Prescription Sunglasses for under 16s

[6ixThirty]

Hi, looking for some advice.

DD14 has recently started wearing glasses and has found them really beneficial, she wears them all the time. But when she is out she is finding things very bright.
I wanted to get her some sunglasses from Glasses Direct, but their T&C's state that it is illegal to sell prescription sunglasses to under 16s.
Has anyone come across this before? Is this even correct? Surely no one would know if I just got them?
Would appreciate some advice on this.

Does anyone know how often we can get the NHS discount for kids glasses?

And in terms of the ocular melanoma online retailers do not need to meet British standards in terms of UV protection-your online glasss are unlikely to have 100% UV protection

I had the same issue with DD she hasn't had kids frames for years, so I've had to pay for them and the NHS voucher isn't very much.

You only get once voucher I'm afraid, hence why it's better to get the second pair when they have the deals. DD has something had a voucher once every six months if her prescription has changed that quickly. But they got a bit funny with me last time when we went back under a year. I'd got the timing wrong.

I have magentic frames with magentic overlays, but mine are from Eco-Eyewear from an optician. They are game changer.

Please try and get your DD some sunglasses @6ixThirty. They help reduce the risk of ocular cancers and cataracts later in life. They aren't a fashion accessory, but are as sensible as wearing sunscreen..

Boots do buy one get the other free or half price, so we get the glasses and then get the sunglasses as the extra.

@RampantIvy I am trying, hence this thread. I just hadn't anticipated not being able to get them online.

You have to go into the store. They have loads or they will tint the lenses of a normal pair of glasses.

My children both got prescription sunglasses from Boots.

OP i got my DD14 some prescription ones from Boots. I took in her prescription, she chose the glasses and they fitted them.

You don’t have to use children’s frames. We use Specsavers my son is 14 and picks from the adult frames, he also gets sunglasses and his prescription means we only pay for the thinning. Otherwise you can pick a £20 frame and get tinted lenses if needed.

It depends how often the optician has said you need review generally - if your child's prescription has moved even a quarter of a dioptre they should generally allow you another "round". I used to be seen every 6 months as a child and my glasses used to regularly need new lenses. You could ask Asda/check your previous prescription but it might well recommend a six monthly check up, or if not generally yearly.

@Droolylabradors please can I ask how much you paid?

Try buying some from Zenni Optical with your DDs prescription. Affordable and good quality with fast shipping. I have a complicated prescription and all my glasses and sunglasses were great for a fraction of the price of specsavers etc

Do they ship to the UK?

You need to go with her current prescription and get some made for her. You can't just buy online, it's about so many possible things like astigmatism, focal points that they need to be measured for.

I would also recommend Asda opticians for cheap but good glasses.

Yes they do. Last time I bought with them was 2023, and it was max 10 days or so- pretty quick. Just be sure you have her pupillary distance (distance between pupils) handy, some prescriptions don’t provide this. There’s heaps of frames to choose from with measurements. Handy if you need a cheap pair to tide you over etc

Loads of opticians including specsavers have glasses for as little as £25. Just take her and her prescription around a few and try them on. Prescription sunglasses are just normal frames with tinted lenses, spcsavers do this for certain tints for free as well.
Don't order them online go and get her properly fitted and measured ones they don't have to cost the earth but they do have to fit and the lenses be placed correctly etc.

@GetDownkeith thanks for this.
I have just looked at the SpecSavers website, and they have a choice of either prescription sunglasses, or standard prescription glasses with a sun tint lens. Are these the same or different?
I am assuming different, there is a big difference in price 🤔

@6ixThirty i think we paid £100. Her prescription has changed since, however she uses them so seldom that I haven't got her another pair of sunglasses, just glasses.

That's similar to what I paid for her main glasses. I was hoping to spend far less on the sunglasses.

@6ixThirty it also depends on which frames you choose. Ask for the cheap/free frames and then the main cost is the lenses

We tend to go to Specsavers for their buy one get one free and we have prescription sunglasses made up for Ds2, he is now 18 but he has worn glasses since he was 5. We get polarised lenses put into the sunglasses. I know these things are expensive but it is so important for them to be able to see.

Ds was originally under the eye hospital for 18 months so we take it all very seriously. I wouldn't buy online for children.

NHS free eye test and the voucher toward glasses is every 12 months as standard and then once they hit 16 it is every 2 years which is why we have just had Ds2's done again as it is the last NHS voucher he qualifies for.

One of my children has been having prescription sunglasses since they were six and I have never had any question raised about the legalities of it.

We get a pair on the NHS, then we get BOGOF for a spare pair and a pair of sunglasses. Even with the extra costs of anti reflection, anti scratch, extra light etc, it’s still not expensive.

Ds12 has prescription sunglasses, they were the free pair from specsavers when they did their bogof offer.

Do you mean you buy online or you buy them instore?