Nhs Free Hearing Aids But Not Glasses?

[Jennykenny]

Why are we allowed to have free hearing aids, but not glasses?

[Sqad]

Glasses would n't help your hearing.

[maggiebee]

Nice one Sqad. My understanding is that ordinary lenses are free but you have to pay for the frames - seems to be the way here in Scotland at any rate. Charge for bi-focals and vari-focals.

[retrocop]

I would imagine because of the vast price difference in manufacture. You can pick up a reasonable pair of prescription glasses quite cheaply but a hearing aid is a little costlier. That's my guess.

[maggiebee]

Yes retrocop, but hearing aids are free.

[retrocop]

I know. My train of thought was that those with hearing difficulties who may be little impoverished would never get hearing assistance as they are more expensive to manufacture if not given free by the NHS. My Siemens cost me £2,000.
Glasses will not cost as much unless you want to go silly for designer frames etc. The lenses are quite cheap to grind so some on a small budget could probably buy their own if they forfeited their 20 fags a day habit for a week or two.

[Jennykenny]

All seems a bit confusing.

[maggiebee]

Retrocop, I wear an NHS hearing aid which cost me nothing. I also get repairs and batteries free of charge. Couldn't have asked for better service from the audiology department of my local hospital.

[Old_Geezer]

It's your own fault. The rule is, anything Old_Geezer needs is something folk have to pay for themselves. But if it's something he doesn't need but others do, then it's unfair to them to have to pay, so it's free.

[Mamyalynne]

A subject close to my heart, even if your loss of sight is such that it is classed as a disability - the NHS voucher barely touches the cost of one lens if you want a pair of glasses that don't weigh a kilo on the bridge of your nose.

My eye consultant is sympathetic but still every time I see him he tells me I need to get a new pair.

They're on the Pressie list for December.

[EDDIE51]

You DO get free NHS glasses
https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/help-with-health-costs/free-nhs-eye-tests-and-optical-vouchers/

[hc4361]

My lenses are complex and very expensive and because of the nature of my sight problems I need new glasses at least every 12 months. I buy the cheapest frames available but I'm still at over £400 a time.

If I qualified for a NHS voucher I'd get £215.50

[hc4361]

The difference, Eddie, is that even millionaires can get free NHS hearing aids, but they couldn't get free glasses on the NHS

[Mamyalynne]

I qualify for the £215 voucher too as my prescription is minus 20 - trust me, my glasses aren't free.

[EDDIE51]

hc4361, Check my link. You should be able to at least get a contribution to the cost of your glasses ,even if they are not free.

[Mamyalynne]

I must add that I have no problem with free hearing aids, I would hate not being able to hear.

[Jennykenny]

Mamy, has been a problem for me for a few years now, and I can’t continue to be the one in my group of friends constantly going ‘What?’ ‘Sorry, didn’t catch that.’ - so have bitten the bullet and gone for help.

[Mamyalynne]

Good for you, I grew up with a fair few family members who were deaf or partially due to mill work - I saw how they struggled.

[TonyV]

If people are looking reasonably priced lens or frames, give these a try once you got a script from an eye test.

http://www.directsight.co.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjw54fdBRBbEiwAW28S9jahGNJssfpVuMZmBaPqbC43ontOj3EXnSDSRvDlJIlyQV48WElWwRoCau8QAvD_BwE

[dunnitall]

Coming in late to this as only just seen it. No one has touched on hearing impairment being classed as a disability whereas unless a complicated problem with sight, needing glasses isn't disabling to such an extent as hearing impairment. Only thing I can think of....for what it's worth.

[Scarlett]

The way I see it is, we are fortunate to have an NHS, and the fact that they pay anything towards our glasses is a bonus that we should be grateful for. Having paid for glasses when I was working and now receiving a voucher towards them (and a free eye test), I am grateful for the reduction!