Varifocals??? Specsavers

[Neednewspecs]

I have realised I can’t go around with one pair of glasses on my head and the other on my face as I swap from working on the computer to doing chores!
last time I got new specs I promised I would think about varifocals. But I get such polarising views on them.

I’ve got a choice of local independent or Specsavers. I know that the former will be close to £1000 for two pairs. Got to have a spare

specsacers have their premier lens at only £180 plus frames (and two for one) so about £350 all in

would I be foolish to go to Specsavers. My understanding of the independent shop is that people are not always satisfied with what they end up with but think Specsavers isn’t very good quality
eye test on Friday so any views welcome. Even if to say stick with different glasses and different prescriptions!

TIA

Specsavers have perfectly adequate varifocals at an affordable price. I used them for several years. My local independent optician is much more expensive but the varifocals they offer have a much larger range of vision. They basically start where Specsavers leave off.

It depends on whether you can afford to pay more and whether you want to be able to see in a wider angle. If that makes sense.

£180 doesn’t sound like a lot for good lenses. I buy the top of the range vari focals and I think the lenses were about £400 from an independent. I have had them from Specsavers in the past and they were fine. Just make sure they are the top of the range lenses as they are much easier to get used to.

Just got my first pair of varifocals from specsavers. I went with their mid range one (? Easy reader) as I only wear glasses for an hour or so a day after I take my contact lenses out.
they have been brilliant. Really pleased with them, and no blurry bits at all in any of my range of vision

You need to go to Asda opticians, I have a strong varifocal prescription, and have the best lenses that Specsavers offer, thinned down lenses, blue light and anti scratch coating, all fitted as standard with Asda Opticians.

I now have 7 pairs of varifocals and the pricing ranges from £49.99 to £120 as I fancied a couple of fancy designer frames.

The price I was quoted at Specsavers made my eyes water and my bank balance groan which is why I moved to Asda.

Same here - I've been wearing varifocals for a few years now, and always do the "two pairs offer" at Asda for about £120-160 total. I get one pair tinted to wear as sunglasses / for driving.

Not had a problem with my Specsavers varifocals. Not a top range one. I have my free pair as standard sunglasses for driving though.

I get my varifocals from Specsavers and have done for years, but while I still need varifocals for normal everyday use, I now have to wear single vision glasses for the computer because I was really struggling with using my varifocals. They were fine for the computer in my 40s but now I'm in my 50s and I was finding I was having to put my neck back to look through the bottom part of my glasses to see properly and I was getting headaches and neck ache. So I'm back to 2 pairs of glasses, one just for the computer. You might be able to get your work to contribute to the cost as they aren't for day to day use, they're so you can do your job.

I have Specsavers varifocals, with their best lenses. They offer 3 or 4 'grades' of varifocal lenses, and can show you what the field of vision is like through all of these on a clever widget thing on their screens. The experience of choosing lenses and being fitted/measured was much better at SS than at our local independent optician (DH got his from the latter and then happened to be with me when I got mine at SS a week later, and he was amazed how thorough they were, and the range of options available).

They also have a 100 day money back guarantee - for any reason at all. Can be anything from not getting on with varifocals, to the frames not fitting well/properly, to simply not liking them.

Why do you need 2 pairs? (although at SS you may as well, with their BOGOF offer). I've had 2 pairs a number of times and always ended up with a favourite and a pair that's never worn. I have their lensmail scheme now, so can have 1 pair half price instead of doing the BOGOF.
If you do get the 2 pairs, you don't need to have the 'best' lenses in both pairs - you could get a more basic lens in your second pair.

Spec savers are absolutely fine. I have a clear pair and a tinted pair. Probably a third of the price of more fancy ones.

I just got Specsavers varifocals - I went for the ones called Digital something at £210 for lenses (plus the frames). They're brilliant - though when I'm tired I still find myself taking them off to use my phone. Only at the very end of the day though.

I used to work in an independent opticians. Now I have left I buy my varifocals from Asda. 2 pairs for £160 and they are excellent, thinner lenses at no extra cost and a decent range of frames.

