To think specsavers is being a little unfair....

[Fairylea]

Genuinely not sure if I am being unreasonable or not. There's nothing I can do about it anyway but I am a bit perplexed by this.

I am extremely short sighted with astigmatism (-9.50 both eyes). I need complex lenses which are thinned down - these cost £150 at specsavers (more elsewhere, I have rang around everywhere and I cannot order online as they need to take measurements and for my type of lenses it is more risky to get right).

I get my contact lenses through specsavers for £13 a month. Part of this deal means I also get a free pair of glasses every two years. I have a pituitary problem which affects my eyes so I need to give them a rest from contacts in the evening as my eyes become sore.

The free glasses deal doesn't cover the whole cost of my glasses because of the lenses I need. So I end up with extra to pay as the deal is limited to standard lenses.

I am entitled to an nhs eye voucher which comes to £90 ish or thereabouts.

However, I have been told that I cannot use the nhs voucher with the free glasses offer as they are both "offers".

Surely that is wrong though? The nhs voucher isn't an offer, it is an entitlement because I am on a low income (for health reasons if anyone is interested).

I think it's a bit unfair really. I don't know how anyone with really bad eyes like me is supposed to afford glasses when the cost of the voucher doesn't even cover them and you cannot use it with a deal!

Surely an offer and an nhs entitlement are two separate things?

[deakymom]

pretty sure that is wrong can you get them to point out where in writing it states you cant use your entitlement and your offer?

[Fairylea]

Before someone has a go at me for having contact lenses on a low income (there's bound to be one ) one of the reasons I get them is because of the free glasses deal because it covers some of the cost of the glasses for me so it is like saving towards them plus getting free contacts if that makes sense.

[Fairylea]

Thank you I may go back to them and ask again..I feel like they think i'm an idiot though. I've asked twice already and been told the same thing.

[Funkytown]

they abu I've been going to specsavers for years for myself and my child and i have never heard anything like that because as you said the nhs voucher is an entitlement and the free glasses offer is exactly that

[whois]

Sounds wrong to me - like you say the spec savers thing is an offer and the NHS voucher am entitlement. So you would expect to try and use the voucher with whatever Specsavers deal is cheapest.

They probably can do it in their T&Cs though. Just feels a bit wrong

[londonrach]

I get my contacts from specsavers (lens mail) eyes tested there etc. you know you can take your voucher and prescription elsewhere. My last 'designer' glasses came from asda and cost £40 for the extra extra thin lens for my rugby ball eyes. Shop around....

[Captainbarnacles1101]

I recently had an issue with specsavers in my town. I discovered it is a sort of franchise and the manager just didn't understand the policy. I would defo go back to them and if u get no joy with the manager ring another branch perhaps a bigger one and ask for advice.

[Slidingintoindifference]

Can't do links but on specsavers website on the great value for nhs customers page, it says 'in fact, an NHS voucher can also be used with all our offers'.

Definitely go back OP they are telling you the wrong thing in store.

[fairgame]

They do this all the time with offers.
In their eyes your voucher will be used for the contact lenses and won't cover the specs because you are only entitled to one or the other on the nhs.
They do this with the free extra pair of specs for kids. Ds has one pair that are covered by the nhs so free repairs etc but if the 'free' 2nd pair break then they are not covered and I have to pay. It's because they are providing the free second pair themselves at their own cost. They even log the bar codes of the specs so you can only claim repairs on the nhs ones.

[Fairylea]

Thank you... I should have checked the website. I feel a bit daft I didn't. I will go back later today with a print out and show them I'll let you know what happens.

I didn't think to check asda for glasses. Good idea thanks.

[MyLifeIsFictional]

Specsavers keep writing to me to tell me that it's been 8 years since my last eye test.

I had told them to take me off their mailing list 8 years ago after the optician was so abominably rude to me for no reason yet they persist in writing to tell me that my eyes will deteriorate without regular optical checks. Which I am getting with Vision Express.

You are not the only optician in the word Specsavers! Now I just bin the letters or use them to line the hamster cage.

[HotPinkWeaselWearingLederhosen]

The NhS voucher is a credit.

My neighbour had similar. She purchased half price frames, on presentation of the voucher they tried to charge her full price as the the NHS voucher was according to the outlet only for full price items.

They need to show you in their terms and conditions exceptions that relate specifically to the NHS credit.

It's not and offer, it has an actual cash value that they will receive, they are obliged to pass that on to you.

[BeerHunter]

I have twice now used the 2 together towards the cost of glasses.

I go to the Norwich branch. You could try ringing them and ask if you can use the 2 together. Then you can tell your branch that they got it wrong.

[CuttingOutTheCrap]

here's the link to how the NHS vouchers works with their other offers [[http://www.specsavers.co.uk/glasses/nhs-optical-voucher]]

[CuttingOutTheCrap]

oops too slow :)

[Fairylea]

Thank you everyone. I was half expecting to get told I was being an entitled so and so because that is how the staff at this particular branch have made me feel (I won't post the branch as it will out me).

I haven't used the voucher towards the contact lenses so it should still be available.

It's interesting to hear how varied it is between branches. You'd think as a chain it would be very standard and they should all adhere to the same rules.

Thank you for the replies.

[Nyancat]

Have you had unthinned lenses recently. I have similar sight problems, -10 and -11 with astigmatism, but I wear fairly small, heavy framed glasses, sort of rayban wayfarers shape. I've stopped getting thinned lenses since I changed to these as they aren't really noticeable if you have thicker frames.

[Numanoid]

That's unfair, especially as glasses are a necessity for some. I know it would be unfeasible to expect glasses to be free, but the price of them can be ridiculous. I got a BOGOF offer at Boots on mine, but I only use them sometimes when I'm working in front of a screen for long periods, so I didn't need special lenses.

[Numanoid]

Would Boots accept an NHS voucher? I've always found them to be quite reasonable with prices and the opticians are really helpful. They tend to fix glasses for free, too, if you bought them there. :)

[lougle]

Go to a different branch. They phoned me after I'd got glasses (combining nhs voucher and deals) to day that they could have combined different deals which would have been £30 cheaper, so could they have my card details to refund the difference.

[OhYouBadBadKrillitane]

I don't use chain opticians anymore and use a small independent whom my gp trusts. Although they don't do offers, I've found the prices of their glasses to be much more reasonable, I sometimes feel that chains do fake offers, marking up the price before they discount.
I get the same people each visit as does dd and they remember my history so I feel in safe hands.

[Fairylea]

Good tips everyone. I am heading out to town and will pop in and see them (again) armed with the stuff from their website and see what they say. I also rang the Norwich branch (my nearest "big" branch) and they said I should be able to use the voucher but they also said it may depend on the branch!

If I don't get any joy with my local one I will have to make a special day trip to Norwich or my other nearest main branch. I'm also going to try some other local opticians.

[BlueBrightBlue]

Check you have been issued the correct voucher OP. I get £90 towards my lenses yet my eyesight is nowhere near as bad as yours.
You might be entitled to more than £90.

[raydown]

This doesn't sound right. I have been able to use nhs voucher and lens mail offer in the past. They claim the money back from the nhs for the voucher so it's not even as though it's costing them anymore. I'd definitely ask to speak to the manager.