Don't want to get new glasses - reglazing

[BendingSpoons]

I've just been to the opticians and my prescription has changed. I really like my current frames and didn't see any today that I would happily swap for. I have Googled reglazing and been a bit put off. Has anyone successfully had new lenses put in an old frame? Have you done this at a physical store? How long did it take? I don't have a spare pair of glasses, so don't want to rely on contacts for too long. I'm wondering if it's best to approach an independent opticians? My motivation is liking my current frames more than cost, so not too worried about this, providing it's not extortionate.

We use cillary blue who I think are now
www.reglaze-glasses-direct.com

Much cheaper than prices above and takes only a few days.

Yes, it's perfectly normal. Took about 10 minutes in the opticians.

Good thread, I would like to do this as love my old glasses, nothing else has come even close.

Yes 3 of us have had it done at times over the years.
Used independent local optician.
10 days to 2 weeks
Cant remember costs .

That said 2 of us now wear lenses.

Yes, several times over the years. Mine are done at a local optician (no chains in our town). The only thing you have to worry about is the condition of the frames, on one occasion a frame broke not that long after fitting new lenses. Wire frames are more fragile in my experience.

I've gone to the same local independent optician for decades. Use the frames a number of times with new lenses till the frames aren't fit to use. They never push me to have new ones if the old are still serviceable.

I have never done this because I like to keep my old glasses as spares. When they are two prescriptions out of date I get rid of them. Now that I'm older my prescription doesn't change much so I end up keeping them for quite a while.

I never throw glasses away though. Most opticians take old ones for re-use or recycling.

Local vision express has done this for me regularly. I think I had to sign something the first time to confirm that I accepted responsibility if the frames broke during the reglazing.

You notice how their usual pricing lacks transparency when you can compare the cost of the lenses v the frames.

Someday , I'm going to be brave and try https://posheyes.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=Jaeger+rimless instead.

Mine are half rimless - no frame at the bottom. The nylon wire holding them in popped out after a week.

It took the optician about 5 minutes to repair them so rimless shouldn't be a problem to reglaze.

I'm determined to ask for this myself next time as I always close practically identical frames and they are a stupid price.

Does anyone have a recommendation for high index lenses? Some places are soooo £££££.

So an update: I asked in Vision Express today. They have to send them off and recommended going to a large branch e.g. Oxford Street in Central London or Bluewater. Neither are convenient for me. I didn't have a chance to ask in Specsavers.

If no-one can do it locally, I am considering sending off my old pair first and then my current pair. Will have to look at cost though. It might be cheaper to buy a new pair of cheap glasses! Although not so great for the environment (My old glasses are no longer really wearable due to a significant change in my astigmatism, so can't use these as a backup.)

My other option is I am considering a pair of those glasses that darken in bright sunlight, so I could get those first and then my main glasses. I don't know if these are any good though.

Tbh this is all quite annoying when I just want to carry on as normal! (The prescription change wasn't that great, but don't really want to ignore it.)

I used googles4u, they send out 73% codes daily. Got 3 pairs, inc sunglasses for £40 quid.

Sorry, just realised that didn't answer your question. If you can't get them done the above is a great website for cheap glasses.

How old is your frame OP? Anything over 3/4 years old and you have a good chance of it breaking. I don't glaze very often any more, but always hold my breath even when adjusting an older pair of acetate frames.

Reglazes are a bit of a pain unless you have a lab on site - customer's frames seem to go missing at an alarming rate, which isn't ideal if you don't have a spare pair.

There must be somewhere nearby that glazes on site.

My frames are 2 years old. My previous pair are 4 years old, but I haven't worn them for 2 years, so only had 2 years of use.

I don't know how to find out where has a lab on site. Vision Express didn't know of any close by. I guess I could enquire at other places.

I'm tempted to try the recommendation from blowingagail or TheHoptimist on my old pair first. They are uselessly sitting in a drawer so if they broke, it wouldn't be the end of the world. Then I would have a useable pair when I sent off my main glasses.

I guess I could just order a new pair. It's just frustrating to potentially pay lots of money for glasses I like less!

@BendingSpoons

My frames are 2 years old. My previous pair are 4 years old, but I haven't worn them for 2 years, so only had 2 years of use.

I don't know how to find out where has a lab on site. Vision Express didn't know of any close by. I guess I could enquire at other places.

I'm tempted to try the recommendation from blowingagail or TheHoptimist on my old pair first. They are uselessly sitting in a drawer so if they broke, it wouldn't be the end of the world. Then I would have a useable pair when I sent off my main glasses.

I guess I could just order a new pair. It's just frustrating to potentially pay lots of money for glasses I like less!

The have never broken any of our frames- probably sent 20 pairs over the years- some of which were probably 20 years old.

Ah, good point. The branch of Vision Express I got to has a lab on site.

If you can get the measurement between your eyes, you could send them off to be fine online at a fraction of the cost of a high street optician.

Got nice Givenchy frames from TK Maxx & sent them for lens replacement after getting a discount code for using my specsaver's prescription.
Try glassesoutlet.co.uk. Discount code "chain10" at check out

Local options order the lenses and then you pop in and wait for them to be fitted - about 10 mins waiting time. You don’t need to leave them there for a week as they are standard sizes.

Or if you look in your frame they have 3 numbers arm length nose width and glass size. Any online opticians can find you a similar cheap second pair.

I'e always found it cheaper to get two pairs of bogof specsavers glasses than have them reglazed. .

I've used www.reglazemyspex.com a couple of times. Basic single vision lenses with hard coating start at 6.99. So much cheaper than the high street or many of the other online ones I looked at. Never had a problem with them.

Opticians will advise if your frame is in good enough condition to have the lenses replaced. Have done it a couple of times and no hassle. New lenses were ordered and when they arrived I arranged an appointment, dropped my glasses off and went for a coffee while the new lenses were fitted. All done in less than an hour.

2 pairs of frames & lenses cause there cheap does not help the environment much

I work in the industry so I thought I would comment to dispel a few myths I've seen on here.

Reglazing is possible but can be risky especially plastic materials which tend to become brittle over time. It is not as easy as popping lenses in & out. Different frames require glazing in different ways, some require heat & some are glazed cold. The sizing has to be accurate so lenses are neither lose nor too tight as this can cause stress in the lenses which effects vision & can stretch the frame over time. Rimless frames need drilled lenses. Glazing is a skill in itself.

Some opticians have on - site labs, others may be able to send data to a lab so they can order pre- cut lenses. Some opticians will hold a stock of lenses but this will only be single vision prescriptions, progressive lenses are always made bespoke.

Finally, please do consider having your glasses made with coatings. These are not just add - ons to make more money, they help vision and are essential for driving at night & screen use.

Thanks Liking80. In the end I sent them off online for reglazing. I decided to send another pair first and get reactions sunglasses lenses put in (I think that's the brand name actually, and it was a different name but same function). I then did my main pair. I paid extra for better lenses with some of the coatings on, although can't remember what now.

There would have been cheaper ways, but it wasn't primarily about cost for me. I now (still) have frames I like with reasonable lenses in. And the sunglasses ones were useful too. Next time I might get new frames as I can begin to see some wear on mine.