Just beware that you might not get on with them. I got a pair of varifocals at great expense and felt I couldn't see anything well and they made me feel sick so I'm back to 2 pairs of glasses on my head!

I used to go to Specsavers but I think their quality has declined. The last time I used them, I got annoyed by the faffing about on the eye test and I wasn't very pleased with my glasses. Just recently, I needed new glasses and I went to a local independent optician and was really pleased by the service I got and by the quality of the frames and lenses I ended up with. I paid £500 for the two but they weren't varifocals.
I was especially pleased that the optician spotted a small mole on my retina which is unlikely to have appeared suddenly. They were very careful to call me back for a thorough examination and I wonder if it is something that had been missed by Specsavers in the past. I'd go to the independent optician again.

Question for the ASDA fans - how high is your distance prescription? I need -6 for distance and always end up having to pay £££££ (at Vision Express) for any sort of glasses just to get a light enough lens.

I think if you’ve never had top range lenses from an independent you may be fine with specsavers or asdas… sadly I’ve been spoilt (I’m -9.50 both eyes with astigmatism and an add of 1.5 for reading) and I pay £700 for my lenses with my local specialist. I’ve tried specsavers and Asda since in an attempt to have an extra pair / for fashion etc and even with the top range specsavers lenses I just felt I couldn’t see properly. With my expensive lenses I don’t have to move my head at all and there’s no blurring at the edge’s whatsoever, it’s hard to explain but I could really tell the difference. Thankfully both specsavers and Asda were happy to refund. The woman at specsavers actually said to me that if someone has had lenses from an independent they’re unlikely to get on with their lenses.

I got my first pair of varifocals from Specsavers about 2 months ago. Got the most expensive (at £250 which was a steal!), I'd really recommend them. Like you, I need different glasses for different views. Took me about 2 weeks to get used to them, but now I wear them all day.

I always get my varifocals from spec savwrs. Always been great

I bought designer frames and case off vinted. For a free eye test then used Lensology to get the lenses. Whole new pair of designers for £75!
Get savvy! Stop handing money out when there's lots of ways nowadays to get the same thing without huge price tags!

Another one asking about strong prescriptions, I am -12 and probably +1 and use a computer all day. I normally go to an independent but the cost is . My single vision glasses really don't work for me any more (have to put them down to the tip of my nose to read in them) but I wear contacts most of the time and am reluctant to spend a fortune on varifocals for occasional use.

Absolutely never buy a varifocal online.

Specsavers better quality than Asda in my experience

Thanks to all who commented. Unfortunately no Asda near me but it sounds like Specsavers varifocals wouldn’t be a completely bad choice
will go for best quaility they have

I recently had the same dilemma

Specsavers have a really wide choice of frames (although DS couldn’t find anything he liked there)

anyway earlier this year I got my first varifocals from specsavers, I think I paid around £600 but that was for excellent quality varifocals (the most expensive type of lens) and non-varifocal but otherwise excellent prescription sunglasses.

Like you I find my independent overpriced.

No regrets at all.

I've just replaced my varifocals at Specsavers after I broke my old pair that were 6 years old, my spare pair were 8 years old. I got 2 pairs for £420 with the current offer. Both with anti-glare and reactions with their top of the range lenses.

I couldn't get on with the varifocals from specsavers. I took them back after 5 weeks and swapped for normal lenses. My current ones are from an independent opticians and are their top of the range ones, way above anything that specsavers offer. The field of vision is almost the same as normal glasses so you don't need to move your head/eyes to see. They gave me a 20% discount and gave me the top of the range lenses for the price of the one below, but it was still £770 for frames and lenses.

I'm -12 in one eye and I think -9 in the other, so also need the thinest lenses possible, even then one is still quite thick.

Like pp I found specsavers overpriced for such poor quality, it’s all the stealthy upselling of little extras. I thought my new specs were £x but by the time I checked out they were £3x. If you do go to Specsavers make you sure you don’t get upsold features that would come as standard with other opticians.

ASDA included all those extras for no additional fees and the glasses just work better. It took me quite some time to come round to the idea as I’m not an ASDA shopper but I’m so glad I did.