How much did your Eye Test and Glasses Cost?

[MyStarBoy]

And did you go to a private optician or a high street one like Spec-Savers?

Have you been to both and which one did you prefer in terms of the result and cost?

I go to a local independent in London. They charge £55 for an eye exam. I paid approx £850 for 1 pair of varifocal glasses but I did choose expensive frames (Lindberg - as worn by the Danish royal family - around £400) and then had the thinnest Zeiss lenses.

Eye test free, glasses - two pairs for £15 from Glasses Direct

Eye test £10, 2 pairs of glasses for £24 from Firmoo

Free eye test every two years and the glasses cost me about £60 for two pairs from glasses direct, I don't have a very complicated prescription though.

I pay a lot but I can claim all of the eye test and some of the glasses back through my business. I prefer the thinnest, lightest lens.

I like a fancy frame though. I tend to buy them and keep them, and have them relensed on occasion. I have some cool wooden Feb31st ones just now.

I just tried Asda after years of being with Specsavers ... free eye test (over 60!) and two pairs of vari focals for £120 .. very pleased with them.

Vision Express
Free eye test as I have a strong family history of Glucoma.
Glasse £25, the cheapest they had.
I am 100% happy, they spent a long time checking the glasses sat right and adjusting them.
I always pick the same frames but change the colour every two years. They really suit me.

£465 for two pairs of varifocals with reactive lenses plus anti glare and scratch coating. Plus an eye test . I could weep at the cost of glasses and only go every four years instead of two because I just can't afford it . I almost went to Asda where I know it would be loads cheaper but I have a complicated astigmatism and need a certain angle on the way my lenses are glazed and I chickened out .

My varifocals were £89. Test was £35

Independent. Varifocals about £550. Top of the range allegedly. I can see they are way better than Asda’s but not sure if 8x better.
I have a really high prescription so they are essential.

If they were single vision I’d shop around more, I get my sunglasses online from Lensology.

Eye test free now.
Glasses from Asda. £45, including special coatings.
RGP Contact lens. Internet. £68 a pair. Lasts 2 years.

My current pair I bought in November at an independent in the south east.
Test, new frames, thinned/reaction/anti glare lenses was £300. Their cheapest frames start at £60 and the most expensive designer one I saw were £800.

Vision express.

Eye test, frames and varifocals were £190.

I got the cheapest frames they had though, they don’t look great but as long as I don’t look in any mirrors, it’s fine.

eye test free as employers pay , glasses two pairs for £55 at glasses direct

Eye test £30 at local independent. Service at independent vs chains is so different and will never consider a chain again.

Glasses £15 via glasses direct. For now I luckily have very low numbers so the most basic glasses and lenses are fine.

About £500 for eyetest, prescription varifocals with thinned down lenses and prescription sunglasses with the same.

Local independent optician.

Used to go to an independent optician, paid £500 for my last pair of glasses from there, high index varifocal lenses, coating. That was quite a few years ago now.

Someone told me about Asda opticians and I've been going there ever since. The same high index varifocal glasses are a fraction of the price and I've had no problems. I can afford to buy new glasses every year if I want to from there instead of making them last for years due to the cost of replacement.

Asda is 2 pairs for £120.00

Havjng paid stupid prices in the past I have just been to specsavers this week; eye test and two pairs of specs for £96. Bargain!

Should add I paid in excess of £500 last time at an independent optician. Simply can't afford that again.

I have free annual eye tests on the NHS as my brother has glaucoma.

I had cataract surgery on both eyes 2021/22 on the NHS, which improved my distance vision considerably but left me needing reading glasses. I just buy them in Wilkos, Savers etc for a couple of quid a pair 😋

Work pay for my eye test
Glasses were around 200 on BOGOF.
So 1 normal one sunglasses.

Need to book another!

Scottish, so eye tests are free, then about £450 for glasses - in saying that, I don't have a complicated prescription, but I went for fancy frames and lenses.

I could probably have got a perfectly decent pair for about £75.

Ooh, forgot to add, independent opticians.

Independent optician. I’m over 60 so free basic test but £25 for additional tests. £175 for metal frames bought online plus £350 to have them glazed, also online. High end varifocals with a fancy reactive coating. I have a low prescription but don’t like the lenses to be thicker than the frame so they are thin too.

Wow, some of these amounts are ridiculous.

I mean, I get that the cost of the lenses and the frames can vary a lot, but why are people paying hundreds for the test ?

I'm sure the test is about £23 at my High Street optician.