Need A New Pair Of Glasses? Here’s How To Save Money On Eye Tests And Specs

At nan property of 39, I’ve been told I should commencement wearing glasses erstwhile moving aliases driving.

On uncovering out, I abruptly faced a world of decisions – and they each progressive a cost.

As good arsenic theeye test, I needed to salary for frames – costing from astir £20 to £200 astatine nan optician’s I was successful – and determine whether to spell for extras specified arsenic anti-reflection coatings for nan lenses aliases extra-light frames.

Most group (86%) bargain their glasses from nan aforesaid optician’s wherever they person an oculus test, according to investigation by UK regulator nan General Optical Council (GOC), and only 8% bargain online contempt nan little costs. But I wanted to cognize what shopping astir could prevention maine – and whether spending much would beryllium amended for my eyes.

The oculus test

A basal oculus trial typically costs betwixt £20 and £30, and it is recommended that you person 1 each 2 years. An enhanced oculus trial is besides disposable astatine astir opticians. These let an optometrist to position nan wellness of nan oculus successful much detail. Costs tin really vary. Specsavers says an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan – which takes a 3D image of nan backmost of nan oculus – whitethorn costs up to £10 extra, whereas immoderate Boots outlets complaint an other £60 for an OCT scan and an “optomap” oculus scan.

Optometrists urge having your oculus show checked astir erstwhile each 2 years. Photograph: Ross Helen/Alamy

Manveer Seyan, a elder teacher successful optometry astatine nan University of Hertfordshire, says a basal oculus trial is capable successful astir cases, but enhanced examinations tin thief to observe nan earliest signs of oculus disease, often earlier symptoms appear.

“The scans are besides very useful successful monitoring nan progression of immoderate retinal conditions,” he says. “If an optometrist recommends an enhanced oculus examination, it would beryllium advisable to person one.”

Some group tin get free oculus tests done nan NHS if they are eligible: for example, if they are receiving definite benefits. Anyone utilizing a surface for their activity should besides beryllium entitled to a free oculus trial done their employer, while immoderate companies whitethorn lend to nan value of glasses if you are required to deterioration them for your job.

What makes up nan value of a brace of glasses?

When you bargain a brace of glasses, you are paying for 2 elements: nan framework and nan lenses.

Frames: The costs will dangle connected nan materials progressive and nan design, pinch nan cheapest starting astatine little than £10, and immoderate top-end designer frames priced astatine £500 aliases more. More costly frames thin to beryllium made from lightweight materials specified arsenic stainless steel, while cheaper frames are often made pinch heavier and little durable materials specified arsenic plastic.

top-end designer frames priced astatine £500 aliases more. Photograph: MixMedia/Getty Images

Lenses: Often nan lenses will beryllium nan biggest portion of nan costs – peculiarly if you request a beardown prescription. Basic single-vision lenses are nan cheapest, and those pinch much analyzable elements, specified arsenic bifocal and varifocal lenses, are much costly because they see aggregate prescriptions.

Varifocal glasses are disposable astatine a assortment of prices depending connected nan design: this refers to really nan lens is engineered to accommodate nan different prescriptions nan wearer needs. Occupational lenses, besides known arsenic agency lenses, for example, are 1 assortment of varifocals designed for indoor use. They are recommended for anyone who needs clear imagination for adjacent and mid-distance.

Upgrading from basal lenses will adhd to nan cost. Here are immoderate examples of upgrades you tin adhd (all nan costs quoted present are provided by Specsavers).

• High-index lenses: these are lighter than modular lenses and suited to group pinch higher prescriptions who would different person a dense brace of glasses to wear. Generally, nan thinner and lighter nan lens is, nan much costly it will be. Extra-thin lenses tin adhd £60 to nan cost, for example.

• Sun tint and UV: this is simply a imperishable tint to your glasses, successful a prime of colours, which tin relieve oculus strain and soften harsh lighting, and includes UV protection. This is usually astir £30 more.

• Hard coating: astir glasses already travel pinch a difficult coating connected nan lens to protect against scratches, but you tin often take an enhanced scratch-resistant and anti-reflection coating to trim reflections. It tin costs astir £35.

• Photochromic lenses: besides known arsenic modulation lenses, these are clear erstwhile you are indoors and spell darker erstwhile you are successful nan sun. These typically cosr an other £85.

• Mirror lenses: enhanced lenses for sunglasses that bespeak ray and trim glare. From £60.

• Polarised tints: you tin take this action for sunglasses and it tin thief trim glare. From £70.

You tin bargain inexpensive reference glasses connected nan precocious street. While they tin beryllium useful arsenic a spare set, Seyan warns they person limitations.

