The speccy four-eyes club........

[Zacs-Master]

I've finally had to admit, as I plummet towards my 50th birthday, that I need double glazing for my peepers (glasses). Can any of you, soon to be, fellow bespectacled ABers recommed the best place to have an eye test done?

The first person to write 'should have gone to specsavers' is a big ninny.

[Kiki-frog]

I've used both Boots and Specsavers in the past and have found them both to be good. But it's bound to vary from branch to branch. Specsavers usually have a 2 for 1 deal, so I got a pair of ordinary specs and prescription sunglasses las time.

And don't be ashamed of wearing them - some people look really sexy with glasses!

[ummmm]

I get my eye tests at specsavers. You can take the prescription to any opticians to get your glasses.

[Mick-Talbot]

I don't want glasses


I have gone for the really outstretched arms option.

[weecalf]

ision express were quite reasonable .Ready in two hours and a frre pair .about a year ago .dont know why I wanted another pair as I only have two ears

[Vibrett]

My partner recently had an eyetest at specsavers but couldn't decide on a frame that suited him. We popped to Sainsburys to give him time to think and he picked up a perfect pair with the right lens to match his prescription for just £12.99 so don't be pushed into buying a pair of glasses from the people who do the test - shop around!

[Fitzer]

I've just come back to glasses at 50 having had 10 years off after LASIK, I went to Specsavers as they were local and was very impressed by both the testing and the range of frames available.

[ladybirder]

Ah mick you must be long-sighted like me. You'll run out of arm in the end though. But it is a good indicator of when you need new ones when you find yourself holding the paper further away:-)

[flump1]

Hi Zac , I have used Specsavers , Tesco opticians and Vision Express and for me the latter came out as favourite. Vision Express gave me the best quality glasses and service, the other two are just below them in the ranks.

[Zacs-Master]

Thanks all.

Kiki - singing - I'm (not) too sexy for my specs, too sexy for my specs, my specs are sex.

Mick - not sure what the heck you're on about but it made me laugh.

Weecalf - you could wear the other pair on th back of your head.

Vibrett - Ooooh NO! I want some D&G ones at least if I'm wearing them.

[Fitzer]

Before LASIK I once used Vision Express in Cambridge and they gave me the most inaccurate sight test/prescription I ever had, they insisted everything was correct even though I was getting headaches and couldn't see properly. Had the test re-done at Boots and took glasses back to Vision Express and eventually got a refund for both the test and glasses, never crossed their threshold again :-)

[Zacs-Master]

flump - that's reassuring. I've just registered for a free eye test with Vision Express via this very site (first time in 7 years I've used an advert!).

[Prudie]

I don't understand the current specsavers deal of a free eye-test when you spend £99. What would you buy at specsavers for £99+ that didn't require an eye-test anyway?

[daffy654]

I use a local independent optician, I get a much better and more relaxed eye test and they don't do the hard sell with their own frames.

[Baldric]

I went to Specsavers, they were very good, no probs at all.

They even diagnosed my main problem as a 'basic design fault'
My arms are too short!
;o)

Seriously, they were very professional, I was happy to use them.

[boxtops]

I'm with daffy, I use an independent optician - I have found the service far more personal and flexible. They had to make up four sets of lenses before the setting on my varifocals was exactly right, and I only paid for the last set.

[funnygirl]

I went to specsavers and I did not like the service I got at all. It was like a factory, you are shunted from person to person.

[ChuckFickens]

I had mine re-tested last week at specsavers (first time in 11 years), found the test to be thorough and the staff very helpful, they were prepared to spend as much time with the customers as the customers wanted (I got there early so sat about watching for about 20min).

My prescription has apparently only changed a tiny amount from the glasses I'm wearing at the moment and as I can see fine with these I've no doubt the test was accurate, the eye test would have cost me £20 but I didn't have to pay for that due to having a voucher (I could have got work to pay for the eye test if I didn't have a voucher) and I did choose a couple of pairs of frames from them too, but as others have said, if you don't see any frames you like you can always take your prescription elsewhere.

My frames did work out pretty expensive (well over £200) but that's because I picked some ultra lightweight designer frames and went for the ultra thin lenses (my eyes are very bad, so if I didn't have the thin lenses it would be like having a couple of bottles on my face)

Gotta go and pick up the new specs tomorrow and have them fitted, but so far I'm very happy with the service specsavers (in Braintree) have given me.

[ChuckFickens]

Oh I did look in the local place too, I was put off because the place and equipment looked antiquated compared to specsavers.

[mccfluff]

i tried out asda and was pleasantly surprised, i usually pay around £300 + (with vision express) got KL frames, varifocals with light senstive lenses for £156 (inc test)

[Zacs-Master]

Thanks again all.