Spectacles

[timeout1]

Hi everyone,
i am looking to purchase a new pair of spectacles, I had my last pair, from Direct Specs, my lenses are
very expensive, with my particular prescription, so they are quite thick, so i always pay considerably
more, to have them thin ed, when i received my last pair from Direct Specs, not only were the lenses still thick, making the spectacles heavy, but i could not see properly through them, they are varifocal, when i bent my head down things were blurred, and i felt light headed. I took them back to the shop, who sent them away to be corrected, 2 weeks later the shop called to say they were fixed, and Eada for collection.
I picked them up, I tried them on but they were little or no better, but they insisted that they had been made exactly to my prescription, they also said the lenses could not be made any thinner.
i told them the specs i was wearing, with very little change in my prescription, were half the thickness,
and they purchased from THEM. So i went to BOOTS chemist where i have my eyes tested, the optician at Boots tested the specs for me, he said that the lenses were way of centre. so i took them back again,
relaying what the optician had said, they reluctantly sent them off again. Anyway i have now got them back again. I can see through them now, but the lenses are still thick.
Can anyone please suggest a Good reliable place where i can get my spec done properly, don't mind paying extra it is worth it to me.
any suggestions will be very much appreciated.
Thanks Ray.

[Buenchico]

I like SpecSavers. They're cheap, friendly, efficient and (while they'll obviously try to tempt you with things like insurance) they don't push too hard to get you to pay for 'extras'. Additionally, if you're not satisfied, you can go back time and time again (free of charge) until they've got things right.

Chris

[radan]

I'm not an expert but if you want thinner lenses I think you'll need to look for ones with a higher refractive index (and hence higher price). I just had a quick look on Google and found at least one company who described the various lenses they had available in different refractive index strengths. Any reputable optician should be able to offer this range.

[dennisb66]

Specsavers for me every time.

[annie0000]

I have heard that Asda are very good if you have a high prescription as they include thinned down lenses as standard. If you are really not fussed about the cost, I would go to a specialist opticians with a good history rather than a high street chain. Don't get me wrong, I get mine from a chain (Optical Express) and have always been happy, but it is a bit of a hit or miss sometimes, whereas the small independant shops rely on their reputation as customers are harder to come by, so my feeling is that you get a better service.

[Mosaic]

Ray, when you find out will you let me know too? I have had a similar experience to you, with really shoddy bottle-bottoms coming from one optician (asking £400 - got told to keep them); Specsavers excellent opthalmologists but couldn't be bothred to show me a pair of specs with equivalent lenses fitted. It's all very well them saying 'oh they'll be alright' - when you're paying hundreds of pounds you need to be absolutely confident of what the finished product will look like. I'm consiering a holiday in Budapest for my next buy, as I'm told optical goods are much cheaper there. Anyone got views?

[timeout1]

Chris, / Randan, / Dennis, / Annie, / Mosaic,
Thank you, you have been most helpful, I really appreciate you all for taking the time to help me. Mosaic if and when i get satisfaction, with my spec,s I will certainly let
you know. Thanks again everyone.
Ray.

[boxtops]

Ray, I am very shortsighted (+6 in one eye) so I recognise what you are saying about bottle glass. I also recognise your problems with variofocals - when I first moved on to mine, it took my optician four sets of lenses (and they paid for all but the final ones) before they got the spacing of the different sections of lens right for me. They took into account what I do (work, home computer, daily life) and also the way I hold my head - which is slightly up, not level chin - and now the spec are spot on, I really don't notice the move from one lens area to the next. I do buy good lenses (I ask for Zeiss or similar) and I have polychromatic coating too, so I don't need separate sunglasses - so I pay about £600 per pair - it sounds a lot but I wear them all day, every day, and I have had them 4 years now without need for adjustment, so it is good value for money. I go to a small independent optician, the service is first class, I don't think I would have got the detailed care I had in getting my lenses right if I had gone to a big chain. (I may be wrong and others may say otherwise, of course!)

[joko]

i would check out some of the online stores...i myself use budgetspex, but there are many others

they are cheaper because the lenses are not glass but i kind of strong plastic...you can still get all the extras etc but i expect they would be lighter for you too, and i see no reason they cant do thin ones

you can also just send them your old frames to be reglazed cheaply...

might be worth a look...you can email them directly and explain your situ...i have found them pretty helpful