Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Has anyone VERY short sighted (-9 plus) got their glasses from Asda? Any good?

32 replies

Afterfire · 25/07/2022 20:10

I’m very short sighted (-9.50 both eyes) with astigmatism and I need a +1.50 in varifocal too. Complex prescription! I have recently had to stop wearing contacts for various reasons including sjorgens syndrome.

I paid £500 for some lovely glasses at my local independent opticians which I’m very pleased with and I love the care they offer (I’m literally able to message them through Facebook and they reply if I’m worried - I’ve got retinal issues and recently had a haemorrhage due to lupus that they messaged me about and got me in as an emergency appointment).

I know £500 is much more than specsavers but I’m not a fan of our local specsavers as they’ve screwed up various glasses I’ve had before.

But I find myself looking at Asda opticians which they said includes thinner lenses and varifocals in the complete price which starts at £45 (!!) and I’m so tempted to give them a try just if anything to have a few different pairs for fun / fashion. I did think surely that price has to be too good to be true so rang them direct and asked about my own prescription thinking surely they’d say mine is too high etc and they said it would be included in the deal….!

So what I’m asking is - are they actually any good? I know obviously it must vary locally etc but any experiences welcome.

I really don’t like myself in my glasses and I’m trying to feel more positive.

OP posts:
Wellthatsjustswell · 25/07/2022 20:25

not short sighted but DF is +7.50 with astigmatism & wears varifocals & teen is +6.50 &+7.00 with astigmatism so really thick jam jar bottoms in effect!) & they come out brilliantly.

We used to pay extra at an independent optician for the level of thinning beyond the nhs voucher for teen but Asda have consistently come out better for the 4/5 years we have now been using them. Specsavers and Tesco were both crap.
It is all down to frame choice as well though re the thickness but a good optical assistant will be able to guide you on that. I constantly recommend Asda opticians & I get my contacts from them too. I’ve found them really good.

Original poster
Afterfire · 25/07/2022 20:37

Wellthatsjustswell · 25/07/2022 20:25

not short sighted but DF is +7.50 with astigmatism & wears varifocals & teen is +6.50 &+7.00 with astigmatism so really thick jam jar bottoms in effect!) & they come out brilliantly.

We used to pay extra at an independent optician for the level of thinning beyond the nhs voucher for teen but Asda have consistently come out better for the 4/5 years we have now been using them. Specsavers and Tesco were both crap.
It is all down to frame choice as well though re the thickness but a good optical assistant will be able to guide you on that. I constantly recommend Asda opticians & I get my contacts from them too. I’ve found them really good.

Thank you for replying, that sounds really encouraging!

OP posts:
VanGoghsDog · 25/07/2022 20:41

Not quite as bad but also astigmatism and varifocals, and yes, my last specs came from Asda, two pairs £80.

Never had two pairs before as could never justify the cost.

They didn't offer quite as much thinning as other opticians but I've been OK with it.

All opticians can do referrals for retinal issues etc, I've also had torn retinas and a haemorrhage, and now a macular hole, though the NHS sent me to Specsavers for that appointment.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General health
Original poster
Afterfire · 25/07/2022 20:44

VanGoghsDog · 25/07/2022 20:41

Not quite as bad but also astigmatism and varifocals, and yes, my last specs came from Asda, two pairs £80.

Never had two pairs before as could never justify the cost.

They didn't offer quite as much thinning as other opticians but I've been OK with it.

All opticians can do referrals for retinal issues etc, I've also had torn retinas and a haemorrhage, and now a macular hole, though the NHS sent me to Specsavers for that appointment.

Thank you, that’s positive.

Oh I know any optician can do emergency referrals etc it’s just I’ll be honest I’m a very anxious worrier and there’s been times things have happened out of hours and it’s so easy for me to just message the opticians online and they reply more or less straight away, which I’m really grateful for rather than waiting on the phone to 111 or going and sitting in A and E for hours unnecessarily.

OP posts:
hilariousnamehere · 25/07/2022 20:46

I'm at -10 and -8.75 with fun astigmatism (don't have prescription to hand but it's fairly hefty too) - had Asda for the glasses before last which would have been probably -8/-9 in the worse eye and they were brilliant and cost me I think £110 for two pairs, thinned & coated & everything.

Don't need new ones for the first time ever but might go and get a pair because it's not hundreds :)

HoneyFlowers · 25/07/2022 20:47

Specsavers are rubbish, I have same prescription and they just can not get anything right. Would be interested to know recommendations.

ISeeTheLight · 25/07/2022 20:49

I have a similar prescription to you OP. Had Asda glasses before, they were decent and amazing value.
Went back to vision express but purely because they have more choice in frames (I have a very low nose bridge and struggle with finding frames that work with my prescription + face/nose shape).
I'd recommend ASDA though.

CMOTDibbler · 25/07/2022 20:52

I'm only a 6, but astigmatisms, prisms in 2 directions and varifocals (and I've had a lot of trouble with getting my prisms right in the past) and Asda still did me lovely very thinned glasses with two for £150. They were my first ever sunglasses too!

stillvicarinatutu · 25/07/2022 20:56

Former optician here

Be aware I think they will all be franchised so will vary wildly .

