Cost of child's glasses

[TheInterceptor]

Can anyone decipher this receipt for me? My husband took our 6 year old son into a high street opticians today and it ended up costing us £185, even after the NHS voucher was applied!

We usually pay extra to have the lenses narrowed so they're not as heavy, but I don't remember it costing this much last time.

He chose a frame from the teen range (has a wide head!), which had a sticker on saying 'FREE with NHS voucher'.

Does it seem right?

What strength is his prescription?

That can't be right, surely... How many pairs did he get?!

Have they double charged you - I can see 2 X 89 teen frames for a start off.

It's the world's most confusing receipt, that's for sure! I'd go back in and ask them to explain it to you.

My daughter got 2 pairs from Specsavers and we only paid about £60 for the second pair and that was with the anti scratch coating on both pairs.

Ucsc is an "Ultra clear super clean" coating they put on the lenses to make them easier to clean and less likely to attract dust etc. It should have been explained at the time that this is an add on... I can't believe it's £110 a pair though, that's crazy!

It may also be that they are "high index" frames, recommended for people with prescriptions over 6?

To me it looks like he’s got two pairs of glasses. So has had to pay for the second (half price) pair and for the additional treatment to the lenses. Also would have had to pay for the full cost of the lenses in the second pair? I thought the nhs voucher only covered on pair of frames plus basic lenses.?
Highly confusing, and I would go back in and ask them to explain it entry by entry.

The funny thing is that it says 'Clear pricing' at the bottom 😄.

I think your DH should query it with them.

My optician managed to get the NHS to pay for two pairs of glasses for one of sons at that age because he had such a strong prescription that it took a long time to get new lenses and he couldn't function without his glasses. My other son with glasses doesn't have a strong prescription so he only has one pair of glasses. Does your six-year-old really need two pairs of glasses?

It looks like two pairs of glasses at £89 each and two of the thin lenses at £110 each.
One of the glasses and lenses has been reduced to half price, so effectively £200+£100. They've then taken off the NHS voucher (we were told this week in Boots that it covers glasses up to £70, it looks like specsavers)is slightly less).

I would say someone has done a slight miscalculation and you may have been overcharged £10. I worked it out at £235.30 from their figures but I may have missed something.

I think his prescription is around 6/7 and 3/4 (I don't have a copy). His last one said two pairs required due to age, but we've moved Trusts since then and I can't remember if this one said the same.

As I said, we paid for thinner lenses before but I'm sure it wasn't this much.

The website says the UCSC is free with lenses over £69.

It takes two weeks to get replacement glasses and he can't manage safely without them.

2 pairs at the thinnest possible. Price sounds fine for what it is, what is the prescription? Is the 1.74 index necessary?

Just seen your update, maybe upsold the thinnest possible lenses?
Impossible to tell without seeing the prescription, child and frames chosen though.

Wow, my DS has a mild prescription but still needs 2 pairs so he can leave one at school. They were £10 each after the NHS voucher. I feel very lucky.

You have 3rd stage thinning on the lenses.

she would get a higher voucher if she does need thinned lenses but would only put 1.74 in a really high prescription in a child.
frames don’t look free

When you look at a prescription it isn’t just the +/- it’s also looks at any cycl.

We went for the thinner lenses because his glasses were rubbing to the point of bleeding on the bridge of his nose.

That is more likely to be fit than weight of lenses . Did the rub when he got them ?

As children grow what was a great fitting pair of glasses don’t always remain that way as they grow .

I suspect the value of a kids glasses voucher is less than a teen voucher - and so the frame isn't free for a 6 year old. But that doesn't account for all of it.

With spec savers you can choose second pair or the ultra clear, I got caught out by this almost

My daughter is a -7 in both eyes and the most we've paid for thinning is £30 (for two pairs) in Specsavers, and they tried to sell us much fancier thinning which I balked at. (Asda did it for free!) He should get the upgraded voucher at that prescription anyway - definitely query it next time and check what the hospital is giving you!

I've never heard of this second voucher. My daughter has worn glasses since 19 months and definitely couldn't attend school without them. The only voucher we've ever had has been from her hospital optometrist.