Which opticians?

Question

I recently had an eye test with specsavers, they told me my eyes havent changed at all but that they recommend i buy new glasses. My glasses are completely fine, i would even go as far as to say they have been the best pair ive ever owned.

Even after explaining this to them, they almost insisted that i at least pay for new lenses to put in my existing frames, and on top of that charge me £39 because i want to keep my old frames, £20 for my eye test and £60 for my new lenses.

£119.00 AND MY EYES HAVENT EVEN CHANGED!!!

Does anyone else apart from me think that this is completely unfair? Ive been with specsavers for years now, but after this nonsense am considering changing my opticians. Can anyone suggest or recommend a honest decent opticians that arent just in it to make money. Ive thought of boots or dolland & atchison?

Answer 1

Good luck with that......They are all in it for the money, you should have been firmer with the character at the store. I would consider calling the head office and telling them you felt under preasure to purchase replacement lenses from them....You never know in the interest of customer satisfaction they may send you a few quid back......

Answer 2

i would reccomend optical express! i had laser eye surgery 3 years ago with them and they couldnt do enough for me i have been back many times for eye tests etc very helpful and wouldnt rip u off

Answer 3

Any chain opticians such as Specsavers, Donald & Atchinson,

Boots and Vision Express are NOT good places to get your eyes tested. The optomertrists that work there are given a daily quota of people they have to get through in a day and numbers of glasses they have to sell.

You defintely should change your optician and go to a family run, indepndent optician. There you will get better treatment, inpartial advice and much better service.

Answer 4

I have used Boots for some years now and find them very efficient and helpful.  They spotted a problem and sent me to the hospital that very day.  They have several times done work for me without charge.  Yes, when I buy spectacles with special lenses it costs an arm and a leg but I feel confident that they know what they are doing.

What you need to do once you have had the eye test is ask for your prescription and tell them you will come back with a friend to choose spectacles and then don't go back!

Answer 5

Yes, definitely unfair.  I use Boots just for the eye test, then I take the prescription (result of the test) and go to the company named in the web site below.  They are cheap, fair and you get a good selection.

Most spectacle frames are now imported from China and cost just a few pence to people like Specsavers etc.

Do your homework.  Look around and don't allow yourself to be pressured by any of the big multiples.  Incidentally, some of the smaller high street opticians are also climbing on this money making bandwagon, so be careful.

Shop around.

Best of luck.

Answer 6

I am in the US, but thought I'd throw an answer out to ya. :)

Not ALL opticians are out to rip people off. I am one (for 17 years) and I could not live with myself if I tried to FORCE people to buy things they didn't want. Do I offer options to people ...yes I do, but only so they know all their options that they can get IF they want them. I don't make them feel bad if they choose to not get additional options either.

I have worked for chain opticals in the past and did NOT like it. I do not like being forced to meet a sales goal or my hours will be cut. Needless to say...I will no longer work for a retail chain. I work for an independant Optometrist and will as long as I am in this field. At our office, we do not force people to buy new glasses if they do not need them. Also, if a person's frame is in good condition, and they want to re-use it for new lenses, we will with no problem. That being said , NOT all chain working opticians are like that. I do have friends who take their patient care very seriously that work for chains.  

There ARE honorable opticians and doctors that want to meet their patient's needs and keep them for life. Of course the bad ones ruin the rep for the rest of us. You will find a good place to work with you. Follow your gut feelings and if you don't like the situation, don't buy into it. Also keep in mind....you get what you pay for. If you want extremely cheap eyewear, don't expect that you will be working with a trained professional all the time (optician wise), because that place has to PAY the trained professional just like any other business would have to. I know of a certain optical over here that has CHEAP stuff...the frames  have cheap metals that break easily at the solder points...hard to adjust...etc. None of the opticians could service their own patients eyewear and the patients came to our optical to have us fix the mess they bought elsewhere.

I hope you find a place that will take care of you properly.

Answer 7

specsavers are one of the best optitions but they also are the ones who try and make the most money . its all about making money for them now rather than actually just concentrating on peoples eyes.

i dont know why they wanted you to buy more glasses if you have the same prescription.

well its not neccessary so dont buy them.

There just trying to make money off you.

i hatre buying new glasses because theres all these other things to pay for like the frame the lenses the extra 35 effin quid to have them made thinner. they need to stop just trying to make money off us.

Answer 8

My personal opinions...

I'd be reluctant to work for most of the major UK multiples, never mind have my eyes tested by them.

I have, once or twice, done "mystery shopper" visits just for my own interest, since I get free eye tests.

One Specsavers didn't even realise that and tried to charge me.  I didn't have to lie about my occupation because they didn't ask me, nor enquire about my history which would have informed them about eye surgery in the past.

Frightening.  The dispensing quality in terms of knowledge was no better. Possibly OK if you've got an ordinary RX, but not so good if your eyes are unusual  or you want something unusual.

£39 to reglaze?  Ridiculous!

Boots, going by my experience, is probably the best of the major multiples.

But the best bet remains a independent optometrist found by personal recommendation.

Optometrist, retired.

Answer 9

I agree with u dude. I'd try Optical Express, they're really good and never try to sell you something that you dont necessarily need. Specsavers arent exactly renowned for quality are they. They spend most of their revenue on their marketing...i.e. "you should've gone to specsavers", BUT their service is appalling and the quality of their products is  lacking. I would suggest you go to either Optical Express or even Vision Express. They are two different companies by th eway. Good luck.

Answer 10

Optical Express I have used them for 10 years now and never had a problem.

You could even consider eye surgery with them its the best thing I ever did.