later. She probably saved most of the sight in that eye.
Three pairs of glasses for less than £100.

The two years before that I went to Doland and Atchinson later taken over by Boots. No problems with the prescription but one pair of glasses exploded while I was on the way to Cambridge up the M11. Quite scary!

The year before that I went to an independent. Nice guy but he didn't fit the glasses before I left. When I got home and tried them on it was just a blur.

Some people who train to be opticians get a first; others get a 2.1 or a 2.2 or even a 3rd.

I think they are pretty evenly distributed across the companies are dentists or plumbers eg.