to think Specsavers suck?

[TheClaws]

...because the optometrist only spent 5 minutes examining my eyesight before announcing my vision was worse and I needed multifocals, and that was it

... because he also tried to sell me contact lenses (very unsuitable for my vision)

... because I was then immediately transferred to a salesperson, who pushed any number of frames on me

... because after choosing my frames, I was told the multifocal lenses come in three levels - basic to elite (I simply want to see, safely)

... because then I was given a price upwards of £1000. Again, I just want to see. This isn’t a fashion accessory and I didn’t choose expensive frames

I didn’t purchase the glasses I needed, but I’ve gone back, asked for my prescription (it was given to me without a smile) and I’ll be going elsewhere.

I've had a wrong prescription from there.

Weirdly this is the second thread recently that has been critical of specsavers but when I started a thread recently to get advice on where to get glasses for v short sighted prescription everyone recommended specsaver! I went with the recommendation and have come away with the best glasses I have ever had in nearly 30 years of wearing glasses, best customer service I have had for a.long time and also the cheapest glasses I've had for many many years. I couldn't be happier or.more impressed with them! (But accept that every branch is different especially with customer service).

@Imstickingwiththisone

Unfortunately pretty much every sight test loses the practice money, Especially if you just have an NHS sight test and don’t buy anything from them.

Thanks allhail I appreciate knowing that as I don't want to be a cheeky cow. If I'd sat and thought about it properly I would have realised this. I'll save it for when I'm in a position to fork out on a lovely pair.

The trouble is of course that the statutory fee that optoms can charge or an eye test just doesnt cover it and so they have to try to make up some money by flogging you stuff.

Specsavers made me cry. I get my glasses and lenses online now. You have my sympathy.

I’ve only ever used specsavers, been wearing glasses for 24 years, had contacts for 18 of them as well. I’ve used three different stores in different areas including one in Republic of Ireland. Even between the uk and Ireland they were able to obtain my records, which is the advantage of a huge company

While at uni I got careless with my contacts and created some (non-permanent thankfully) issues for myself. I saw them loads of times in a few months, all included in the cost of my contact lens plan, they impressed upon me the potential seriousness of what I had done but were polite and professional at all times.

They’ve also been great on the very rare occasion when I’ve lost a lens and needed a replacement.

I only experienced upselling once, they persuaded me to have a pair of glasses lenses thinned due to my strong prescription and the style of the frame. But I’ve had the same type of contact lenses for 13 years (all day all night lenses) and never had them try to upsell me to a more expensive plan. In fact I think the last 12 years when I’ve been on a monthly payment plan the cost has stayed exactly the same!

I went to SpecSavers for a few years and found them ok. I have changed now to a small practice and much prefer it. They have time to answer a question without making you feel you are holding them up.

I've only really had good experiences with my local Specsavers. Always a thorough eye test of at least 29 mins. Shown which glasses are in which range, told of offers, explained how much the classes chosen would cost. I think the only time I felt a bit pressured was by the last salesperson when I got my first pair of variofocals, but they appear to be super expensive everywhere.

My local Specsavers is so bad that they had to take down their Facebook page due to the amount of complaints. In my case, after I had made an appointment, they contacted my previous opticians to get a copy of my prescription in a clear breach of data protection. I rang to complain, but they didn't understand why they shouldn't use my details ie name, address DOB. I had to explain that they did not have my permission. Words fail.

GabriellaMontez No, it was definitely over £1000 for a pair of varifocals and a pair of prescription sunglasses (also varifocal). I am very short-sighted in my left eye only and just starting to need glasses for reading and other close-up work. I also have a chronic disease that affects the eyes, so proper glasses are very important to me - but I’m still not prepared to pay that amount for them, and I don’t feel I should have to.

I am struggling to understand how you could possibly be quoted £1k for glasses from specsvers. Prices range from £25 to about £140 for frames plus lens. And I think that includes varifocal lenses. So even if you went top of the range and paid extra for thinning, I can’t see it being more than £300. Plus you would get a free second pair.

I’ve always found them good, eye test certainly takes longer than 5 mins. No particular sales pitch, i’ve Been told before my prescription hasn’t changed much so no need for new specs. And they’ve also said not to bother with the most expensive thinned lens as it would only make a very marginal difference to the thickness of the lens.

