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Original poster

Buying prescription glasses, why so expensive?

50 replies

bevelino · 26/03/2019 10:03

I wasn’t sure where to post this question. Please can anyone explain why buying prescription glasses is so expensive in many shops on the high street?

I went to buy new glasses and found a pair of rimless frames for £159, however by the time they had added the cost of my prescription the cost was £650. I was given all the blurb about the thinness of the lenses and scratch resistant etc, but felt it was all a rip off. I am still searching and does anyone have recommendations for reasonably priced glasses?

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 26/03/2019 10:05

Asda - I have complicated lenses and it is all included in the price, so I still get two pairs for £159 even with varifocal and thinned lenses

GoldenHour · 26/03/2019 10:13

Take your prescription else where, I get my Ray Bans from Tortoise and Black online, under £100 and include anti glare.

bananamonkey · 26/03/2019 10:14

I’ve has good service from Glasses direct and they normally have an offer on

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Palominoo · 26/03/2019 10:21

First time glasses wearer here and made the mistake of going to Boots opticians.

Got two pairs both over £650.

Neither are all that and I spent ages trying on frames but must be weird as I struggled to find any styles that suited me. Even their Ray Bans which suit me as sunglasses seemed odd as they were small shapes and the mens ones too wide.

I can't fault t the eye testing, they were brilliant but the glasses I got I don't like.

So I have bought two pairs of Ray Ban frames that I know suit me, and when I get my arse into gear I will get them sent off to Glasses Direct with my prescription and the cost will be hundreds of pounds less than Boots.

popcorndiva · 26/03/2019 10:23

I have -8 prescription so used to spending hundreds to get the lenses thin enough. I actually got my last pair from Marks and Spencer and was only £160. I was gobsmacked.

amusedbush · 26/03/2019 10:24

I am blind as a bat with a bad astigmatism and I've never paid more than £80 with Glasses Direct - and those were Ray Ban frames! I got 25% off those as part of their "boutique" range and they permanently do 50% off AND bogof in their normal range. You can even use two different prescriptions so a friend and I split the bill and each got a new pair of specs for about £25.

Happynow001 · 26/03/2019 10:28

This came arcs good time as I need a new pair of specs but don't want to pay £hundreds. Thank you!

RNBrie · 26/03/2019 10:30

Have a look at Cubitts online - they post frames to you to try on and lenses are included in the price.

Metheven · 26/03/2019 10:31

I second Asda. I paid around £45 for mine which are varifocals and have thin lenses. I had my sight test done elsewhere and then took it along to Asda.

I have been wearing glasses for nearly forty years and these are the best I have had in the last ten years.

I cannot recommend them highly enough.

anniehm · 26/03/2019 10:43

I paid £29 at spec savers but I refused all the extras and have standard lenses. The quote for varifocals was £79

Original poster
bevelino · 26/03/2019 10:52

Thank you for the recommendations everyone and I think i’ll try Asda as I am unsure how buying glasses online works in terms of the measurements and fitting.

I still can’t get over the huge variation in prices for the same specs. I appreciate high street shops have overheads and salaries to pay but even so. The £650 pair I tried on in Boots were Raybans (and they were perfect), but I can see that I could probably get them a whole lot cheaper if I shop around.

OP posts:
sugarbum · 26/03/2019 10:59

I buy glasses from wherelight. Never pay more than £15. I get the prescription from a high street shop and the glasses are always spot on (I'm shortsighted so only use for driving)

longwayoff · 26/03/2019 11:02

RIP OFF first time buyers of high st specs every time. Don't know how they stay in business. Don't indulge them get your prescription and shop around.

x2boys · 26/03/2019 11:03

Don't but designer frames?Dh just got two pairs from Specsavers for £59last week he's as blind as a bar without them they lookl fine imo

GoldenHour · 26/03/2019 11:07

@bevelino what style Ray Ban were they? You can easily get online.

Dramatical · 26/03/2019 11:10

Please can anyone explain why buying prescription glasses is so expensive in many shops on the high street?

Something to do with the glasses you chose?

Original poster
bevelino · 26/03/2019 11:13

@GoldenHour they were rimless and very light. I could hardly feel them on my face, which is what I am looking for.

OP posts:
TeaStory · 26/03/2019 11:16

Rimless glasses are always very expensive. They have to be made of strong but lightweight material, usually titanium, which doesn’t come cheap. Plus you chose designer ones!

Original poster
bevelino · 26/03/2019 11:18

@Dramatical, I get where you are coming from, but I have checked out some of the recommendations on this thread and have seen the exact same glasses (with prescription) that I tried on in Boots for a fraction of the price online.

It seems many high street opticians charge what they think they can get away with rather than offering a fair and competitive price.

OP posts:
Dramatical · 26/03/2019 11:41

But when you buy online v's high street you often do find things cheaper. Pure online shops have no overheads to pay. That's nothing to do with glasses.

Mari50 · 26/03/2019 11:48

So the actual answer to your question is cross subsidy.
The business model for optometry is that the professional expertise is given away for fuck all and has to be recouped somewhere and that’s why glasses are so expensive. And also why places like glasses direct can sell them so cheaply because they don’t fund the loss leading eye exams.
Once people realise that an eye exam should cost £75-100 and are happy to pay for that then glasses may come down in price. However the public have demonstrated a willingness to pay the current prices so maybe not, that’s capitalism for you.

GoldenHour · 26/03/2019 11:50

Yes sorry ignore my recommendation for Tortoise and Black, their prices have increased the last couple months apparently! I've bought my last 3 pairs of Ray Bans from them from £60-£80 each (£60 was a Black Friday discount) over a 2 year period but they are coming up as over £100 more expensive now nearly £200!

callmeruss · 26/03/2019 12:08

Hi OP I used to work for a frame manufacturer that supplied most of the opticians in the uk plus a couple of the big chains. In a nutshell you are absolutely right! The markup on glasses is extortionate we used to have frames returned to us with price tags left on them. The frame only cost the optician £2 or £3 and they were being retailed at £300+ ! Like a PP said rimless and specialty glazing will always cost more because it requires more technical skill on the exact cutting of the lens. Another top tip is if you get an eye test in a high st store to purchase glasses cheaper elsewhere ask them to put your pupillary distance on the sheet. It is not compulsory and they can refuse as it is not part of an eye test but the distance is needed so the glazier knows where to centre the lens of your glasses. Good luck finding some tho glasses direct are pretty good

ratspeaker · 26/03/2019 12:19

Another vote for Asda.
I wasn't sure what they'd be like so when I recently tried them out I went for a £45 value pair. Thats inculding varifocals and thinning!
Im going back to try out other styles.

DD got premium pair £80 then added in prescription sunglasses for total of £120

lpchill · 26/03/2019 12:19

www.selectspecs.co.uk

Try select specs. Found them to be really good and cheap. (I could get glades for less than £10)