Glasses - soooo expensive!

£450 for me - one pair of varifocials, one pair for computer work. I chose expensive frames for the main pair - my eyes don't let me have laser surgery or contact lenses so I treat myself. The specsavers own brand frames are comfier though!
Sunglasses can wait til next year - they have my previous prescription.

Last year I tried out a corporate offer they do - £17 I think for eye test and reading glasses up to £50, you buy a book of vouchers.
I did go ahead with it, but had to warn colleagues about the hard sell.
I decided to go with two pairs of glasses, so was expecting a small charge, of £20 ish I think. The initial price was around £300 from memory, went through all the take off the special coatings, thinner lenses, anti-glare, VDU lenses not vocational lenses... back to the £20 I'd expected.
they also kept trying to put it through as an NHS test - I'd already had a recent test with my own optician, so wasn't entitled to one.

Don't forget that if you use a screen for work, your employer has a duty to pay for your eye test and VDU glasses.

I do wonder if Asda varies by location as they are always recommended on here. However I recently used them for occupational and hobby glasses (total just under £200) and whilst I like the frames and that is probably at least £100 cheaper than Specsavers, they messed up the lenses and they are now being re-done. I probably wouldn't use them again to be honest.

Asda opticians are the best value and reasonable lenses for the low price. I used to work in an independent opticians but now I have retired I always use Asda.

Yep, I would say that's about right. I have nice frames c/ £300 and complex lenses. I get a good frame and reglaze. I've also had the frame repaired. I always shop around for the frame too, you can buy designer ones online once you've tried in store.

£500 for two pairs of specs sounds like an absolute bargain. I need varifocals, so I spent the thick end of £1,000 for 2 pairs a couple of years ago.
But given that this is our all-important vision, and we wear glasses all day and every day, it's not unreasonable.

My local specavers are always really good at doing a deal so it's always worth asking if there is anything additional they can offer to take off.

Asda opticians prices are amazing. I have really tricky lenses which cost a fortune normally, plus varifocals, thinning etc and it was still 2 pairs for £150 with nice frames. The edges of the varifocals might not be quite as good as the £600 a pair high end lenses from my local optician if I was really picky but everything else was great

Can I just point out that having an astigmatism is totally normal and not some crazy thing that means your lenses will cost loads more. All most everyone has an astigmatism to some degree.
Some people have a high astigmatism but very very few. For most people it just means that your eye isn’t exactly round, because very little in nature is, and you need slightly more correction in one direction.
It shouldn’t cause your lenses to be any more complex or expensive.

I go to Specsavers and need thinning lenses and reactolite. I usually spend around £250 for 2 pairs. I need 4 pairs - distance, reading, computer and distance sunglasses so buy 2 of them every year (I get tested every year). I never look at the designer frames, usually buy frames around £70. The 2 for 1 offer only works on simple lenses. It's cheaper to buy 2 separate pairs and they offer discount on the lenses.

They are so expensive! Sadly I am limited to the frames that will hold my high prescription. I don’t need 2 though thank god but the thinning is expensive too. I tried ASDA but they cancelled my appt 3 times so I gave up.

I've been using Asda for my glasses for years, I have to admit I was a bit dubious the first time but Asda glasses are just as good as Vision Express. I've had no problems at all with their glasses and they are considerably cheaper than high street opticians.

I'm in a similar boat.

I bought a couple of pairs 3 years ago for £50 a pair. I chose the cheapest available.

I went back a couple of months ago expecting the same and walked out and hour later having paid close to £200 for two pairs. Double the price in just 3 years!

Asda for the eye testing,been going there 12 years, glasses direct. Ds has used select specs,he wears glasses all the time. No way could I afford these eye watering amounts,on a state pension. Specsavers messed up 3 separate branches,no thanks.

David Cluelow take about £30 a month from me, which is a 0% finance deal on my glasses. Think the cost is £600? Something stupid. But I pretend it’s ok because I get a free annual eye test, and they replace the lenses free if they get scratched. So I definitely try not to scratch them.

Can i please ask, how do they do the measurements for the varifocals if you buy online? And how do you get the frames adjusted to fit your face when you get the glasses?

I just get the £6 ones at select specs. Admittedly I'm single vision. But I doubt even varifocals would cup up to £500.

I’ve have astigmatism and just got two pairs of varifocals from Specsavers for under £300. Did you choose expensive frames OP?

My last pair of glasses cost over £600 not with expensive frames, my eyes are

• 11and - 12. I am resisting varifocls.

I am in another country and have just bought varifocals for £50. Always stock up here.

I got laser eye surgery 13 years ago because I figured the cost of buying a new prescription every few years (plus contacts) would work out the same. In hindsight it would have been more expensive. I used my savings so it was a big investment but it was the best money I've spent. My mother has worn glasses all her life and god knows how much she's spent.

Yep it’s about that if you need complex lenses. I’m -9.50 in both eyes with astigmatism and need varifocals and I’ve just paid £600 for two pairs with specsavers. Before that my last pair was £750 at an independent opticians. I’ve tried Asda before and found the field of vision in their varifocals wasn’t nearly as good as the lenses I’ve had from the independent one. Even specsavers isn’t as good as those but I prefer the frame choice in specsavers. It does make me laugh that if you’re entitled to a complex lens voucher from the nhs it’s around £60 (!) you can’t even get lenses for that!