“The ‘one size fits all’ quality tin mean that nan framework doesn’t fresh correctly and nan wearer doesn’t look done nan centre of nan lens,” he says. “Ready-made glasses besides person nan aforesaid powerfulness lens successful some eyes, and unless nan wearer has precisely nan aforesaid prescription, they will not beryllium perfect.”

Online savings

Shopping in-person offers an important array of services, but for elemental prescriptions location are cheaper deals online. Photograph: Alamy

While accepted shops specified arsenic Specsavers, Vision Express aliases Boots Opticians supply a face-to-face service, location are besides tons of online options for buying frames and lenses erstwhile you person your prescription.

For anyone pinch a elemental prescription, prices for some frames and lenses are usually little online. Research done successful 2023 by Glasses Direct, 1 of nan biggest online retailers, claimed its customers spent an mean of £109.60 compared pinch nan £212.90 they spent, connected average, nan past clip they bought akin glasses from a precocious thoroughfare optician.

Buying online has different benefits, excessively – you tin browse whenever you want to, and comparing costs betwixt retailers is quicker. Online retailers opportunity they supply nan aforesaid proposal arsenic a beingness branch, either connected nan telephone aliases done email, and astir person nan exertion to let you to effort connected glasses virtually.

Neil Perry, nan operations head astatine online retailer Lensology, says prices are often up to 70% cheaper online.

He suggests that successful beingness shops customers tin consciousness obliged to make speedy decisions astir frames, lens finishes and different add-ons, which tin lead to them spending much connected extras that whitethorn not “have been afloat considered”.

However, you cannot bargain each frames online – varifocals and bifocals are only disposable successful branches astatine Specsavers, for example, and you will miss retired connected master thief to make judge nan glasses fit.

You whitethorn besides person to facet successful transportation costs that whitethorn not beryllium included successful nan header price.

Seyan says he would counsel buying glasses from a beingness optician because “choosing a suitable framework involves uncovering thing that not only looks bully but is nan correct size and, astir importantly, is suitable for nan medicine issued. Dispensing opticians aliases appropriately trained unit successful a believe tin make suitable recommendations, and this benignant of proposal isn’t ever disposable online.”

Specific measurements request to beryllium taken erstwhile ordering frames pinch lenses. Photograph: Zorica Nastasic/Getty Images

Specific measurements request to beryllium taken to guarantee nan lenses align pinch nan wearer’s pupil, and other measurements are required for much analyzable lenses specified arsenic bifocals.

“Not taking meticulous measurements and having misaligned optical centres tin impact a wearer’s imagination and springiness emergence to secondary issues specified arsenic oculus strain and headaches. When ordering spectacles online, these measurements are often estimated and this tin origin problems later,” Seyan says.

Bear successful mind that location are tons of deals and discounts astatine online and bricks and mortar outlets – specified arsenic money disconnected if you bargain 2 pairs.

Whether you shop online aliases connected nan precocious street, it is important to spell to an optician registered pinch nan GOC. These businesses must meet definite standards and, if they breach these, they tin beryllium sanctioned.

Anyone tin hunt nan nationalist registry to spot if a business aliases optician is registered pinch nan GOC.

Help pinch costs

You whitethorn get a free oculus trial aliases oculus vouchers towards nan costs of glasses if you are receiving immoderate of nan pursuing benefits: income support, income-based employment and support allowance, income-based jobseeker’s allowance, pension in installments guarantee in installments aliases cosmopolitan in installments and you meet nan criteria.

Some of nan different reasons for qualifying besides see being nether 16 aliases complete 60, registered arsenic partially sighted aliases blind, having been diagnosed pinch glucosuria aliases glaucoma, aliases if you person been advised by an oculus expert to person a trial (you tin find a full database connected nan NHS website).

Where tin I find champion worth for money?

We compared nan costs of a very basal group of frames pinch azygous medicine lenses to spot wherever prices commencement astatine different retailers. Remember you whitethorn beryllium capable to get a voucher towards nan costs from your employer:

SelectSpecs (online): starts from £6, which includes azygous imagination basal lenses.

Glasses Direct (online): starts from £9, which includes 1.5 scale medicine lenses.

Spex4Less (online): starts from £12.95 for frames only. Basic azygous imagination lenses commencement from £5.

Specsavers (online and branches): starts from £15, which includes basal azygous imagination lenses.

Vision Express (online and branches): Starts from £25, which includes basal azygous imagination lenses.

Boots Opticians (online and branches): starts from £50, which includes basal azygous imagination lenses.