Trust me, MathsFiend, I was. I’m in a different country, so I’ve roughly converted the currency. I nearly fell off my chair when I was given the quote - and that was after my health insurance was factored in. (My insurance does pay for some of it, but not much.) No free second pair. As my left eye is a relatively strong prescription, it does need thinning. Thinning also helps me normalise the difference between the two eyes.

Nope, I’m wrong It’s £350. Still, it’s a fair slab of money that I can ill afford, and the optometrist was shabby at best.

Our branch isnt good at fitting them, dd ones just wont stay on her face, keep slipping down. And when she is tired especially she doesnt push them up

I think it all depends which branch of SpecSavers you use OP.

I have heard people say they think they are great, others don't rate them very highly at all.

My DH went to a SpecSavers branch about 10 years ago. He wasn't in very long and they soon told him he needed glasses for slight long-sightedness. Bought some glasses, went to work, soon lost said glasses! During this time a good friend (she'd been one of my bridesmaids) started working at a local independent opticians, which she already rated for her eye care, so he went there. After a more extensive eye examination and answering questions about specifics of when he had problems with his eyes he was told he had a slight astigmatism and didn't need glasses at all; it affected him more after looking at a computer screen all day, all he needed to do was take appropriate breaks away from the screen so his eyesight didn't go blurry.

This left us wondering if we'd wasted money that we didn't need to spend at SpecSavers, or if the independent optician was wrong. All I know is that he hasn't been told he needs glasses by anyone else since, therefore I am reluctant to use SpecSavers for me, DH or DCs again.

Can I just clarify, whenever these threads come up, people always mention their lenses being “thinned.”

The more expensive lenses are not the same lenses which have been made thinner, they are different lenses, made from a different sort of plastic and often designed in a different way. They are more expensive and better lenses.

Naty - you can go back in any time to Specsavers for readjustment. I've had to once or twice with my kids and they're fab! It's just settling into the glasses.

£350 is a world apart from 1000! I never take them up on the free second pair as i can't afford the thinning and my prescription is so high I need it. They've always been good about that and not done a hard sell.

So OP- your problem is they cost 350 (your prescription and thinning would cost that or more elsewhere) and it took more than 5 minutes? ( A good thing!)

I went to Specsavers recently and thought they were excellent. Free eye test, welcomed as I came in the door, very professional and helpful optician, 2 pairs of glasses at a reasonable price and I picked them up 5 days later. The only mistake I made was going on a Saturday afternoon - never again, it was packed!

My local branch are wonderful. I've been with them for years. Sorry if you had a bad experience

Ah, so it was actually nowhere near £1000!

For clarification - my kids get a second free pair which is worth it's weight in gold the number of times we've had accidental breakages....!! Also the frames don't always work out free at other opticians.

If you are in Australia (you say you are overseas), then depending on your eligibility under Medicare regarding when you last had a test and what sort of test you had, it may well have only been a five minute test. If you had your last test less than three years ago, you would only be entitled to a brief initial/supplementary test. If the optometrist did try and charge Medicare for a full test you were not entitled to, they could be charged with fraud and consequently lose their registration. If you are not in Australia, there may be similar restrictions in the country you reside in.

My husband has been a Specsavers director in both the UK and Australia, and I worked as an optometrist for Specsavers in the UK for many years, and there are often restrictions on what you can and can't do that are imposed by the NHS trust you work for or by Medicare (or the insurance companies in Aus). To tar all Specsavers with the same brush, and to give misleading information does make you unreasonable, I'm afraid.

Considering you've said you have eye problems and are very short sighted (although I haven't seen your prescription), £350 for a pair of top line thinned down varifocals with free prescription sunglasses sounds about right I'm afraid.

The 5 minute eye test is not right at all though. In fact that's downright dangerous. If you have concerns over the optometrist get in touch with the General Optical Council and let them know. They will investigate.

It’s almost been the opposite- such in depth eye examinations including some weird peripheral vision test that feels like a game of alien blasting plus colour blindness testing (hello? I’m almost 40... don’t you think I may have picked this up prior to now?)

This is required as a regular check up as it can pick up loss of vision, eg if a retina is detaching.