Multifocal glasses

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I have been short-sighted since the age of 14 and use glasses.
I am starting to have issues with reading now and I need to change my glasses and have some multifocal lenses put in.
As I am very short-sighted I need the lenses to be extra-thin. I went to the two major optician companies and I was shocked when I was told the price of having new glasses with multifocal lenses.
can anyone suggest the cheapest option?

I've worn varifocal glasses for almost 20 years. The quality of the lenses is directly related to their cost.
I usually try to find a BOGOF deal but that's my only tip.
I wear my glasses 16 hours out of every 24 and each prescription lasts about 2 years so, over time, they're pretty good value.

I currently have a pay monthly deal with Vision Express

Asda

Two pairs of varifocals with thinned lenses, antiglare, all the whistles and bells - £140.

If you have a recent prescription they can make it up, or you can have another test there. They had a good selection of frames.

Specsavers? If you have contact lenses with them they’ll be half price. Or ask about if anyone has a “gold ticket”. So when I get my glasses they give me a gold ticket which I can give to someone to get 50% off their glasses.

I used Online Opticians for prescription sunglasses. I have quite a complex prescription and despite me sending a photo of my prescription I was impressed that one of the opticians rang me up to check a few things. I’d previously ordered normal specs with a
different online company and they didn’t contact me so the fact that this company did was quite reassuring.

Varifocals, very short sighted so ultra high refractive index plastic lenses, astigmatic as well... Anti scratch coating. Yes, expensive, but worth it.

Thanks all. Which are the best places to get them? I don’t want to mess around with companies that can’t make them properly

Asda is the best ive found....ive had 7 pairs all brilliant starting from £49.00. Thin lenses, anti scratch coating and a tint if you want one all free of charge.

I have Specsavers varifocals but it is a lot more expensive than when I only needed single vision lenses, close to £300 for two pairs on their BOGOF offer instead of £120 for single vision. I go for a mid range lens. However varifocals improved my life so much that I consider it a small price to pay to be able to see well again.

You need the multifocals and get the best ones you can. Mine are from specsavers. I've got 2 pairs. Cost me £350 but at least I've got spares.

After taking some time to get used to them I wouldn't go back.

It is a lot more expensive. I'm due for an eye test soon and will be going to Specsavers for the test for two reasons. They can do the advanced OCT scan and they also have my records for many years so can, and do, monitor any changes year on year.

However, on the recommendation of such a lot of people, I'll be going to Asda Opticians to choose my glasses.

I’m the same, but always go for custom varifocal, thinnest possible Zeiss lenses and sometimes have them reactolite
They generally cost nearly £8-900 depending on frame but my optician does 2 year interest free
I just pay a monthly £40 which includes insurance, repairs, sight tests inc retinal scan annually
My eyesight is worth it - most people I know have bigger mobile phone contracts or sky packages etc
I have a cheap sim only plan and manage with freeview

Lensology (online). I've had varifocals a few years now. Got a new prescription this year and Specsavers wanted £290 to put new lenses in my existing frames (which I like).

Someone on here recommended Lensology so I tried them and it was £150. It took a long time (2 weeks from sending frames off to getting them back) but I'm very pleased with the result, which is much better vision than when Specsavers did them last time (the balance of where the long/short distance split never worked, even though they did "fix" them for me).

Can I ask how an online company manage to get things better than a real in person company? Do they use a prescription from the real life company? Because you’d think if they’re all going off the same prescription it would be the same! I also worry how they measure where your eyes actually sit in the frame/lenses if that makes sense….someone at specsavers always measures that and puts a dot on the lens where the centre needs to be and that’s for single vision!

Yep that is my worry about using an online provider too : getting the pupillary distance right. I know there are all sorts of diy tools for this, but I'd rather someone else did it. If it's wrong the comeback is on them!

Does anyone know can you buy frames from somewhere and take them to specsavers to have the lens put in?

Which online optician did you use please.

@DanielaDressen you upload your prescription and pupillary distance measurement. I've done it this way at IRL at Specsavers and the Specsavers lenses were shit compared to the (cheaper) online ones

Specsavers will charge you more for this than they charge for 2 x new frames and lenses if buying from their range. I would have bought new frames from them, if they had had any frames I liked, but they didn't.

They categorically will not do that.

You can take any frames to Asda and they will do the lenses separately.

They’re called Online Opticians UK

Thanks, that’s worth knowing

Must say I'd be surprised if Asda do offer reglazing of your own frames. They are so cheap as they possibly fit them offshore and the frames you pick in store are just ordered up remotely, same as Specsavers.

Looks like they both charge a reglazing fee of around £50 on top of other costs. So lensology would be cheaper. How do you know your pupil,distance, would specsavers tell me if I asked?

Im certain Specsavers would only reglaze their own glasses, i.e. you cant take a different set of frames there.

They probably wouldnt tell you your pd. You can measure it yourself but it wouldnt be that precise (mind neither are most opticians).

For stuff like varifocals Id not be ordering online.