That is a complex rx op - the minus means the edges of your lens are thicker - so opt for small frames that are oval , not square for better results .

Original poster
Afterfire · 25/07/2022 20:57

I am loving these replies! I think I’ll give them a try, I mean the worst that happens is they get something wrong and I complain / ask for a refund I guess and hopefully they’ll be great and I’ll get a couple more options of frames etc rather than my very serious Alan Carr type ones that I
love but I’m stuck with everyday at the moment!

OP posts:
JamieFrasersBigSwingingKilt · 25/07/2022 20:57

I'm -9 with astigmatism. I bought glasses from Asda. Happy enough. V limited choice of petite frames (I have a tiny head!) and the service was deeply lacklustre but the price was so attractive that it was a no-brainer. I'd buy again. The glasses are fine.

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 25/07/2022 21:06

I have, a couple of times now. Am about -11ish with a dioptre or two of astigmatism in each eye.

The finish wasn't quite as nice as the breathtakingly expensive ones from the ever-so-nice independent optician in a frou-frou Surrey town — the bevelling round the edges was a bit angular in places — and the lenses were a slightly cheaper make which I don't think lasted as long before going a bit dotty, but TBH they were totally fine. My glasses never last for years anyway, because I'm wearing them every waking hour, and my prescription fluctuates a bit.

ureterr1blemuriel · 25/07/2022 21:33

I’ve a similar prescription - whilst not Asda I recently tried our new local Marks & Spencer’s opticians and was very impressed. The total cost for a designer frame, the thinnest possible lenses and an extra coating cost me about £300 less than my local independent who were great but expensive. I’d definitely recommend. Their cheapest all in frames are about £70 I think.

ureterr1blemuriel · 25/07/2022 21:35

Just had a look and it’s £49 all in :)

user1480097724 · 25/07/2022 21:37

I love my Asda varifocals, especially the fact that they are literally 10x cheaper than at my local independent optician. The local place warned me that 'they may not be as good quality' as theirs, but I'd saved the best part of £300 so I didn't care!!

NannyGythaOgg · 25/07/2022 21:37

I didn't find mine from Asda very good. Not that strong but pronounced astigmatism

They are ok, usable and I am able to use them but the varifocal is not the best.

particularly in the garden if I move my head everything moves around the periphery. - A bit like a fish eye effect, where the focus is ok in the middle but way out at the edges.
However, for the price they are definitely good value

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 25/07/2022 22:02

Oh yeah if you're getting varifocals then quality matters quite a lot.

VanGoghsDog · 26/07/2022 00:02

Afterfire · 25/07/2022 20:44

Thank you, that’s positive.

Oh I know any optician can do emergency referrals etc it’s just I’ll be honest I’m a very anxious worrier and there’s been times things have happened out of hours and it’s so easy for me to just message the opticians online and they reply more or less straight away, which I’m really grateful for rather than waiting on the phone to 111 or going and sitting in A and E for hours unnecessarily.

Show quote history

There's a new special optical triage number for the NHS now, so you don't call 111 for eyes. Your doctor or optician can tell you it.

Obviously emergencies are still A&E but unless you have eye A&E where you are they only refer you anyway. I'm lucky enough to have a Moorfields at my local hospital and they've been brilliant with my torn retinas etc.

Original poster
Afterfire · 26/07/2022 08:24

Thank you very much everyone for your replies and comments.

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 26/07/2022 08:25

My friend has Asda glasses and lived them. I was admiring someone else's the other day and she said they were Asda.

Original poster
Afterfire · 26/07/2022 08:26

VanGoghsDog · 26/07/2022 00:02

There's a new special optical triage number for the NHS now, so you don't call 111 for eyes. Your doctor or optician can tell you it.

Obviously emergencies are still A&E but unless you have eye A&E where you are they only refer you anyway. I'm lucky enough to have a Moorfields at my local hospital and they've been brilliant with my torn retinas etc.

Show quote history

That’s interesting. I really wish I lived closer to Moorfields. I used to live in London and moved to Norfolk about 12 years ago. The Norfolk and Norwich eye department is okay but not a patch on Moorfields. When I attended once thinking I had a retinal detachment they turned me away telling me that they had no one there to see me until after the weekend…..! I ended up waiting in a total panic to see someone - as the next nearest emergency eye clinic was some 50 miles away. Thankfully it wasn’t that.

OP posts:
Herbyhippo · 26/07/2022 08:28

I have complex lenses and my asda glasses are fine. Luckily I have a small face and get mine from the teen section!

triplechoc · 26/07/2022 08:29

My prescription is similar to yours and I’ve had Asda glasses a couple of times, and they’ve been great. With one pair, the finish on the frame went weird (plastic, kind of bubbled) after full-time wear for very nearly a year, I was all set to write it off as the downside of the cheap price and buy some some more, but they replaced them as it was still under a year, I was quite impressed.

Original poster
Afterfire · 26/07/2022 17:26

Good feedback all round really! Thank you. I’m going to go and have a browse at the frames etc tomorrow and if I end up ordering some I’ll come back and update.

OP posts:
Flavabobble · 26/07/2022 17:48

My prescription is around -7.5 with astigmatism and need varifocals. I've had several pairs now. They've been consistently good, and i prefer them to my Specsaver ones.