Need some advice about paying high costs for glasses please

Fair enough. I've not got my prescription in front of me. I may be - 4.75 or something. Definitely about that level. It feels high when you see the thickness of the edge of the normal lense!!

I always struggle to adjust to new glasses so this quote puts me off online purchases "Varifocal lenses require particular measurements that include the distance between your pupils and where your pupil sits vertically in the chosen frame order to have the distance, intermediate and near vision sat in the correct position. The frame size and how it sits on your face also affects this measurement. When ordered online, they are either set as a Standard' position or the website encourages you to try and measure it yourself. If the measurements aren't correct it can cause issues being able to adapt to the lenses."

Asda - you just pay the cost of the frames. I have complex lenses including varifocals and thinning, and paid £60, but could have chosen cheaper as they start at about £20. They've lasted me 3 years so far.

I paid £185 all in for my fairly high, astigmatic prescription varifocals at Iolla. It's a Scottish company and I think they are only in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester, but they have a great selection of frames, and include thin lenses in the price if needed.

If they are close to you, or you fancy a weekend city break, I would recommend them.

I get my glasses from glassesdirect.com after obtaining a copy of my prescription from the opticians. They offer free trial lenses too and you can send back a pair of glasses with the finished lenses in for a full refund if for some reason they don't work out for you (I've done that with no issue- not sure how they make money!?)

@Feelingstrange2 i presumed high prescription was 7 to 10 but google suggests it is over 5 so they may do 5 to 7.

I highly recommend:

https://www.glassesdirect.co.uk/

They will send you up to 4 sets of frames to try for style, and then you send them your prescription, and they sort it out from there. Very reasonable even for varifocals. Why not send them your prescription and ask what they charge BEFORE you chose your frames OP?

Are these varifocal? If you can continue with 2 pairs would that be cheaper?
Your opticians cheapest frames may be 150 but you can definitely get cheaper ones in Specsavers etc and also online.
My high end glasses with fancy thinned lenses still only cost me £800 all in and the frames were at least 300.
Definitely get your prescription and shop around. Check online too. It's not ideal but sounds better than your current setup

@TiredArse do you work for them/are you sure? As I wasted so much time on fittings/frame selection that I was so annoyed I contacted head office to ask why i wasnt told after the eye test when i made the fitting appointment and they were adamant they couldnt make high prescription varifocals thin (below -10 prescription so not super high). I may complain again if you are sure about this.

I agree with the others, if they are telling you the cheapest frames are £150 I wouldn’t trust any of their prices!

I know if you have a complex prescription the most budget of frames may not be an option but there will be some a lot cheaper that are.

What's a high prescription? I've - 4/ -5 and have the thinnest in varifocal.

OP, do you know roughly what your prescription is?

Simply, the cheapest frames are not £150.

They can, but they might not like doing it if they have to do a special order as they cost them more to make. May also vary by franchise?

For those suggesting specsavers they cant make high prescription varifocals thin at all.

Is that an independent optician? The lenses will likely be better but the cheaper ones will hopefully work just as well. High street wise, Asda is cheapest, but fewer choices of frames. Apparently Asda Varifocals are better than the basic ones in boots etc.

I usually have all.singing all dancing glasses with the thinnest lenses possible, varifocal, glare reducing and a decent designer frame. Then a "free" pair of sunglasses (which cost a few bob once I've added sunglass lense etc).

I have always paid under £450 total from Specsavers.

I guess I last went during COVID maybe the prices have shot up since, like so much has?

I'm.sure if you request the prescription and take it to one of the cheaper opticians and let them know your budget, they will try and help you.

Check before wasting your time with places like specsaver that they can actually meet your prescription as they will happily let you do fittings etc and then you find out they cant thin them down with varifocals or astigmatism on high prescription. Total waste of time.

How special is your prescription?
I have mine from a not-so-cheap opticians and with Reactive lens and insurance and the most I pay is £200. If I had them thinned it would add maybe another £100

I'd try another opticians

depends on a lot of things .. I gave terrible eyesight so my lenses need thinning, and I now need varifocals, and I gave an astigmatism, I pay around £450 for mine.

Conversely my daughter has a low, “regular” prescription, and we get them for about £60

It really depends what you need. Shop around

I use the ones in Poundland. Granted they are not a pound but they are about £5. I had a private optician, he suggested it.

Your optician has to give you a copy of your prescription. Take this to any other optician, eg Asda, Specsavers and see how much they charge.