Opticians discounts

most local ones over-charge, i think.
look around, specsavers, vision express, and the ones you find inside large supermarkets.
specsavers do frame with single vision from £70. some cheaper than that.
i haven't heard of any discounts specially for seniors.
do some window shopping and online.
good luck.

I’ve just been to Specsavers and I got my cheapest pair free. I suppose they have the buying power to offer the discounts.
I once asked about having new lenses put into old frames, but that was really costly.

Specsavers give a 20% discount for people over the age of 60, spending £70 or above.

I’ve used Asda for some years, my last visit was two pairs of varifocal, photo-chromatic for £212, that was two years ago. I have a complex prescription with an astigmatism.

If you take the prescription there are several companies on line that will send you spectacles with the correct prescription. Frequently much cheaper but the fit is not guaranteed!

midgey I don't shop on-line unless there are no alternatives, is there is in this case.

I know plenty of people who have chosen this route and regretted it- buy cheap buy twice!

I have got in at my local opticians this afternnon whereas other larger chains can't see me until next week.

I may take the option if my prescription has changed, to get frames elsewhere as suggested.

Specsavers do discounts as Aldom said, but does anyone know of any others?

Boots Opticians do a pensioners' discount.

Boots give discounts. 20% of first pair and the second pair is 50% off.

I always used to go to chain opticians but now go to my local independent optician and am glad I did. The Boots one I went to before was dreadful. They use temp opticians and sales assistants who do or try to do parts of the eye exam. I even got an eye infection from dirty equipment there. Unsurprisingly that branch closed.
The new one I go to is much better. Personal service from a real expert. The other good thing is that he's happy to reuse existing frames so I'm not forced to buy new ones every time my prescription changes.

I managed to get an appointment this afternoon- so one tick there to the small optician.

My eye test said there was no change in my prescription so good news there.

However, because my prescription reading glasses were broken beyond repair I was told it would be between £200- to £500 to replace them.

I said I would think about it, as I can't afford those prices.

I aslo asked for a copy of my prescription which she gave me, although as she explained the prescription for my reading glasses had changed, as it was so long since I was prescribed them.

I bought a £2 pair of reading glasses at a local shop but they are really not good for me even after a short time wearing them. I do a lot of reading and writing and have astigmatism so need specialist glasses.

Now I plan to shop around at some more well known chains and see how I get on.

Thanks for your help!

specsavers is the best place for low price frames. they have a wide range of frames, high to low prices.

The frames must cost a fraction of the price they charge customers.

You could get your eyes tested then buy online quoting your prescription. I'm not recommending that, but I know some people do that.

If you're shopping around, keepingquiet, you could also try different branches of the same chain. My local Boots gave me a quote. I then went to another branch in a big town 15 miles away and the quote was nearly £100 lower!

midgey

If you take the prescription there are several companies on line that will send you spectacles with the correct prescription. Frequently much cheaper but the fit is not guaranteed!

midgey
You are quite right about being able to order online however & I know the OP stated she didn’t do on line ., you can also send your prescription & frames / old glasses off to have new lenses made .
I do this & there is no issue .

Callistemon21

The frames must cost a fraction of the price they charge customers.

You could get your eyes tested then buy online quoting your prescription. I'm not recommending that, but I know some people do that.

It is indeed the lenses that cost the most especially once you have varifocals / thinner lenses / tinted etc etc .
I consider myself lucky that I have a lovely family member who provides this service . It is available online , I am not sure if I can promote on GN though 🤔

Joseann

If you're shopping around, keepingquiet, you could also try different branches of the same chain. My local Boots gave me a quote. I then went to another branch in a big town 15 miles away and the quote was nearly £100 lower!

😯

I got frames once in Boots. They cost £500. I wore glasses all the time so treated myself to them. Imagine how I felt when I saw the same frames in a local independent optician's window for £150!
Are the Boots opticians franchised? Maybe the one I went to was a dud? It really was bad.

I won't go there then!

Asda for me every time/ Only wish I had known of this facility with them much sooner. I used to pay mega for my specs and now I pay £100 for the complete service from start to finish. I'm thoroughly impressed and happy with their service thus far.

Someone warned me off Asda last night! Our local one isn't easy to get to for me either. It seems having read these, a matter of pot luck.
I will go into my local town branches and see how I get on. I think I am going to pay out for a pair of glasses that will do the job I need them too.
Thanks everyone!

When you about how much you spend on clothes or even make up, glasses are worth spending on. You wear them every day in life and they really help you. I don't count the pennies on specs but I hate feeling ripped off. Good luck finding a good reliable optician.

Aveline thanks. I don't buy clothes very often, and my first port of call is usually charity shops.

I agree completely, and would echo this about shoes. I don't scrimp on shoes because feet are so important- however I wouldn't spend £200 on shoes and certainly not clothes. I have had these particular glasses about five years.

My finances are strapped enough already so like you, I have to feel they are value for money which I don't feel my local opticians are now providing.

My husband takes his prescription around the area and he politely bargains with each one. He always gets a good price.

He has always been very charming.

I’ve been using lensology to reglaze old glasses although I still buy one pair from my local optician. I have in the past used both Specsavers and Vision Express but their glasses and lenses have not been as good my local opticians. I prefer the service from independents as they are able to spend more time with each customer. The cheaper glasses offered at the national opticians seem to fall apart quite quickly. DH had a pair that lasted a week! They were replaced. Their current advert suggests they will visit at home. It costs £50 on top of their usual fee.