Specsavers - do they pressure you to buy glasses if you don't need them?

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I've switched opticians a couple of times because of the hard sell attempt before they hand over my (unchanged) prescription. My current optician started doing this last year so I'm thinking about trying Specsavers this time but wondered if they will be just as bad?

I need an annual test (which is free on the NHS) because there's a family history of glaucoma and I have been told that opticians make a loss on these tests but don't know how true that is.

I believe they’re work on a franchaise system but they may not all be the same but the one I go to doesn’t and if you do want to get glasses they’re very up front about the price bracket of each stand before you start looking at them.

I’ve never had that ? But I am on a paid scheme that includes free eye tests and a half price pair

I've never had trouble with Specsavers and I've been in multiple branches. In fact they seem to do glaucoma tests in partnership with NHS. I've reused frames I liked with new lenses, no problem. They do encourage you to get extras on your lenses, but I just say no, no, no and it's fine.

I've never got the hard sell at Specsavers or the lovely little family opticians I use now.

It wouldn't make any difference if I did though, as I'm very firm in those situations.

No means no.

I’ve never had that at specsavers. They’re usually too busy to give you the hard sell!

Never had the hard sell with Specsavers. Glowing review from me

No hard sell for me at Specsavers.

Specsavers were the ones who told me I didn’t need glasses and wanted to know who had prescribed them previously! It does depend on the culture in that specific practice tho.

No hard sell for me either, and I’ve been several times.

Not in my experience, they've been very respectful and professional

No they're very good in my experience. They also didn't mind at all when I kept my glasses and just got the lenses changed when I did have a prescription change.

Never had a hard sell at Specsavers. Last time I went my prescription had only very slightly changed & was told it was entirely up to me if I wanted new glasses but it wasn't necessary.

I have yearly tests because of familial glaucoma, I didn’t need any sort of correction early on anyway and later as longsightedness developed they’ve never tried to sell me reading glasses - I tell them I buy over the counter ones and they’re fine with that.

Not at the two branches of Specsavers I've used. Both are very accommodating if you don't want new pairs or only want readers rather than both readers and distant. I also tried varifocals once and trialled them for a couple of weeks, didn't get on with them at all, so took them back for refund expecting them to be awkward, but they didn't argue or try to tell me to persevere - they were more than happy to just take them back and process the refund - I was impressed and I've stayed with them for several more years safe in the knowledge they're going to change/refund if I don't get on with any new glasses they sell. It's a massive change from the previous chain I used to use who were a real pain about things like that and reluctant to hand you the prescription if I didn't want new pairs at that time!

No I’ve never had that experience before. I’ve also asked for a copy of the prescription in a previous visit and there was no issue. That being said if they think you need glasses they will tell you.

Re the glaucoma test, imo it’s worth paying the fee (£5 or £10 quid) for the extra scan.

No. They tell you what your test result is and advise you.

If you don’t need glasses, why would they try to persuade you?!

Work had a deal with soecsavers for DSE compliance - so it would have saved me £££ only I walked out without even my prescription I felt so pressured by them.

I get free tests now but work pay for my glasses so I tell them I need to go with a preferred supplier and they are fine with that.

I went to Specsavers recently with a free eye test voucher from work. First eye test in probably 25 years so it was a bit overdue. Eyes perfectly fine so didn’t need glasses and they were ok about it.
Did buy specs for both DC’s though so I was rinsed before I left. They have expensive tastes.

No hard sell but the quality of my last pair wasn’t great. Varifocals but the frame wasn’t a good fit for that type, which they told me after I’d had them on for a year and told me I shouldn’t have been sold varifocals with that frame. I’ve changed to an independent and their quality is so much better.

I had a test at Specsavers a couple of years ago after my GP suggested it because I was experiencing a lot of dizziness and tiredness.

They told me my sight was perfect, I definitely didn't need glasses and to make sure I went back to the GP to find out what was causing the dizziness and tiredness. (It was low iron, vit D and vit B.)

They did encourage me to go for better quality varifocal lenses because of the better range of vision but I think they were right. Apart that no hard sell at all, plus numerous free adjustments to fit when my frames were too loose after weight loss, no questions asked replacement when my frames developed a fault, very patient and thorough when I was struggling with finding contact lenses that fit comfortably (thanks, astigmatism). But most importantly when I had a corneal ulcer earlier this year they were absolutely brilliant and the care I received could not be faulted. They were also really helpful when I decided to go for laser eye surgery at writing a referral so the consultant had the full background to the issues I had had. I would choose them every time now over the local independent.

I had Specsavers try to get me to choose the frames I might like before I’d even had the sight test! I was on my lunch break and said I’d like to just have the test and then talk about frames only if I needed glasses. I still had to wait for the test; I was left feeling that the time to choose frames was built into the appointment time. I haven’t gone back to Specsavers for eye tests (but did go for a hearing procedure and they were very professional).

I’ve never had pressure to buy anything.