Boots Opticians

Got my last glasses from Boots BOGOF offer - 2 pairs of varifocals and a pair of sunglasses, the most expensive were a pair of rimless - I cannot wear them without feeling sick! Have taken them back twice and got no further than a receptionist who has "tested" them - told me they are "fine" - "you need to get used to them" - actually haven't got time to feel sick so wear the 2nd pair all the time with no problems! The expensive ones have just stayed in their box all year! Rather an expensive dressing table accessory!

I get my contact lenses and eye tests from an independent optician, who seems to be very careful and thorough. He is expensive for glasses, which I don't wear all the time, so I took my prescription to Specsavers and got varifocals, which I like (can't comment on driving with them, as I don't drive). Specsavers were also careful, and have been helpful in adjusting the frames a couple of times when they have worked loose, without charging. When my prescription changes, or I sit on my glasses, I'll certainly go back there.

I find my varifocals ideal for driving because I can see where I'm going as well as what I'm doing. I've been wearing them(not the same pair) for around 15 years and wouldn't be without them. I also have a pair of reactolite varifocals for wearing in sunny weather - with any luck!

There shouldn't be any difficulty getting varifocal glasses suitable for computer work. Standard varifocal glasses are likely to force you to tip your head back unnaturally, leading to bad posture and such like. Glasses suitable for office use have been available for years - they go by various names, including "interview glasses", "office lenses", "occupational lenses". See, for example, www.specsavers.co.uk/ask-the-optician/considering-having-occupational-lenses-in-office-environment/ although you don't have to go to Specsavers - any competent optician should know about them.

I got a letter today from my local independent optician, offering me a half price eyetest (free every 2 yrs, had one last yr), cost £25.
That means the full price is £50!!! For an eye test.

Is it me or does that sound ridiculously expensive to anyone else?

I have used an independent optometrist since 1979. The fellow working now took over when his father retired and the service has been suberb. He diagnosed my Macular problem and sent me to Moorfields pdq. I am always given a prescription even although I always choose my frames there. I want to keep him in business.

Yes it does sound a lot. Free once you are over 60 I was surprised to discover. Some of them do extras though, like retinal photo, that is not covered under NHS.
I am really fed up about my new glasses from Specsaver. It is a real drag when you cant see yourself when choosing. DH spent ages helping to choose them (including using his camera phone) and then instantly agreed with me that they don't suit me, make my eyes look close together (which they are) and to add insult to injury the lenses are very different to the ones I have although the prescription was supposed to be just a little stronger (to help with reading fine print, like in New Scientist).
They make keyboard look concave. Apparently slightly different type of varifocal lens.
Am consequently still wearing my old but expensive rimless ones.

I used to work for Boots Opticians a few years ago, and now would always recommend going to an independent business who are not targets-driven like the large chains. Although I never questioned the professionalism of the staff, they did sometimes used to prescribe glasses for the sake of it, when none were really needed,or persuaded people to buy new frames when existing ones could have been re-glazed. Also, you would be amazed at the mark-up on both frames and contact lenses -the latter cost just pence!

One final thing, please ladies (and any gents seeing this) do CLEAN your specs regularly - some of the revolting specimens I had to handle beggared belief!

I use Lidl glasses wipes, cheap and do a great job. I can't bear mucky glasses!

Just clicked on this thread and got an ad at the top 'Sunglasses for Big Heads' sold by some firm called fatheadz....

In my (not inconsiderable) experience, I have never come across any optician prescribing spectacles "just for the sake of it, when none were really needed" . Their fitness to practice would be called in to question and indeed they could be struck off.

Just for the record, mark up isn't profit and the margins on contact lenses are very tight.

Independent businesses are of course target driven, they have a break even point like any other business. They can be very expensive, I compare prices in my town and surrounding areas constantly. What the large chains have in their favour is economy of scale. Not many independents can match the prices of the chains so their mark up has to be higher.

Ana perhaps marginally better then the drunk driving one?

Bit worrying, though....

