Anyone on here who uses SpecSavers for their glasses?

[JohnTheRevelator]

Posting on here for more traffic. I am booked to have an eye test next week at my local SpecSavers. I've not had an eye test with them before,my last eye test was 15 years ago (yes,I know!) at a Tesco opticians and all was well,no glasses needed. I'm pretty sure I will need glasses now (age related long sightedness). My question is - what are they like about handing over the prescription for you to take away and use elsewhere? I've read that by law they have to,but a friend of mine and a relative both had issues in this respect, being told that as they'd had their eye test there,they had to purchase the glasses from them. Anyone had experience of this,or were they just unlucky?

Absolutely fine. And if you go elsewhere that optician can ring and ask for your prescription too.

I've never had a problem, I do usually buy there but not always on the same day and have always been given a card with my prescription on it.

I get my contact lenses from Specsavers, on subscription.
This includes an eye test and I am ALWAYS given the prescription card as part of the appointment, never have to ask.

I've been going for years. The customer service is amazing. I feel like royalty! Very well priced too.

Yep I wouldn't go anywhere else! They're the cheapest, the service is great and their designer collaborations are amazing!

I have had eyes tested there, but rarely buy as their products are very expensive and I get much better product elsewhere

You can just ask for your prescription.

I went to Specsavers recently and was given a copy of my prescription without asking for it. They were excellent so I decided to purchase my glasses from them. 2 pairs of varifocals (one pair are sunglasses) with lovely Kylie Minogue designer frames and 2 beautiful cases. All for £250 in total.

I got one pair of varifocals from an independent optician previously-£350-absolute rip off.

Spec savers all the way! 🤓😎

I’ve been using Specsavers for over ten years. Always excellent service and always give me a copy of my prescription as I leave the appointment. Their customer service is excellent with their no quibble guarantee.

I'm going with my daughter tomorrow so glad to see positive reviews, I used to use vision express in a Tesco store but found them always so busy and rushed, not to mention a bit pricy too

They don't care if you buy them there or not

Totally up to you

I've never had an issue getting my prescription, for either glasses or contacts. If they don't automatically give you a card with the details- just ask.

I have, however, had issues with the actual process though. 1 SS branch sent off my glasses, to upgrade the lenses to a new strength. I had 2 pairs, and each took nearly 2 weeks to return. When the 1st pair returned, I didn't think the lenses were any different! They assured me they were and pointed out the old lenses in the bag. When the 2nd set arrived, I again thought the lens strength looked exactly the same as before. I had to ask to see a manager and insist they put the glasses on their machine to check the strength. Yes, they had indeed replaced my frames with the exact same strength as I'd had before!!!

I went elsewhere for years, but when I moved 70miles away, friends in the area said they had no issues with the local SS branch. SO- I gave them another try. Yet another shit show! No one introduced who they were or what they were doing- are you a cleaner, optician, admin what??? I wear contacts once a month- if that. I was sat in front a girl repeatedly asking me what plan I wanted, over and over I kept saying I didn't want any plan. I was then shoved to the glass frame section to be told I needed to choose new frames. I had to remind them again that my prescription hadn't changed, I therefore didn't need new frames! I felt like I was in a cattle market and just a cash cow. I would NEVER use them again.

Maybe your friends had their eye tests as part of the offer : free eye test if you buy glasses, something like this.
Usually all places will give you a copy of your prescription.

Specsavers is a franchise so the experience will differ store to store. I find the eye test itself rushed and they have never got my prescription right, issue after issue. I went to an independent optician this year who took their time with the eye test and got the prescription right.

Specsaveres can be great, but my last glasses from them were not. Lenses wrong and never properly sorted usable but not perfect. Also I think some of the frames are not a good quality as previously .
They will happily give your you prescription details , but if buying online be aware you need to do some measurements yourself.
I've just bought long distance glasses and reading glasses (varifocals were suggested but I like to be able to change the frames) , with a free eye test from an independent . Who have been fab , one biggish error, when I contacted them were brilliant, fix the issue and have sent me an extra pair of sunglasses ( of my choosing) with my prescription in .
I had spent £100 on eye test & two pairs of glasses & then sent sunglasses as an apology .

Just been recently for an eye test.. great service and ordered 2 pairs of glasses for a good price which I'm really pleased with

I was handed the prescription without needing to ask, straight after the eye test. My local specsavers were so understanding when I told them of my mental health problems and treated me so kindly. I planned to buy from them anyway but their was no pressure applied. I have an appointment later this morning to pick up my new glasses. I have had my last two sets of glasses from them and never had any issues.

Yes, I used them recently but I'm in Australia- we have Medicare rather than NHS. Totally different systems!

For comparison- my DS is at risk of optic pathway glioma due to a genetic condition & is tested 2/year at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. They have millions of dollars' worth of equipment, it's amazing.

My local Specsavers had a scaled-down version but the examination wasn't much different! A very thorough check, a prescription done and all I had to pay for were the glasses. Luckily I liked a cheap pair so it cost a mere $40AUD.

Maybe not useful to you but I can endorse them from here 😁

Our local Specsavers is awful. They put the wrong prescription in my glasses. They book too many appointments in and the staff are overworked and stressed and liable to make mistakes. I don't go there any more.

They were absolutely fine about that, but pretty rubbish in other respects! I will certainly be going elsewhere next time.

Fellow Aussie here, I just picked up another pair from them yesterday! Echoing your sentiments - I've been going to them for six years and find the service, and the range of frames, excellent.

They give it without asking imo.
Only thing I would say about getting the glasses elsewhere if an error has been made with your prescription and the wrong lenses are made you'll end up paying again. Happened to my DF, he has an eye condition and has always gone to Boots Opticians then taken his prescription to Specsavers. A couple of years ago Specsavers made the glasses up and he couldn't see out of them. Specsavers checked the Boots prescription and it matched what they had made. Went back to Boots and they'd cocked up. They retested him FOC but wouldn't cover the cost of new lenses with Specsavers. Needless to say he now goes to Specsavers for an eye test now!

They’re fine. They give me my printed prescription during the eye test and then it’s up to you whether you go to look for new frames in the shop or take it elsewhere or come back later.

I get my eyes tested at Specsavers as my work pays for it and the get my glasses online at glasses direct, never had a problem getting the prescription. They are so expensive I can't afford to buy their glasses

No issues what so ever , they just gave me mine and I went back 2 weeks later to choose frames.