Boots Opticians

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

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.

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

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

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.

Bit worrying, though....

Ana perhaps marginally better then the drunk driving one?

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.

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

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

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!

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 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.

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?

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 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!

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.

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!

sounds very familiar. Went to local D and A (same as Boots) a few months ago for an eye test. Recommended varifocals but I refused as I need glasses for driving (possibly only at night and did not need them to be tinted for that) and a separate pair for reading (often I use cheap reading glasses strategically placed around the house for perusing small print )
end result have 2 pairs of glasses to 'lose' and saved money (about £60 altogether)
need your wits about you to say NO to these slippery sales people both in opticians and banks.

Must admit that a couple of years ago I did not have a good experience with a Boots - in Shrewsbury. He changed my prescription slightly and after I had been wearing my new glasses a couple of days I was convinced it was wrong. They were varifocals and although reading was Ok my distance sight was definately off. I went back and the optician very huffily said he would re-test me. When we got to the last combination - you know the bit where they go 'is this better'. He was very brusque...along the line of 'you had better make your mind up' Needless to say the next time I went elsewhere.....Specsavers where I have never had a problem. In fact the latest visit to them was most professional and all the staff were very friendly and really took their time at all times.

On my last visit to Boots Opticians I had to ask 3 times for my prescription and in the end had to be quite rude. They were not keen to give it to me. It used to be Dolland and Aitchison (now taken over by Boots) and they were not nearly so pushy.

I think you're right about using a computer and varifocals, harrigran. I had to have a pair of reading glasses when I was using a desktop all the time. Otherwise I got real problems with my neck.

I have variofocal photochromic glasses and I find them fine for every thing.
I also go to private ophthalmologist.

I was talked into buying varifocals from Boots too and I really could not wear them, absolutely no good for computer work and I felt unsafe whilst walking. I went back to Boots and had the lens changed for single vision. They have a thirty day returns policy. I have never had a problem with obtaining prescription.