My daughter works for an independent optician and she certainly does not get commission on what she sells. Obviously they have to make a profit but they are very careful about pushing anything, and the customer's needs come first. With elderly customers they will warn them first if they seem to be running up quite a bill and they get to know their customers and their needs very well. They are also very caring: they have several customers in their nineties for whom the visit to the opticians is the highlight of their day and the staff are probably the only people they have spoken to all day. These folk will get extra time and a chat for no extra charge ! Go independent I say.

I wonder what we might get when we click on other threads, perhaps the "past it" one............

Gorki I and my staff apply the same standards and level of care. Corporate service doesn't necessarily mean poor service.

I'm sure you do baubles.I shouldn't have generalised. Apologies. I actually go to Boots to get points on my card and haven't found them too pushy. The only thing is I see a different optometrist each time because they have moved on. No continuity.

I'm sure you do baubles.I shouldn't have generalised. Apologies. I actually go to Boots to get points on my card and haven't found them too pushy. The only thing is I see a different optometrist each time because they have moved on. No continuity.

Sorry Don't know why that happened. It wasn't there a minute ago and now there it is twice !

I have been going to the same branch of Spec savers for some years - we did change for one set of specs as DH thought it might be better but we found the quality was nowhere near as good for similar money. We have found the staff in the branch we go to very good and they give good advice and there is continuity of service there - they showed me photos of the back of my eye taken on a previous visit to show me that things were still OK because of the drops I use.
They staff in there told me that Specsavers is more like a franchise than a big company but of course they all have the deals.
There are several types of varifocals Jess - I have some with a wider vision field than the cheapest ones and do find them better - they were able to show me how the fields of vision varied with the lenses. I think I would go back and tell them about the problem and see what they say.

I have just read through the whole of this thread with my photochromatic varifocals with no problem. I drive with them and need them to see the dials as well as the cars in front. I get mine from Optical Express.
What I always try to get are the largest lenses possible, as I do not see how the small oval ones can get the gradation in the lens. I also need glasses with as narrow a frame as possible so I can get as wide a fringe vision as possible. I get semi-rimless. Although I can only see out of one eye, I still have to pay for two lenses. My last pair cost over five hundred pounds.

I discovered a Buy Direct company nearby & more than have halved the cost of my complex prescription glasses. It means I can afford to have prescription sunglasses too. I can get frames there too or buy elsewhere & take them for glazing. My new ones weren't right so they were sent immediately to the workshop & reground. Another customer was being quoted 30 for a repair instead of 150 at a chain. I think we need to get over not insisting on having satisfaction for what are after all an expensive & crucial purchase.
I was once advised to stick with whichever varifocal suited me best as they vary with different manufacturers.
Specsavers once tried to fob me off with an unlikely excuse about the cracking up of a coating because 'I used a hair dryer'. Eventually they gave in & re-coated them.
I'd always ask for my prescription even if I buy from the same place in case of emergencies abroad etc.

I have not had problems with Specsavers - I took one pair back because I did not like them when I got them (couldn't really see them when trying on as blind as a bat) - they changes them with no quibble at all.

Varifocals are fine for driving I find.

Not so wild about Specsavers hearing guy who was very offhand really - he tested my hearing and said I needed aids in both ears to my astonishment - I do have problems hearing my OH who speaks very quietly because of his PD; and I find background noise difficult. But I took myself off to GP for a test and was told to just keep retesting every 6 monts, but all reasonable so far. The chap in Specsavers was wanting to sell me some really exoensive aids - I felt a bit suspicious about that.

I used Specsavers originally and D&A/Boots reccently. D&A/boots were thorough when i had flashing/floaters for the first time and were appropriately reassuring as they tested to make sure it was not not a detached retina (saw me straight away).

I wish they would offer more honest advice about frames! They just say what they thin you want to hear. I take one of my DDs if I am choosing new frames now. They will be brutally honest!

I don't understand the 'recoating' as mentioned above. Please could somebody explain? I have an old pair of Silhouette which cost a fortune but they have lost their photo-reactivity. My private optician says that nothing can be done. Does anybody know if this is correct?