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Original poster

I want to change opticians

54 replies

wondabar · 06/02/2023 09:03

I have become very disappointed with the appalling customer service given by my SS opticians. Which opticians do you use and are you happy with them? I need an optician for both contact lenses and glasses and don't want to pay the earth but would like an optician who is there to help the customer.

OP posts:
Original poster
wondabar · 08/02/2023 09:15

Thanks for your really helpful replies. For those who switched to independents or Costco, do they tend to be more expensive than high street opticians, especially for varifocal contact lenses and thinned out lenses in glasses? As I am changing from standard to verification contacts do they tend to let you try out the contacts in order to find the correct ones to suit your eyes in Terms of comfort?
In their recent opticians survey, Which? had glowing reviews of Costco and they performed highest in almost every category. I am tempted to try them out. Has anyone been disappointed with them?

OP posts:
Oopswediditagain2023 · 08/02/2023 09:17

I use boots opticians and they're absolutely fantastic

FenghuangHoyan · 08/02/2023 09:21

Asda. Cheap as hell and did a really good check up. Rest of the family use Spec Savers. We used to use Boots but found they missed things and they were expensive.

According to Which? Independents are your best bet and then Asda and Spec Savers... or that was the case a few months back when I checked.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 08/02/2023 09:26

Fed up with local SS's attitude to clients over the pandemic and went to local Boots. Thoroughly tested and the results explained and why they were doing them and what they are looking for, which never happened at SS.

Fluffygreenslippers · 08/02/2023 09:30

I’ve been going to Boots optician for about 20? years. I’m on the contact lenses scheme so I get half price glasses and free tests. Never had a problem. Prescription always spot on, glasses always good. I’m impressed how thin they can get the lenses of my very high prescription. Although I’ve moved I still go back ‘home’ to the same branch as I know everyone in there.

I went to Specsavers as a teen and they were always incredibly rude and patronising. Every time I went to pick up my lenses I would get a lecture about how I was too young to wear contacts and I’d have to practically beg them to give them to me! Bad glasses selection too.

yeardy · 08/02/2023 09:32

I like specsavers for my DC. They've been really good. The upselling used to be a problem but they seem to have knocked that on the head. Though weird service recently where my two DC had exactly the same contact lenses with slightly different prescriptions but the price was almost £5.00 a month more expensive. They said they'd look into it and didn't get back to me.

I don't use them personally. I found them too 'NHS' for want of a better word - indiscreet having to give personal details at the desk - DOB and so on.

nettytree · 08/02/2023 09:32

I did use boots opticians for years, but they closed my nearest branch. Now expect me to drive to Cardiff, a journey of 40 mins and an expensive car park. So switching to vision express in a tesco.

yeardy · 08/02/2023 09:34

I went to Specsavers as a teen and they were always incredibly rude and patronising. Every time I went to pick up my lenses I would get a lecture about how I was too young to wear contacts and I’d have to practically beg them to give them to me!

My children have them no problems being given them. They said they have children as young as seven who wear them.

mindutopia · 08/02/2023 09:36

We've always used a local independent one, just look at which one looks nice on your local high street. They've always been fantastic - even the other day when I got literally stuck in traffic unable to go anywhere due to a road closure because of an accident and was 45 minutes late for dd's appt! They all stayed around after close to see us.

APurpleSquirrel · 08/02/2023 09:42

Our local independent is more expensive than a high street chain, but then they don't try & upsell you anything.
Agree with other PPs - ask for recommendations on a local FB group.

Ragwort · 08/02/2023 09:51

I've just changed to Asda from SS ... haven't collected my new glasses yet but two pairs £120 where SS quoted over £300 for one pair Shock.

JadeSeahorse · 08/02/2023 09:53

I use ASDA for check ups and new prescriptions but didn't particularly like their specs.

I now send my prescription to SelectSpecs online and have found them great and excellent value. I have light tinted varifocals and never had a problem in nearly 10 years.

yeardy · 08/02/2023 09:55

Though I agree @Fluffygreenslippers about the rudeness of some. They seem to have so many staff, some have been lovely, but too many have been lacking in customer service skills. I do find them good with children, as I said, but I think we might move as mine have just turned 16. I think I can get a better deal on contacts elsewhere too.

Original poster
wondabar · 09/02/2023 13:24

For those who have got glasses from Asda, have you got contacts too? Their daily varifocal contacts are priced at around £45 per month which is high.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 09/02/2023 13:34

Sorry no, only glasses. Nothing to stop you getting glasses from them and contacts from elsewhere.

Digimoor · 09/02/2023 13:37

Specsavers are a franchise so branches will vary

Snoopystick · 09/02/2023 13:39

Digimoor · 09/02/2023 13:37

Specsavers are a franchise so branches will vary

Agree, we moved a few years ago and the local SS is fantastic but in our old town it was awful

ancientgran · 09/02/2023 13:41

I normally go to SS in my town but I was overdue for new glasses and a check up after lockdowns and couldn't get an appointment for weeks so I went to their branch in the next town and got a quick appointment. Well I found out the reason was it wasn't anywhere near as good as the branch in my town, I suspect people in the neighbouring town are all using my branch.

So in short I think they vary from branch to branch.

SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox · 09/02/2023 13:44

I went to ss and the optician was beyond awful. Crap assessment, crap advice and couldn't answer simple questions.
Went down the road to vision express and the optician there was ace, could answer any question in as much depth as you needed, very thorough and explained everything.
But I think it was the practitioner rather than the franchise, so I'd just keeping looking until you find one you're happy with.

ancientgran · 09/02/2023 13:45

Oopswediditagain2023 · 08/02/2023 09:17

I use boots opticians and they're absolutely fantastic

I used to go to them years ago until they were spectacularly rude to me and I never went back.

FarmersWife2019 · 09/02/2023 13:46

Like other PP’s have said I’d suggest finding a local independent optician. I have worn glasses since 18mo (now mid 30’s) and have never been to a chain despite many peers raving about them. Up until Covid I had seen the same optician for 30 odd years but he’s now retired. My eyes are complicated and to be honest I don’t trust any of the chains.

ancientgran · 09/02/2023 13:46

Also with my normal branch of SS they saw something they were a bit concerned about at a check up, turned out to be OK, so they contacted the local hospital and got me a very speedy appointment.

KirstenBlest · 09/02/2023 13:54

Go to an independent one, if you can. Specsavers are not good. I got a wrong prescription from there once. I took the prescription somewhere else to get my specs made up and they pointed it out.

I'm not sure what the qualifications of the people is SS are.

dontputitthere · 09/02/2023 14:04

Spec savers are shit. Massively incompetent. And then I caught their manager lying. Had to go down there and read out his emails to me to the full store...

Also I've tried unsubscribing and telling them to fuck off but three years later they still contact me.

I use a local independent. Get recommendations from friends or Facebook.

RandomMess · 09/02/2023 14:22

My DH with +10 prescription frequented local independent for many years, they cocked up, denied it, told him eyes needed to adjust blah de blah. So unfortunately you just need local recommendations.